The model thinks i'm jesus

Bram · Mar 28, 2011

Hey guys and gals,

Alright so i had a photoshoot with two MM models who happened to be some of my friends for awhile ago.
Now we ended up shooting quite a few photos more like 500 or so. Anywhoo she just sent me a list of photos she wanted and what she wanted done to them. :meh:
No I don't use PS don't ask I just don't. Anywho she told me a bunch of things that just cannot be done unfortunately without tossing up the entire photo and making it looks horrible. Mind you she picked out the ones she wanted and what she wanted to be done to them alright.
Some of the things she said:

Blur the background - remove the background - remove half the background and smooth the rest - mess around with my hair and makeup a little - make me look more tanned - remove the building in the back - really watch the saturation - darken them a little with the right light.

Uhmm what do I say to her lol. Some of these are ridiculous, or is it me?

mikehaugen · Mar 28, 2011

sounds like you better get good with selective editing.:er:

In all seriousness though, they sound like they are all possible. Not to say that I could do them... at least not well. I don't have experience with customers to tell you if she is asking too much. Most of the edits she is requesting won't look as good as getting it right in camera, maybe it would be easier to do the shoot over if possible.

Stradawhovious · Mar 28, 2011

Here's what you say to her.

"You're such a fantastic model, nobody will be paying any attention to the background. With your poses, confidence, and natural beauty the Pope himself could be swinging through the picture on a rope holding a rabid Spider Monkey playing the violin, and nobody would ever point it out.

Here. Have a sandwich."

It will work.

It has to.

If not, learn PS, or get a different model.

480sparky · Mar 28, 2011

First off, who is the customer for these photos? If it's not the models, they're totally out of line.

Second, Jesus doesn't do PhotoShop. If they want to walk on water, heal the sick, turn water into wine or cast out demons............ well, that he can help them with.

Big Mike · Mar 28, 2011

There are plenty of people/companies that will do photo editing (for a cost, of course). I've known several photographers who use these types of services to out-source some or all of their processing because their time is better spend behind the camera, not in-front of a computer.

Here is one I'd recommend...
Bob at www.yourweddingpics.co.uk

Bram · Mar 28, 2011

Hahaha Straw that was fantastic! I needed that. Yeah I have no idea what to say to her she thinks she knows how to edit and stuff and tried teaching me natural lighting one time. I would hate to say to her "do your job and i'll do mine" but that's what it's getting down to.

Bram · Mar 28, 2011

480sparky said:
First off, who is the customer for these photos? If it's not the models, they're totally out of line.

The model wants these photos for her port.

Josh66 · Mar 28, 2011

Honestly, other than the 'remove half the background and smooth the rest' comment, that all sounds pretty reasonable. (But, I don't really know what she's asking here - it might not be all that bad...)

'Blur the background' - you could have done that in camera. Hair & make-up - also could have been done in camera (more attention to those things before the shoot). Tanning her skin ... again, if she had shown up tanned, it would already be done.

There isn't really anything she's asking you to do that could not have been done with zero editing. She is the client, so I think it would be best to deliver the product she wants...

If the edits look horrible, you just need to get better at editing. :lol:

And know when to stop. The line between 'just right' and 'too far' is often very thin, but still very hard.

RockstarPhotography · Mar 28, 2011

all of those things are achievable with ps. Guess its either time to learn it or just tell them you can't.

mikehaugen · Mar 28, 2011

I know this is off subject, but I just realized what your name is supposed to be O|||||||O! All this time I was wondering. LOL

Bram · Mar 28, 2011

^^ good points all of them ^^ The Bokeh in the photos is plenty good and smooth enough to my taste I don't know what more she wants. The tanned thing, she's half brown I think. Hair and Make-up she got it done by her "Professional" friend so shouldn't complain there.

I will put my own twist on it, later in the message she tells me I should know her taste so she trusts what i'm doing so. I'll just take it with a grain of salt and do my thing, and try and do hers.