Caren

Nikolai

OK, finally got through my weekend plunder.

#1: This is Caren. It's our second shoot with her, the first one was outdoors last Spring, but she wanted to get some studio shots, too:



#2: Going artsy:



#3: She brought a few really nice dresses - purple:



#4: Black (she mentioned something to the extent of $200:-):



#5: And, of course, pink:



#6: Feeling artsy again, what's up with that:-)



#7: And, finally, Runaway Cinderella:



Enjoy! C&C welcome!

This post was made with the assistance of Star*Explorer

NeilL

#5 T O T A L L Y enchanting lust Astonishingly beautiful lighting. Background color and vignetting superb. She floats in a moment of ecstasy. It reminds me of an Angelus, the moment the angel herself is told the news of the conception of God. It belongs in the Italian Renaissance.

(How's that for Artsy D)

But, sincerely, this is sublime. Thank you!

Neil

Agnieszka

Hmmmm I looooooove
#2 (just not sure about the color)
#4 - GORGEOUS
#5 dreamy
#6 wow that dress is stunning! ... and haha, love the title for #7



Ok Nik ... tell us the secret, where do you find all your models? Are those photos for their portfolio, do they book you "just for fun" .... or how are you doing it?

P.s Love that purple background!

Nikolai

NeilL wrote:

#5 T O T A L L Y enchanting lust Astonishingly beautiful lighting. Background color and vignetting superb. She floats in a moment of ecstasy. It reminds me of an Angelus, the moment the angel herself is told the news of the conception of God. It belongs in the Italian Renaissance.

(How's that for Artsy D)

But, sincerely, this is sublime. Thank you!

Neil

Hey Neil,
glad you liked it! I had several runnerups for this look but finally decided on this particular capture.
Appreciate the comment!

Nikolai

Agnieszka wrote:

Hmmmm I looooooove
#2 (just not sure about the color)
#4 - GORGEOUS
#5 dreamy
#6 wow that dress is stunning! ... and haha, love the title for #7



Ok Nik ... tell us the secret, where do you find all your models? Are those photos for their portfolio, do they book you "just for fun" .... or how are you doing it?

P.s Love that purple background!

Thanks, Angie!
As I mentioned in the OP, this is a "returning customer" :-) One good thing about model photography is that agencies usually require regular (3 to 6 months) photo updates, so if you get yourself a decent rep you can get retained clientelle... Hold on, isn't it about pretty much *every* business?
Abd btw, the bg is actually black (you could see it in the setup shots), it's all lights, gels and some PS

divamum

Nikolai wrote:

Thanks, Angie!
As I mentioned in the OP, this is a "returning customer" :-) One good thing about model photography is that agencies usually require regular (3 to 6 months) photo updates, so if you get yourself a decent rep you can get retained clientelle... Hold on, isn't it about pretty much *every* business?

Wouldn't it be a bit presumptuous (and pessimistic!) to assume "return customers" for wedding photographers? D

Nice series, Nik - I like them all a lot, and I think the artsy ones are pretty neato torpedo.

When you say "$200" (I'm assuming you're referring to the dress!) are you thinking that's cheap or that's spendy? As a singer, I buy a a LOT of gowns, and I'd say that's a pretty middle of the road retail price, fwiw (low end is $50 and under; high end up to $5k and beyond.... Of course, if you're a bargain hunter like me, you find ways of getting the $5k gowns for $100 :D)

Terrific shots, Nik - and the sneakered-Cinderella is a hoot!

Nikolai

divamum wrote:

Wouldn't it be a bit presumptuous (and pessimistic!) to assume "return customers" for wedding photographers? D

I maybe quite wrong, but I'd say wedding photography is mostly returning customers - it's just indirect. You shoot a wedding, all the guests see your work (and themselves) and if they like it they hire you... That goes to friedns, relatives...

Nice series, Nik - I like them all a lot, and I think the artsy ones are pretty neato torpedo.

Thank you!

When you say "$200" (I'm assuming you're referring to the dress!) are you thinking that's cheap or that's spendy? As a singer, I buy a a LOT of gowns, and I'd say that's a pretty middle of the road retail price, fwiw (low end is $50 and under; high end up to $5k and beyond.... Of course, if you're a bargain hunter like me, you find ways of getting the $5k gowns for $100 :D)

I dunno... I understand the high end gowns (like the Oscar red carpet crowds) can cost more than a car (or even a house) but the aspiring models are not the richest folks.. Besides, AFAIK females do not generally like to wear the same dress more than once, and, unlike L glass, you can't sell it back fo 90..95% of the cost, so it's pretty much one time deal... For me, its' on the expensive side because of this very low reusability rate:-)

Terrific shots, Nik - and the sneakered-Cinderella is a hoot!

Glad you liked them!

divamum

Nikolai wrote:

Quote:
Originally Posted by divamum
Wouldn't it be a bit presumptuous (and pessimistic!) to assume "return customers" for wedding photographers?
I maybe quite wrong, but I'd say wedding photography is mostly returning customers - it's just indirect. You shoot a wedding, all the guests see your work (and themselves) and if they like it they hire you... That goes to friedns, relatives...

Just in case it wasn't clear, I was being just a touch tongue in cheek there, Nik - the idea of coming back for the 4th, 5th, 6th wedding.....

Of course re-hire work is the staple of ANYTHING - no arguments there at all

Nikolai wrote:

I dunno... I understand the high end gowns (like the Oscar red carpet crowds) can cost more than a car (or even a house) but the aspiring models are not the richest folks.. Besides, AFAIK females do not generally like to wear the same dress more than once, and, unlike L glass, you can't sell it back fo 90..95% of the cost, so it's pretty much one time deal... For me, its' on the expensive side because of this very low reusability rate:-)

Then y'all are shopping at the wrong places! Seriously, I regularly get $500+ gowns for under $50 (my all-time triumph was a pure silk, perfect condition high-end label gown for $9.99 - I think original price was about $300. Seriously). Granted, I seem to be particularly good at bargains (hence the $165 STE2 ), but fwiw. The trick to savings on stuff like evening wear and gowns is that you can't really wait to buy it when you need it - you grab it when you see it cheap which for evening wear is usually February- March (final days of the holiday stuff on sale), May/June (when the prom stuff goes on sale) and the very tail end of the summer when they're clearing just about everything out for the new season. I also can HIGHLY recommend places like Loehmanns, and the Saks 5th Ave, Niemann Marcus and Nordstrom outlets (all of which I know you have in and around LA) and I've even had good luck at places like Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Ross if you know your labels. In NY, of course, the garment industry sample sales are a staple, although the sizes tend to be limited to "small", "really small" and "omg, how does anybody get INTO that thing?". That's where models actually stand to do much better with the "last ditch sale rail" than many of us real-sized people, because they can actually WEAR those size 2s and 4s that are inevitably left on the rack with the multiple clearance stickers.....

/total tangent

Nikolai

divamum wrote:

Then y'all are shopping at the wrong places! Seriously, I regularly get $500+ gowns for under $50 (my all-time triumph was a pure silk, perfect condition high-end label gown for $9.99 - I think original price was about $300. Seriously). Granted, I seem to be particularly good at bargains (hence the $165 STE2 ), but fwiw. The trick to savings on stuff like evening wear and gowns is that you can't really wait to buy it when you need it - you grab it when you see it cheap which for evening wear is usually February- March (final days of the holiday stuff on sale), May/June (when the prom stuff goes on sale) and the very tail end of the summer when they're clearing just about everything out for the new season. I also can HIGHLY recommend places like Loehmanns, and the Saks 5th Ave, Niemann Marcus and Nordstrom outlets (all of which I know you have in and around LA) and I've even had good luck at places like Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Ross if you know your labels. In NY, of course, the garment industry sample sales are a staple, although the sizes tend to be limited to "small", "really small" and "omg, how does anybody get INTO that thing?". That's where models actually stand to do much better with the "last ditch sale rail" than many of us real-sized people, because they can actually WEAR those size 2s and 4s that are inevitably left on the rack with the multiple clearance stickers.....

/total tangent

You're right about shopping in the wrong places, but you're talking to a wrong person - I don't care what the dress price is, only how it looks And yes, I know about discount stores/outlets. Heck, my wifey works at Ross, so we get the first dibs on anything, plus regular emplyee discount 20% off (and occasional 40% off few times a year) on top of already heavily discounted prices.
Now, I wish there was something similar for gear, where you'd be able to get one time used 5D2 for $300 or or 1D3s for a grand...

divamum

Nikolai wrote:

You're right about shopping in the wrong places, but you're talking to a wrong person - I don't care what the dress price is, only how it looks And yes, I know about discount stores/outlets. Heck, my wifey works at Ross, so we get the first dibs on anything, plus regular emplyee discount 20% off (and occasional 40% off few times a year) on top of already heavily discounted prices.
Now, I wish there was something similar for gear, where you'd be able to get one time used 5D2 for $300 or or 1D3s for a grand...

Ah, then you're well-versed in my approach (dang, wish I had a relative at Ross or Marshalls!)

Yeah, we need a real Canon Outlet where we can ply our maniacal discount methods on something other than clothing ....

sweet caroline

I like your artsy shots, Nik! This is a great series.

Caroline

Nikolai

sweet caroline wrote:

I like your artsy shots, Nik! This is a great series.
Caroline

Thanks Caroline!

Schnauzer

Nice work Nik. You have really come a long ways.

Nikolai

Schnauzer wrote:

Nice work Nik. You have really come a long ways.

Thank you Ron!
I stil hope to get a bit better. Hope to try high key this weekend:-)

ChatKat

Congrats
Heya Nik...this is the nicest of your model series..tasteful, well lit and nice skin...Congrats

mpaulie

sweet caroline wrote:

I like your artsy shots, Nik! This is a great series.

Ann McRae

Hi Nik

#5 is so pretty!

If I (as rank amateur) may, in the first, I think her eyes are looking up too much...a weee bit more eye, less white.

In the first artsy shot (#2), I really like the outline of her body - her arms are very nicely shaped and the whole bunch of curves works very nicely together.
In #3 I find the angle of her face/head too forced, awkward.

I don't like the running shoes in the last one - no sense of fun in me, hey?



ann

Nikolai

ChatKat wrote:

Heya Nik...this is the nicest of your model series..tasteful, well lit and nice skin...Congrats

Thanks, Kathy! Hey, before you know it, I may starting shooting kids, pets and flowers...:-)

Nikolai

mpaulie wrote:

Thank you, Michael!

Nikolai

Ann McRae wrote:

Hi Nik
#5 is so pretty!
If I (as rank amateur) may, in the first, I think her eyes are looking up too much...a weee bit more eye, less white.
In the first artsy shot (#2), I really like the outline of her body - her arms are very nicely shaped and the whole bunch of curves works very nicely together.
In #3 I find the angle of her face/head too forced, awkward.
I don't like the running shoes in the last one - no sense of fun in me, hey?
ann

Dear Ann,
thank you for the comments and critiques!