Top Model Contest Winner

[JackRabbit]

Ok so I shot the fashion show at my high school the other night and let me tell you, it was no easy task. So much went wrong it's not even funny. With that said, it was also a GREAT networking experience. I met a bunch of cool model/wardrobe stylists/designers and helped train Stephen all at the same time.

Anyways, unsurprisingly, Maria here won so I did some photos with her in the behind the scenes studio that we (me and Stephen) had set up. She is a GREAT model, very easy to work with and has legs for days haha. I am already planning to shoot with her again.

Strobist:
PhotoFlex StarFlash 300 through softbox, camera left, 1/2 power.

Canon 430EX through umbrella, model left, 1/16 power.

Thanks for looking

 

[Timothy]

i must say, personally it doesn;t look up to the quality of some of your previous posts, in the first is seems quite dull, or desaturated, and then in the 2nd it looks much better, much better looking colours.
in the 3rd they seem almost bored, and in the 4th i think it could use a bit of a contrast boost, but that may just be my own personal taste.

i've been watching your progress, and must say that you have gotten so much better, and it's good to see you expand your experiences.

just waiting to get my 430ex II...........




ps. maybe now you'll get some posts

 

[shmne]

1. Not really feeling the pop of color from the flower (not sure if this was on purpose) but it ruins the continuity in my opinion (appears that the bottom half is more so desaturated than the rest). A reflector would have been nice just to add a little more detail and to also soften up the harsh shadows. I don't think her pose does much for the photo either.
2. At first site I wasn't too fond of the posing, but the more I look at it the more I actually like it. At this point in the four posted pictures you've completely lost any continuity between photos you could have had going (this is something that good clients know to look for). The lighting here is nice, the shadows aren't too harsh in this one and really compliment the model well.
3. There is a hair coming down his forehead that I find to be a bit distracting and almost unnerving. I don't really like that her right arm is so dark, with such a bright light coming through from it. I think it would have been better if you had shot them separately and then gone back in photoshop and put them together. This would have also allowed you to fix the posing issue here (that they seem awkward standing next to each other). The background is just too bright, there is a lot of light wrap going on.
4. The background is really bright again, but only on the lower half (up to about her arms). The shadows are a bit harsh for me, this could be used to your advantage but from the style choices made I think it was more of an after thought since they don't really seem to be controlled (the part that is harsh is her shirt, while the rest has softer shadowing). This is a nice pose of her, probably the strongest of the series.

When you do your editing keep in mind a common theme, state to yourself that you have a mission and all the photos should look like they belong together. Better yet, before you even take a step with a camera in hand you should decide exactly what it is you are going to do. Sure, once you get on location everything changes, problems arise, and things need to be changed. That doesn't mean you drop your plan, you just need to modify it.

I think you did a good job, and you probably had more on your plate than you could bite off. Often it is tough to realize what could possibly go wrong at an event until you actually shoot one.

 

[Sbuxo]

#1: Zombie skin, what happened? It looks like the light is overpowering it.

#2: Light problem by her left hip, I like the incorporation of red from her lips, nails, and shoes. Therefore, I don't think B&W suits this series.

#3: I like this one the most out of the set, and I think it would have been really good if you had the light down. It's not so bad like #1's, but you can see there's a difference in skin tone from her arms & up and her legs. It's washed out sort of on her legs. Try burning them a bit to give them a golden tone that the rest of her body has.

#4: I'm just not feeling it in B&W, and I agree w/ shmne about the shadows on her arms.

 

[Paparoksguitar]

the last is my favorite, frankly because the model seems to actually be coming out and showing emotion in that shot.

The first one is cool but i cant tell whether she is sheilding the light, or if she is waving, or trying to grab at something. I just think the hand gesture is a little weird, however if she is sheilding the light then the lighting works pretty well with the pose and has a nice concept to it.

2nd - i really dislike the pose. It's not that it;s not good (cause i have very little clue on posing) it's just that i feel like she is about to fall over - sombody needs to run into the frame and catch her from falling!

3rd - looks kinda like you told them "hey look over here" and they look over and really fast you take the shot. the facail expression just seems dazed.

they are cool shots though 1 and 4 are my faves.

 

[AnaBo]

#1: Zombie skin, what happened?

+1
Skin is a funky cold-dead-gray and her right hand looks almost as big as her head gotta be careful with that.

 

[RMThompson]

I think it's great you go to a school where zombies are allowed to attend, however I doubt that was the intention of the photo.

The issue here is likely one of two things and likely both:

1. The pictures and skintones were off color so you toned them in post, leaving greyskin.

2. Your light is flashing against the background and then reflecting too much; i.e; too much light.