Irina
Yuri Pautov
Registered Users Posts: 1,918 Major grins
I saw Irina at out T-cafe. For some time I was hesitating, but then came to her table and...
Somehow or other, we met some days later for a session.
Here's one photo (maybe you'll remember Irina in one of my previous posts)
What do you think of composition?
You know, the pose means so much - what are your thoughts?
--
Spasibo,
Yuri
Somehow or other, we met some days later for a session.
Here's one photo (maybe you'll remember Irina in one of my previous posts)
What do you think of composition?
You know, the pose means so much - what are your thoughts?
--
Spasibo,
Yuri
0
Comments
your portraits are always great, and this is no exception.
Las Cruces Photographer / Las Cruces Wedding Photographer
Other site
But in the shadows, Vysionous was watching, and with patience awaiting the night.
http://vysionous.deviantart.com
Spasibo,
Yuri
But, you know there was a but coming, right?
The image could benefit from leveling, and on my calibrated monitor the image looks to have a yellow / green tint.
I took the liberty of a slight processing tweak. I hope you don't mind. here is the result.
Sam
Sam, I'm with you on this, but you should've cropped the right side of the bench like the left side, you see what I mean?
But in the shadows, Vysionous was watching, and with patience awaiting the night.
http://vysionous.deviantart.com
In this instance, you used broad lighting, lighting the wider view of the face. It appears, from the catchlights and shadows, to be right above the camera.
Next time, try placing the main light to the narrow side of her face, in this case, her left side, higher, pointing down about 45 deg. Let the light spill over her nose just slightly, creating a small lighted triangle on the cheekbone under the right eye, being sure to get light into both eyes. Of course, you want a lower power light filling from her right side.
I would open the background just slightly, so as to see some depth behind her, to the viewers' left of the columns.
As for the pose itself, turn her face a little more to the camera. Two things to look for, 'close the loop' of her left eye. Do not let the white of the eye meet the background, leave the eye lid. Also, do not let the bridge of the nose extend into her eye. Stop the bridge just at the point of the eye.
Bend the lower leg a little bit, pulling the knee in a little more, while extending upper leg, draping the top foot over the lower, at the ankle, so the upper foot rests gently on the couch.
Look at her support, her right arm. Her elbow is locked. Always leave a slight bend, rather than straight, or locked. As well, this puts her right shoulder in a stiff upright position. Bending the arm, and having her lower the shoulder slightly will give a softer look.
If I was going to have her on that arm, as it is, I would turn the right hand about 45 degrees toward the camera, fingers curled a little, not laying flat. Even so, with this support, her hand pushes into the couch. Not as graceful as she might otherwise appear.
Otoh, I would likely have used the armrest, instead. The shoulder still comes into play, as with a stiff arm, so be careful. On the armrest, she will have the opportunity for more graceful hand placement. While draping the right hand, she could leave her left hand on her leg, but I would pull it back a bit, showing the edge of her hand, rather than the broader appearing back of it.
As well, she could softly join hands, gently holding the fingers of one, with the other.
Please don't take any of this as criticism, rather, ideas for refinement. You do have a very good image here.
..........
General, unsolicited info... Obviously, we want to present our subjects to their best advantage. For women, it will almost always be preferable to show the edge of the hand, rather than the back, or open palm, if possible. Thinner is better.
Depending on which looks better in any particular instance, slightly separate the index finger, or pinkie, from the other three.
If the arm and hand are in a position to make it possible, bend the wrist, upwards, even if only a smidgen, arching the fingers, lifting the index finger a tiny bit more.
If the arms are lowered along the body, bend the elbows slightly, so they do not touch, physically or visually, the waistline. Be sure there is light (seeing the background) between them. This gives a slimming effct. Closing the gap creates a wider waist.
If she has two of them, as in shoulders, eyes, elbows, hips, knees, or... anything else, create a pose that puts the two on slightly different planes. Tip the head, turn shouders away from square to the camera, hips, as well. Place weight on the foot away from the camera, turning foot at an angle away from the camera. Point other foot toward camera, sliding it ahead of the other, bending the knee slightly, 'pushing' it to the opposite side of the body. Left leg, knee bent, pushed to the right.
Most all of these ideas are used 'slightly', in most cases. Less is more, but none is not enough.
FWIW
Thank you so much for your critique and ideas!
Yuri
A beautiful crit to read, H. It reads like choreography. All you describe could certainly be achieved, and is worth training to achieve. The result would be very flattering and have a deep tranquility, I imagine, and there is something of that quality in Yuri's portrait.
Beautiful as the results would be from what you suggest, the subject cannot be fitted into just one format. If you are looking at a great sculpture you want to see it from all sides and angles. It would feel a chafing limitation to have to stand to view it only in that spot where the white of the further eye doesn't touch the background and the bridge of the nose doesn't impose on that eye's inner line, etc.
I am a fan of distortions, those negatives which like windows allow some truth to be revealed which otherwise would be hidden by perfection determined by perfect rules. Many people in this forum respond negatively to portraits which lack revelation, usually because of lack of "expression".
It is a challenge for the photographer to find that expression, and to choreograph it also into the whole performance. It must I think mean breaking some of the beautiful principles of poise you have given us. The gain in such contradiction is tension, rather than complete tranquility. Just as ballet weaves together the poised and the deliberate destruction of poise which is necessary for movement.
@ Yuri.
I don't like this portrait. The subject is just too far away to feel intimacy, yet is pretty and casual so as to suggest that intimacy is what is being offered. So there is confusion on that point. The pose makes me think of a fish, accentuated by the mermaid-like effect of the legs and the bare feet.
She looks boxed-in by the seat, and having to bend her knees forward towards us to fit her legs inside the bounds of the seat foreshortens her legs in an ugly way and makes her torso look dumpty.
This seat as well as squeezing her squeezes out the background. There is something under and something behind, something to the sides - but all is suppressed.
The wide elastic belt adds to the general effect of constriction and suppression. It becomes a reference to a chastity belt. It is red for danger, and a red which does not harmonise with the luxury of the upholstery but conflicts with it. It is a biological or military red, like blood, and a shock in the otherwise classical elements in the image.
There is a yellow-green cast in the shadows on her legs.
I think I can see the idea behind this image. The basic crescent form of the pose has been used in painting from the Renaissance. You emphasise the soft-edged yet rich skin tone and texture as Renaissance artists do.
It's an exciting idea to bring that tradition into a modern pic with an everyday modern girl. But don't forget the cupids!
Neil
http://www.behance.net/brosepix
I understand your point, and it is well presented. However, and you would have no reason to know, my comments are from 30 years as a portrait photographer. As you can tell, I stem from a more traditional habit, classic portraiture, as it is often called.
OTOH, I like to color outside the lines, too, sometimes.
I appreciate your observations.
I envy the richness your experience brings to you, and us! Sustaining traditions is a wise thing to do.
Neil
http://www.behance.net/brosepix
This is a great critique. I always wonder how anyone could possibly remember all these small things while actually photographing.
Not to be contrary, but after reading your very detailed c&c, and reading you have been a pro portrait photographer for 30 years I was hopping to visit you website to see some of your work, but non is listed. Do you have one?
Sam
What really excites me is the fact I was able to stay on course, while typing. As a hunt-n-pecker, I usually forget what I am saying, long before I get it finished.
I forgot to list my site, so I will go back and change that. I really don't like what I have now, as I started changing an older site, and I have been really derelict in finishing. In fact, I've only, just last week, put some bridals on it. And they are from when I was shooting film.
Having given up weddings a few years ago, I don't have any current digital files of brides. But, I am starting back with weddings, so I had to put up something. Plus, I have a bunch of images on the old site, that I have not scanned for digi files.
At this point, I do not like what I started on this site, so it will be redone, before it is done. bat to the head smiley.gif But, I will finish the new, new site, before I upload it.
I never like to do things in a timely manner. I was going to join Procrastinators International, but I just haven't gotten a round tuit.
Here's the link.