Yet another self portrait

sweet caroline

This time I used my on camera flash in front as well as reflectors, and placed the sb600 behind.



Caroline

divamum

sweet caroline wrote:

This time I used my on camera flash in front as well as reflectors, and placed the sb600 behind.



Caroline

I can't believe you're worried about posing - it's perfect! Your eyes are sparkling and your body angles are beautiful (were you/are you a dancer?)

My (novice-eye) nits about this one are that the main light is on your collarbone instead of the side of your face and, on my monitor, your face isn't dead sharp - it looks slightly soft from here.

But I seriously love these and that outfit SO works for you - beautiful!

I'm loving this flurry of self-portraits we're all doing - it's so cool to see everybody experimenting and growing in skills AND style. I can see I'll now be spendign the afternoon with the camera again - I'm just fired up to keep trying!!!

sweet caroline

divamum wrote:

I can't believe you're worried about posing - it's perfect! Your eyes are sparkling and your body angles are beautiful (were you/are you a dancer?)

My (novice-eye) nits about this one are that the main light is on your collarbone instead of the side of your face and, on my monitor, your face isn't dead sharp - it looks slightly soft from here.

But I seriously love these and that outfit SO works for you - beautiful!

I'm loving this flurry of self-portraits we're all doing - it's so cool to see everybody experimenting and growing in skills AND style. I can see I'll now be spendign the afternoon with the camera again - I'm just fired up to keep trying!!!

You aren't seeing all the failures! Yes, I used to dance.


I really need another off camera flash to do this properly, I think. I just couldn't get enough light on my face using the reflectors and the on built in camera flash. Although, maybe I could have figured something out if I hadn't been doing these at like 2 am or so.

Do you like my fancy blow dryer pointed upward technique? That's because I hate my hair!

I'm enjoying everyone's self portraits, too. First of all, it's cool to see what everyone looks like. And second, it's very cool to see all the improvements we're making.

Caroline

divamum

sweet caroline wrote:

You aren't seeing all the failures! Yes, I used to dance.


I really need another off camera flash to do this properly, I think. I just couldn't get enough light on my face using the reflectors and the on built in camera flash. Although, maybe I could have figured something out if I hadn't been doing these at like 2 am or so.

I'm enjoying everyone's self portraits, too. First of all, it's cool to see what everyone looks like. And second, it's very cool to see all the improvements we're making.

Caroline

sweet caroline wrote:

Yes, I used to dance.

Heeeheee - I knew it!!

Ha - I'm glad I'm not the only one who goes and hides out in the "camera space" at odd hours of the day and night Actually, I find it very relaxing in a strange sort of energizing way, and given that Operaland is a MESS right now (2 companies officially declared bankruptcy, NYCO closed and in big trouble, and 3 more companies rumoured about to hit the skids... EEK!), taking pictures is providing a very available creative outlet even if the only model I can rely on is myself..... :giggle

Keep at it Caroline, and thanks so much for sharing - you're inspiring me to keep at it!!

sweet caroline

I had to break down my camera space this morning- it was in the middle of my living room. My family was out of town last night, so I had some kid-free time to play around. In between my two shoots, I went out to a jazz club in my cute outfit.

You keep it up, too!

Caroline

divamum

sweet caroline wrote:

I had to break down my camera space this morning- it was in the middle of my living room. My family was out of town last night, so I had some kid-free time to play around. In between my two shoots, I went out to a jazz club in my cute outfit.

You keep it up, too!

Caroline

yeah, I use my music room which is TINY, but at least it's semi out of the way... at least until I need to break everything down to teach in it!! (My students laugh now when they come in and see the tripod propped in the corner....)

Scott_Quier

divmum nailed all the detractors I see, but this image ROCKS!!! I think you did an excellent job with the hair and seperating it from the background and the blowdryer is a stroke of genius! Only things lacking are a bit better focus, a bit more light on face, and a bit less light on your shoulder. This ROCKS - ooops, I said that already!

sweet caroline

I think this is how I'm going to imagine myself from now on- hair blowing, looking quite dramatic. I just need some kind of theme song playing in the background. Here's a different edit:



I now feel ready to work with the models I know. Should be much easier when I can just stay behind the camera!

Caroline

Kwarta

sweet caroline wrote:

I think this is how I'm going to imagine myself from now on- hair blowing, looking quite dramatic. I just need some kind of theme song playing in the background. Here's a different edit:



I now feel ready to work with the models I know. Should be much easier when I can just stay behind the camera!

Caroline

Stunning SP.

mpaulie

sweet caroline wrote:

I just need some kind of theme song playing in the background.

Charlie's Angels, definitely.
Great look in these, very nice job!

lisap

LOVE the look!

I like how the shirt looks really white white too.

-- Lisa P.

Scott_Quier

OK, the first edit was quite nice but I really like what you've done the second time around.

heatherfeather

Hey little miss hotsy-totsy-
This is great! I love how you lightened it up- Before that it just looked too underexposed to be appealing, but now... whenever the guys comment to your threads they will be dreamy... in remembrance of this beautiful photo.

Your beautiful blowing hair works really well- It looks so healthy and frisky! (I don't know if that is a flattering word, but it was meant to be!)

As to working at it at 2am...If you are not going to be sleeping, you might as well be doing something constructive, I always say. (That is my excuse for getting up in the middle of the night and doing laundry or catching up on my dgrin habit.)

This is so fun to see people! Yay for SPs!

Llywellyn

Very nice!

And a hairdryer...genius! :giggle

Mitchell

The second edit is really nice. Love the pose and the motion with your hair.

I think your eyes need a little more light in them. A better catchlight would really liven up the shot.

glennp

Yeah! The second edit Rocks! Like your DIY wind. I've been thinking of using a box fan and some cardboard for the effect myself. This might be easier and it will keep the model a bit warmer..... :-)

The wifey left this morning for 6 weeks (snowbird) so we'll see what I can do with a SP.

glenn

divamum

Caroline, somehow I missed replying to this yesteday (I thought I had, but... apparently not!)

I too love the 2nd edit - the whites pop, and it's just a great image. And do you hear how much your daughters look like you all the time?

sweet caroline

divamum wrote:

Caroline, somehow I missed replying to this yesteday (I thought I had, but... apparently not!)

I too love the 2nd edit - the whites pop, and it's just a great image. And do you hear how much your daughters look like you all the time?

My mom especially can't get over how much my girls look like me as a child. They have better hair, thankfully. And their daddy's longer lashes.

sweet caroline

Mitchell wrote:

The second edit is really nice. Love the pose and the motion with your hair.

I think your eyes need a little more light in them. A better catchlight would really liven up the shot.

I agree about the catchlights. It bugged me a lot that I couldn't get them. I was using my more powerful flash from behind and the little on camera flash. Maybe next time (although it may be a while before I try again).