Ally's calendar shoot.

zoomer

I shot Ally's wedding last year and this year she wanted to do a calendar for her husband.
I don't do any studio work so we decided to try shooting it at her house.
We ended up in a little room squeezed in between a couch and loveseat..I had to clone furniture out of every shot...we had a great time. Ally's best friend was there and she is friends with my assistant so she hammed it up prettty good.
I used the same lighting gear I use on my outdoor shoots...I think they came out ok. Ally was happy with them anyway.
We are still deciding on the shots for the calendar, having a hard time, we did 12 different outfits and lots in black and white and color...decisions, decisions.
There are a couple more marginal ones I put over in the Figure forum and a couple on my bear rug that are for her husbands eyes only.

Scoupe

Great stuff! Looks like you guys really got her comfortable and confident.

Those last two poses are really a cut above. Nice work.

zoomer

Thanks Scoupe,
My favorite and Ally's also is the second one from the bottom.

Scoupe wrote:

Great stuff! Looks like you guys really got her comfortable and confident.

Those last two poses are really a cut above. Nice work.

dogwood

zoomer wrote:

My favorite and Ally's also is the second one from the bottom.

Cute images and nice job on the lighting. Keep your eye on her chin when shooting-- I like that second one from the bottom too but her neck is just bit shorter than it needs to be. A slight lift of the chin would have helped make a strong photo even stronger. The flipped up collar often makes a neck seem shorter than it is.

My fav is number five. It's playful and sexy without being over the top.

I do think a solid background would work better than muslin for these images-- they have a pinup feel to them and I haven't seen too many pinups with muslin backgrounds.

zoomer

Thanks dogwood,
When you say a solid background I am not sure what you mean...as I have 0 experience with studio shooting.
Do you have an example shot you could post here or a site where I could see what you mean.
Thanks

dogwood wrote:

Cute images and nice job on the lighting. Keep your eye on her chin when shooting-- I like that second one from the bottom too but her neck is just bit shorter than it needs to be. A slight lift of the chin would have helped make a strong photo even stronger. The flipped up collar often makes a neck seem shorter than it is.

My fav is number five. It's playful and sexy without being over the top.

I do think a solid background would work better than muslin for these images-- they have a pinup feel to them and I haven't seen too many pinups with muslin backgrounds.

Nikolai

Good shooting, especially considering non-studio environment. Model is relaxed and that shows.
I don't necessarily like the onboard flash, but I guess you had to make due. Was it possible to reflect it somehow?
Also, I say it again, shooting females from the eye level or in a full frontal position is not the most beneficial (for them) way, IMHO.
Good series, otherwise, I sure she'll be happy with the results!

zoomer

Hi Nikolai,
Thanks for taking a look. I had a 36" softbox on the right with a b800 and a 24" softbox on the left with a sb800, no onboard flash.

If I ever do this kind of shoot again I will make sure we have a bigger room to shoot in. Lack of space really restricted the lighting and posing options.

Nikolai wrote:

Good shooting, especially considering non-studio environment. Model is relaxed and that shows.
I don't necessarily like the onboard flash, but I guess you had to make due. Was it possible to reflect it somehow?
Also, I say it again, shooting females from the eye level or in a full frontal position is not the most beneficial (for them) way, IMHO.
Good series, otherwise, I sure she'll be happy with the results!

Nikolai

zoomer wrote:

I had a 36" softbox on the right with a b800 and a 24" softbox on the left with a sb800, no onboard flash.

Hm, weird.
Judging by this image:

and its very harsh shadow to the camera right I would've sworn this is an on board flash with the camera rotated 90 CCW to the portrait position. I would never assume a 24" softbox could create such a harsh shadow...

zoomer

I was using the built in flash at the lowest setting to set off the sb800 fill(on the left) which was set in su24(?) mode to set off the b800 light (main from the right)
At that setting it should not have contributed to the overall exposure but you are absolutely correct it does seem to have created a shadow in this shot. I can see where you got your impression of on board flash.
My guess is the combination of me being to close to Ally and her being to close to the background contributed to this shadow.
Also if the b800 had been brighter it would have covered the shadow I imagine, I had it on the lowest setting.
Did I mention I don't do studio photos, to much stuff to remember haha.
Thanks for the lesson Nikolai!

Nikolai wrote:

Hm, weird.
Judging by this image:

and its very harsh shadow to the camera right I would've sworn this is an on board flash with the camera rotated 90 CCW to the portrait position. I would never assume a 24" softbox could create such a harsh shadow...

dogwood

zoomer wrote:

Thanks dogwood,
When you say a solid background I am not sure what you mean...as I have 0 experience with studio shooting.
Do you have an example shot you could post here or a site where I could see what you mean.
Thanks

Well the best pinup "photos" I've ever seen are by Robert Alvarado

Obviously, he combines photography with heavy retouching for his results-- but they're definitely a modern spin on the classic pinup. He mostly just uses plain white backgrounds and varies the lighting using spots.

For something much simpler, you can just use white paper or a simple wall.

jeffreaux2

zoomer wrote:

I was using the built in flash at the lowest setting to set off the sb800 fill(on the left) which was set in su24(?) mode to set off the b800 light (main from the right)
At that setting it should not have contributed to the overall exposure but you are absolutely correct it does seem to have created a shadow in this shot. I can see where you got your impression of on board flash.
My guess is the combination of me being to close to Ally and her being to close to the background contributed to this shadow.
Also if the b800 had been brighter it would have covered the shadow I imagine, I had it on the lowest setting.
Did I mention I don't do studio photos, to much stuff to remember haha.
Thanks for the lesson Nikolai!

That same shadow is present in all of them except the fourth....where the camera was rotated to the landscape position. I had wondered the same as Nik.

zoomer

Yes I see it now I had not noticed it before Nikolai pointed it out.
I am glad because I still have time to get rid of it before sending the calendar to print.

Next time I will move the subject further from the background and/or use my flash bracket so I can rotate the flash to vertical so no shadow.
I prefer not to use wires to set off the flashes.
Unless someone has a different idea..I am all ears...I imagine this won't be the last time I need to do a shoot using indoor lighting so I need to learn more.

Lessons learned...thanks guys.

Nikolai

zoomer wrote:

I was using the built in flash at the lowest setting to set off the sb800 fill(on the left) which was set in su24(?) mode to set off the b800 light (main from the right)
At that setting it should not have contributed to the overall exposure but you are absolutely correct it does seem to have created a shadow in this shot. I can see where you got your impression of on board flash.
My guess is the combination of me being to close to Ally and her being to close to the background contributed to this shadow.
Also if the b800 had been brighter it would have covered the shadow I imagine, I had it on the lowest setting.
Did I mention I don't do studio photos, to much stuff to remember haha.
Thanks for the lesson Nikolai!

I see. Yeah, I know about this method of triggering the optical slaves. The simplest thing to both use that method AND to avoid the impact of the flash itsef is to use any available DIY solution to divert the built-in flash from the stage. Business card, paper napkin/towel, whatever is nearby. Slaves would pick up it anyway, but the effect on the subject should be much less noticeable.

System

Not to be rude or crude but Ally has one lucky husband!

angevin1

Overall a good job done well. I admit to NOT liking the legs kinda hanging in the air on the classic pin-up shot...and everyone already pointed out the OB flash thingy...just a quick tear of paper over it suffices..but alas, I've been there: Once its shot its what ya got~~
cheers,tom

Flutist

Are you planning to edit more? #5 Has some major color issues. There are B&W splotches in between her hands and knees.

zoomer

Hi Flutist,
Yes, once she picks her favorites I need to zoom in and fix a bunch of spots from the color conversion of the background.
Of course if she goes with a black and white calendar which is how she is leaning, that won't be much of an issue.

Flutist wrote:

Are you planning to edit more? #5 Has some major color issues. There are B&W splotches in between her hands and knees.

roentarre

Truely beautiful in deed! Wow!

clemensphoto's

Zoomer - some really great shots. I'm sure Ally's husband will be more than happy with the out come.