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The Seven Deadly Sins- Gluttony 18+

JusticeiroJusticeiro Registered Users Posts: 1,177 Major grins
edited August 4, 2010 in Go Figure
First in a series I have planned.

933420221_spinY-L.jpg
Cave ab homine unius libri

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    SimpsonBrothersSimpsonBrothers Registered Users Posts: 1,079 Major grins
    edited July 13, 2010
    Nice picture, but I'm not sure I understand the title (the act or practice of eating to excess) besides the spoon on the floor.
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    JusticeiroJusticeiro Registered Users Posts: 1,177 Major grins
    edited July 13, 2010
    Nice picture, but I'm not sure I understand the title (the act or practice of eating to excess) besides the spoon on the floor.

    Gluttony (gula) is often taken to refer to food, but it isn't necessarily confined to that- rather, it refers to gratification of the physical senses by ingestion, to the detriment of spiritual health. I didn't want to do the tried but true "fat person eating a lot of stuff" shot, so the spoon and the pen (which I will photoshop into a syringe somehow) are a drug reference. It's the modern form of gluttony as a privilege of wealth and a product of being jaded. The cords are supposed to represent the spiritual chains that bind the sinner. I still have some work to do on it.
    Cave ab homine unius libri
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    SimpsonBrothersSimpsonBrothers Registered Users Posts: 1,079 Major grins
    edited July 13, 2010
    Ah, ok! :)
    Like I said, "I" didn't get it. :)
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited July 13, 2010
    Hey partner, long time no talk ;-) mwink.gif

    Honestly, it it weren't you, I would simply not say anything. But since it's you...;-)

    The image sucks. deal.gif

    Poor lighting. I'd even say "bad lighting".

    Awkward pose, however if you were going into the fetish/bondage direction - not awkward enough, you kinda stopped half-way.

    Most likely due to the poor lighting image is soft to the the degree of becoming OOF and shaken.

    I'm not even going to dig into minor stuff: tilted horizon, dull framing, etc.

    Dude... ne_nau.gif I thought you had a couple of semi-decent strobes. White-tiled bathroom shall create next to ideal high-key conditions. Why not to use that to your advantage?

    All in all, I can only repeat what's been said many times before me: shooting a naked model well is much harder than it may seem deal.gif
    ---

    Any plans to visit ol' good US? iloveyou.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    JusticeiroJusticeiro Registered Users Posts: 1,177 Major grins
    edited July 14, 2010
    Nikolai wrote: »
    All in all, I can only repeat what's been said many times before me: shooting a naked model well is much harder than it may seem deal.gif
    ---

    too true. Strobes were, unfortunately, unavailable. Definitely needs a reshoot.
    Cave ab homine unius libri
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    IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited July 15, 2010
    Seems to me gluttony implies will. This shot screams coercion to me, not free will. Doesn't work. Plus 15524779-Ti.gif.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
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    schmooschmoo Registered Users Posts: 8,468 Major grins
    edited July 19, 2010
    I don't think this shot sucks at all. but I'm also a believer that while external lighting can help make an image come to life, it's not always necessary to use them to get a winner.

    I agree that the tilted horizon is a little off-putting but I think the film noir-ish lighting and her placement and pose all lend to an eerie surreal shot. I did get goosebumps looking at this and I was instantly reminded of Se7en or Psycho. Which is really not a bad thing at all.

    This, er, setup screams with potential. Do you have other perspectives taken from this shoot?
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    ivarivar Registered Users Posts: 8,395 Major grins
    edited July 20, 2010
    schmoo wrote: »
    This, er, setup screams with potential. Do you have other perspectives taken from this shoot?
    15524779-Ti.gif I definitely don't think this sucks, I think it is a great start that needs a reshoot with some finishing touches.
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    dogwooddogwood Registered Users Posts: 2,572 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2010
    Cool shot. Only major suggestion would be to avoid shadows across her face. But maybe that's just the beauty shot photog in me! I like the tilted camera angle too. Actually think you should have explored that a bit more and worked with the angles created by both your model and the restraints into your composition.

    I'm looking forward to seeing more in your series.

    Portland, Oregon Photographer Pete Springer
    website blog instagram facebook g+

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    JusticeiroJusticeiro Registered Users Posts: 1,177 Major grins
    edited August 3, 2010
    schmoo wrote: »
    I don't think this shot sucks at all. but I'm also a believer that while external lighting can help make an image come to life, it's not always necessary to use them to get a winner.

    I agree that the tilted horizon is a little off-putting but I think the film noir-ish lighting and her placement and pose all lend to an eerie surreal shot. I did get goosebumps looking at this and I was instantly reminded of Se7en or Psycho. Which is really not a bad thing at all.

    This, er, setup screams with potential. Do you have other perspectives taken from this shoot?

    I have a few other shots, but they are mostly from this angle.

    The physical location (my bathroom) is a real problem. On the one hand, the location looks pretty much exactly the way I want (tiled, not a terribly cluttered background, etc). On the other hand, it is physically hard to work in. Due to the fact that all the bathrooms in the building are add-ons (before the 20th century I think this place had common bathrooms in the courtyard) it is a weird shape. Also, external lighting is necessary because the room isn't actually well lit naturally.

    It's about 5 meters long, with 3.5 meter cielings, and about 1 and a half meters wide. I have one light mounted inside the bathtub against which she is leaning. The other is behind me. It's not really possible to do lighting other than straight at the subject or from the side.

    I put the main hot light above me, shooting down on her, and the light in the bath is kind of angled up to bounce of the tile walls. I'd like to draw up a sketch of the bathroom and send it to Nikolai to see how he would tackle this problem.

    The simple solution is to get another bathroom. I really don't want to do this, however, as my other friends have bathrooms that are even smaller, or otherwise inappropriate.

    Thematically, there are other elements of the shot that some folks aren't digging, that I actually do. I like the tilted horizon- in many respects this is supposed to be, perhaps not an ugly shot, but the vary least a shot about ugliness. I think the horizon is disconcerting, and I want to keep that. I also like the shadow on the face- it is one of the things that make me so loath to thrwo this away and start again. I'll definitely try to keep that the next round.

    Fortunately the model does want to shoot again, she has a few ideas for something else and is into the project. Probably in December- she lives in another city and I am in the middle of grading exams and preparing some trips.

    Thanks a lot for the advice, particularly the brass tacks. It is appreciated.
    Cave ab homine unius libri
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    bhambham Registered Users Posts: 1,303 Major grins
    edited August 3, 2010
    A simple lighting suggestion would be to shoot the strobe, flash, whatever at an angle behind you as to bounce some of the wall and ceiling, since I assume (which I really shouldn't do) that they are white as well, should give you a nice effect.

    I didn't understand the gluttony part until I read the explanation (after seeing movie 7, I associate gluttony with food, but its probably more accurate excess of anything to ones detriment). Still don't understand the cords, or how they are supposed to be spiritual. I think they would have to be explained to most viewers.

    Another idea on the angle maybe to tip it a little more, as so its very obvious that it was intentional, maybe being so close to horizontal it distracting. Just an idea, may work, may not.
    "A photo is like a hamburger. You can get one from McDonalds for $1, one from Chili's for $5, or one from Ruth's Chris for $15. You usually get what you pay for, but don't expect a Ruth's Chris burger at a McDonalds price, if you want that, go cook it yourself." - me
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    JusticeiroJusticeiro Registered Users Posts: 1,177 Major grins
    edited August 3, 2010
    bham wrote: »
    Still don't understand the cords, or how they are supposed to be spiritual. I think they would have to be explained to most viewers.

    I am planning to include cords, or some sort of binding, in all the other shots in the series as well. Would that be obvious to a viewer, or am I assuming too much that they're already in my head, so to speak?
    Cave ab homine unius libri
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    bhambham Registered Users Posts: 1,303 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2010
    Justiceiro wrote: »
    I am planning to include cords, or some sort of binding, in all the other shots in the series as well. Would that be obvious to a viewer, or am I assuming too much that they're already in my head, so to speak?

    Well then I can understand a consistent element that will be in all the photos. Since I was just looking at the one I didn't know that. Thanks for that info.
    "A photo is like a hamburger. You can get one from McDonalds for $1, one from Chili's for $5, or one from Ruth's Chris for $15. You usually get what you pay for, but don't expect a Ruth's Chris burger at a McDonalds price, if you want that, go cook it yourself." - me
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