singer/songwriter project pics

f64

First time post. Comments and critiques are appreciated and respected, thanks.

These are promotion pics for this artist. The top one is her latest CD cover. You'll probably see more of her as in my current local, she's pretty much all I have access to. These are all natural light. I rarely use my studio strobes anymore. There's something about studio work that just seems dead to me, or maybe I'm just going through my natural light phase. Natural light just seems more alive. Just my opinion. I'll probably change next week. Thanks for looking.

#1



#2



#3



#4 Haven't really used this one, but it has a quality I like.

ShepsMom

I like number 1 the best of them all. It does have a cover shot feeling compare to the other 3. Very nice!

Photosbychuck

Great Photos!
Is she wearing colored contacts?
Love the eyes!

Take Care,
Chuck,

f64

Thanks, she wears contacts but they're not colored. I forgot to mention that the above pics were done with the XT and EF-S 17-85 IS lens. Not that anyone was asking, but I always like to know the gear when I look at photos.

I've been doing this digital photography for a year or so. I find it to be exceptional for color work as the color can be saturated and contrast can be punched up so much more than color film, similar to be what can be achieved on Velvia or 50D; however, I'm not sure the digital realm is matching what I've achieved with B&W film in the traditional darkroom over the last 20+ years. Though, dodging and burning is much more of a pleasure in photoshop for sure. My work is mostly for the web and small prints so the Canon XT works well for that. I'm sure it would work well for larger prints as well. I just don't have much experience with it in that regard. Just got the XSI, we'll see how that goes.

f64

ShepsMom wrote:

I like number 1 the best of them all. It does have a cover shot feeling compare to the other 3. Very nice!

Thanks, it was the last one considered for the cover. It's always in the last place you look.

evoryware

I also like #1 the most for a cover. The whites of her eyes appear pink in #4.

Nikolai

#3 has some nice poetry in it, more suitable for singer/songwriter IMHO.
FWIW, in all the rest WB is off.

Qarik

#1 is the winner

#3 looks a bit "skeletor" to me.

f64

Nikolai wrote:

#3 has some nice poetry in it, more suitable for singer/songwriter IMHO.
FWIW, in all the rest WB is off.

Yeah, #3 was the original game plan for the cover. Then the art director and artist were really pulling for #1. I relented, but I think they made the best choice. I left the WB up to the art director because she has much more experience with color than I do, and I think it works. I was primarily a B&W guy, so I didn't question her judgement much, other than saying "Are you sure it's not to yellow?!". I did already take a ton of red out of #2. There is still a tinge left. I was really noticing the red in #4 after I posted and your comment provoked me to work on it. Natural light seems to wreak havoc on the white balance. I assume the different color temps in the indirect light just push it to the red side. I'll set it to the shade setting and see what that brings next time.

Before


After


Better??

Thanks for the help and the comments everybody. It's good to get some fresh eyes especially on this white balance stuff.

Nikolai

f64 wrote:

Thanks for the help and the comments everybody. It's good to get some fresh eyes especially on this white balance stuff.

I actually meant something like this.

f64

Nikolai wrote:

I actually meant something like this.

Ha! That's exactly what I got when I applied auto levels! I took one look at it and thought thats way to mega hella cold/blue. Would like to get feed back from other people on both of our corrections though.

Nikolai

f64 wrote:

Ha! That's exactly what I got when I applied auto levels! I took one look at it and thought thats way to mega hella cold/blue. Would like to get feed back from other people on both of our corrections though.

It's all questionable. I understand you were shooting outside, on a hot day, so it's natural to have the face on a reddish site. My primary concern was green in the hair.
For the future purposes remember the mantra: Use the gray card, Luc!

crockett

I know I'm not siding with one hell of photgrapher but I have to agree, that last touch, the photo is just too much blue. However, the hair has improved. I would warm the skin using yellow and this should leave the hair pretty close to where it is. A cross between the original photographers redo and Nikolia's version.

f64

crockett wrote:

I know I'm not siding with one hell of photgrapher but I have to agree, that last touch, the photo is just too much blue. However, the hair has improved. I would warm the skin using yellow and this should leave the hair pretty close to where it is. A cross between the original photographers redo and Nikolia's version.

Thanks for your input. Does this solve the problem? This is actually good to confer with people that all have different monitors. It comforts me that were all seeing the same problems. It's remarkable that are monitors are that close.

I think this takes the green out of my redo as well as the blue, leaving a warm inviting portrait....hopefully? probably not.

f64

Nikolai wrote:

It's all questionable.

I agree. Depnding on the intent, any correction can be servicable.

Nikolai

OK, my first was just one-click WB correction. Midday light is always a huge problem, so I admit, a bit more attention was needed. Here's a version with a warmed up face.