Ashraf gets in the g r o o v e man!

NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
edited January 19, 2009 in People
Well, what a turnup this second shoot with Ashraf was! :D:wink:D

Well, I took an hour to get the lighting kinda how I was thinking of, endlessly going back-and-forth, turning-up turning-down, moving stuff left-right-thisway-thatway, snapping tests, snapping tests, muttering to myself incoherently all the while in my own pidgin photographerese, and Ashraf sat there placidly the whole time (now you see this is why I PAY my sitters :wink:rofl).

But as things began to come together lightwise, and my noises became more joyous and excited, Ashraf began to get into poses, all by himself. I only had to press the popper, one, next, third... At one point he went and adjusted a light himself for a pose he wanted, and bloody good move it was! :rofl:rofl:rofl

I never suspected for a moment what was inside that quiet, resigned Indian stranger I had in my Cubby!!

Anyhoo, phew, here's a handful for you...

My camera bag is open on the sidewalk. Just drop in your C&C and you'll have done your good deed for the day. Remember this was my second 'public' shoot and you've gotta give me a handup. :deal



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Canon 40D, 35mm f1.4L

Thanks

Neil
"Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

http://www.behance.net/brosepix

Comments

  • EiaEia Registered Users Posts: 3,627 Major grins
    edited January 15, 2009
    I like the profile shot...classic. I also like the last. The pics bring thru a friendliness.
    ~AnnaMaria~ My little life in God's big universe
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited January 15, 2009
    These are great!!!! thumb.gif I like the outfit too - with his dark skin, the white is perfect.

    To me there's a slight hotspot to camera left in #3 (all of them seem slightly strong on camera left, but that one particularly so), but I think these are great - #1's my favorite thumb.gifthumb
    facebook | photo site |
  • kdspencerkdspencer Registered Users Posts: 112 Major grins
    edited January 15, 2009
    I like these much better than your first batch.

    Number 4 and 5 are my favourite.

    In #2 he looks open and friendly, but I wonder what it would look like if you'd gone with a camera angle from above him rather than below. (I feel like I'm looking up his nose)

    Good work, much improved!

    ~Kathleen
    Kathleen
    www.kdspencer.com
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited January 15, 2009
    Neil,
    *Much* better! thumb.gif
    I'm a bit concerned about the light being below him, since it brings certain villainesque feeling (you know, typical horror flick, flashlight from under the chin, etc.)
    Great stuff otherwise!
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    Eia wrote:
    I like the profile shot...classic. I also like the last. The pics bring thru a friendliness.

    Very happy that you came to look, Eia. Much appreciate your comments.
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    divamum wrote:
    These are great!!!! thumb.gif I like the outfit too - with his dark skin, the white is perfect.

    To me there's a slight hotspot to camera left in #3 (all of them seem slightly strong on camera left, but that one particularly so), but I think these are great - #1's my favorite thumb.gifthumb

    You swept me away with your enthusiasm, divamum! (What would you do to me if you were singing an ariarolleyes1.gif)

    Yes, I'll revisit those hotspots and make them behave!

    Great that you dropped by. Thanks.
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    kdspencer wrote:
    I like these much better than your first batch.

    Number 4 and 5 are my favourite.

    In #2 he looks open and friendly, but I wonder what it would look like if you'd gone with a camera angle from above him rather than below. (I feel like I'm looking up his nose)

    Good work, much improved!

    ~Kathleen

    Many thanks for commenting, Kathleen. Yes, I also like #4, it's the most interesting for me, even though in this one too the nostrils are a bit like looking into a double barrel shotgun!! :Drolleyes1.gif
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    Nikolai wrote:
    Neil,
    *Much* better! thumb.gif
    I'm a bit concerned about the light being below him, since it brings certain villainesque feeling (you know, typical horror flick, flashlight from under the chin, etc.)
    Great stuff otherwise!

    Thanks, Nik, your encouragement means a lot (as well as your example). That #4 is certainly vaudeville. I've titled it 'White Maestro'.
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    Oooh! I've just realised I've done the ton (>1000 posts) Yippee clap.gifwings.gifivar
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • TravisTravis Registered Users Posts: 1,472 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    Awesome improvement Neil!!! thumb.gif Love 3&4, especially 3.... it reminds me of an old John Wayne profile. :D I can see that your friend definitely became the ham! rolleyes1.gif
    Travis Owney Photography
    My Images | My Lessons Learned and Other Adventures
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,955 moderator
    edited January 16, 2009
    NeilL wrote:
    Oooh! I've just realised I've done the ton (>1000 posts) Yippee clap.gifwings.gifivar

    Well, metric ton but let's not quibble. thumb.gif
    My Pics
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    Travis wrote:
    Awesome improvement Neil!!! thumb.gif Love 3&4, especially 3.... it reminds me of an old John Wayne profile. :D I can see that your friend definitely became the ham! rolleyes1.gif

    It's great to read your comments, Travis, thanks. Enjoyed your reference to John Wayne, and I now can easily imagine Ashraf with a ten gallon on his head! rolleyes1.gif
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited January 16, 2009
    Richard wrote:
    Well, metric ton but let's not quibble. thumb.gif

    Quite right! Let's not quibble on this auspicious occasion!
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • Miguel DelinquentoMiguel Delinquento Registered Users Posts: 904 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2009
    Check yer white balance
    Hi NeilL
    I am glad to finally catch a few shots out of your camera. My favorite is the last one. You nailed the catchlights quite nicely there. Ashraf's pose looks very genuine too. I like the contrast between his white shirt and the black background, and the funky designs on the shirt help tie it together.

    I would recommend re-checking the white balance. There seems to be a tad too much blue, at least on my spiffy monitors. The color also seems somewhat too saturated, that this may be affecting the blue cast as well. The highlights in Ashraf's hair on his right side are on the orange/red side of things, and that's frequently a sign of overjuicing the shot.
    Don't know what tools you are using, but if I was using Lightroom I pot down the vibrance a bit, and then maybe the saturation.

    M
    Eye In The Triangle Photography
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2009
    NeilL wrote:
    Oooh! I've just realised I've done the ton (>1000 posts) Yippee clap.gifwings.gifivar
    Yay! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • lisaplisap Registered Users Posts: 294 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2009
    Wow, so different from his first expression! :) He definitely must have gotten more comfortable this time.

    I like 1, 3 and 4 the most and his overall expressions this time are nice as well. I agree with the person who commented on the angle of #2. Other than that it's a great shot too :)

    -- Lisa P.
    -- Lisa P.

    http://www.pictureyourlifephotography.com
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2009
    Miguel Delinquento wrote:
    Hi NeilL
    I am glad to finally catch a few shots out of your camera. My favorite is the last one. You nailed the catchlights quite nicely there. Ashraf's pose looks very genuine too. I like the contrast between his white shirt and the black background, and the funky designs on the shirt help tie it together.

    I would recommend re-checking the white balance. There seems to be a tad too much blue, at least on my spiffy monitors. The color also seems somewhat too saturated, that this may be affecting the blue cast as well. The highlights in Ashraf's hair on his right side are on the orange/red side of things, and that's frequently a sign of overjuicing the shot.
    Don't know what tools you are using, but if I was using Lightroom I pot down the vibrance a bit, and then maybe the saturation.

    M


    Miguel! So nice to see you round these parts again!

    The shadows in the shirt on the top of his left shoulder have a blue cast in #4 . I think this might be because of a mixture of light sources overlapping just there? Don't really have a theory for it. It doesn't appear elsewhere. I'll fix it.

    He had copper-red highlights in his hair put there by a hairdresser, not nature or the saturation slider! It's a popular style among Indians and Pakistanis here. Reminds me of the traditional use of red henna. Now that's a sight in the hair and beard of a graying man!

    On the whole it is a struggle to get the dark skin types looking correct and good. A big help is the Photo Tune plugin from onOne.

    Appreciate your comments, thanks!
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2009
    lisap wrote:
    Wow, so different from his first expression! :) He definitely must have gotten more comfortable this time.

    I like 1, 3 and 4 the most and his overall expressions this time are nice as well. I agree with the person who commented on the angle of #2. Other than that it's a great shot too :)

    -- Lisa P.

    Don't like being threatened by nostrils aimed right atcha? mwink.gif

    Lisa P, I totally understand. :D

    And I'm grateful for you looking. thumb.gif
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • ArvanArvan Registered Users Posts: 888 Major grins
    edited January 18, 2009
    ohoy there..

    Looks like you guys hade some fun. He seems to be a very happy man indeed!

    35mm f1.4L....sweeeeeetahh isn´t it ? ;);)
    www.agustavsson.smugmug.com
  • FlutistFlutist Registered Users Posts: 704 Major grins
    edited January 18, 2009
    I love this series, but I am more struck by the fact that the subject is an Indian man who henna's his hair. I see the red henna in the light. I've never seen that before and I love it!!!
    ~Shannon~

    Canon 50D, Rebel XTi,Canon 24-105L, Canon 50mm 1.8, Tamron 28-75 2.8, 430EX
    www.sbrownphotography.smugmug.com
    my real job
    looking for someone to photograph my wedding 8/11
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2009
    Arvan wrote:
    ohoy there..

    Looks like you guys hade some fun. He seems to be a very happy man indeed!

    35mm f1.4L....sweeeeeetahh isn´t it ? ;);)

    Yep, it's pretty sweet!

    Thanks for looking, Arv!
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2009
    Flutist wrote:
    I love this series, but I am more struck by the fact that the subject is an Indian man who henna's his hair. I see the red henna in the light. I've never seen that before and I love it!!!

    I'm tickled about that!! Great to get your comment, Shannon!!
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
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