The DOF here is much more to my liking. This image would be so much diminished without the distinct line of the neck and front shoulder. Personally I very much like the angle of the lighting of the hair and shoulder. The decolletage is ravishing. Altogether a fairy princess look. I'm glad we were spared another thick underlip.
On the negative side, the large empty space around the subject in this and the other images gives a museum-like impression, rather "memorial"-like. Your inspiration Hurrell *dressed* the subject, and although his lighting-tone style has been given emphasis, I think his accessorising of his subjects is just as distinctive and powerful, and brings out the flesh and blood "fabric" of the subject. The knit fabric is too ordinary and casual in #28 imo, and fights the idea of princessly elegance. This is similar to a remark I made about #1.
I certainly appreciate what you stunningly achieve with some of these images, and I am learning from what you are doing - thanks! - but they as yet don't seem to me to totally gel and achieve as much as they might.
InsuredDisaster - Mostly medium format film, yes. Not for any kind of "analog magic" though. In fact, I hate all the fuss I have to go through to get the photos on the HD. The only reason is that it gives me smaller DOF which I so much love But I also shoot a lot of digital (the last two are examples of my digital work) and quite alot of 135 film (because I can't afford a so called "fullframe camera".
Neil - hah... good point about the entourage... they might look a tad bit synthetic, I give you that... The reason is very mundane - lack of funds/space necessary to hire/buy and keep props... as I mentioned before, portraiture for me is only a hobby, a pastime if you will...
As for the underlips... I'm sorry to disappoint you, but if I will continue to show my work here, you're gonna see a lot of that... guess that's another of them "things" I have. A thing for full lips and big eyes. But somehow I doubt this makes me very unique amongst men
Ok, here's another one, called "Pocahontas":
Oh, and it's film (obviously). 135 this time, shot with minolta 800si with 70-210/4 on fuji npc-160, scanned on an ancient Agfa Arcus-1200, B&W-ed and processed in Lightroom.
I'm a lazy portraitist. I only shoot beautiful women.
Hey, I really can tell the difference, and at least to me the film look helps these photos enormously I think. Really makes them all look more "classic" and from periods past. Really love your DOF in these as well.
One request, do you have a setup shot or anything? Not sure if you want to share, but I would love to try something like this with my wife. . . .
Definately following this thread to see what else you post.
I like @ #36 a great deal. It has a lot of grace. The shaping via shading of the BG gives a more 3D effect. The lighting of the skin is excellent, and the costume has been relegated to insignificance, as is appropriate for your intentions, I think.
Two tiny preferences: a little more opening of light into the eye R to match the other, and a little less highlight on the hair over temple R to better match the fringe.
I love "unleashed" and all the varying textures. The attitude that the one eye covered evokes is part of the appeal for me. Veronica Lake made that kind of look her trademark back in 1940's Hollywood. The one thing I find distracting is the highlight around her right shoulder. It may benefit from a little bit of softening to take the edge off it.
"Photography is not about the thing photographed. It is about how that thing looks photographed." Garry Winogrand Avatar credit: photograph by Duane Michals-picture of me, 'Smash Palace' album
For those who asked about my setup, here's a little backstage shot:
As you can see, ain't nuthin' much. Two silly 300w/s chinese monoblocks each fitted with 15cm reflector. To the lower right, in the process of being ruined by the very flesh of my flesh and blood of my blood, the only other light modyfing tool - a 42" silver/gold bouncing reflector (also chinese, of the cheapest kind, set me back a whoopin' $15). Simplest radio trigger (also chinese, mind you) hangs from the monoblock in the back. The front flash is slaved to the back one via a photocell. Very simple kind of white-ish background nailed to the ceiling (country of origin - try and guess ). The back flash on a cheap lightstand, the front one on a standard studio boom, also of the cheapest kind, without even spring protection, let alone aircushioning . That's all. I usually stand where this was taken from, right under the boom mounted flash.
And here is one of the shots from this section:
Corvus Monedula
Taken with medium format analog, 180mm @f4.5 on ektar 100. The noticeable smudges on the back are caused by labpeople, darn them...
phew
I'm a lazy portraitist. I only shoot beautiful women.
Re #43, intriguing. Pre-Raphaelite and Victorian, contradiction and anachronism. Not the raven on the edge, knitting life and death with shrieks, but an abstraction from both life and death, epiphany.
"As you can see, ain't nuthin' much. Two silly 300w/s chinese monoblocks each fitted with 15cm reflector. To the lower right, in the process of being ruined by the very flesh of my flesh and blood of my blood, the only other light modyfing tool - a 42" silver/gold bouncing reflector (also chinese, of the cheapest kind, set me back a whoopin' $15). Simplest radio trigger (also chinese, mind you) hangs from the monoblock in the back. The front flash is slaved to the back one via a photocell. Very simple kind of white-ish background nailed to the ceiling (country of origin - try and guess ). The back flash on a cheap lightstand, the front one on a standard studio boom, also of the cheapest kind, without even spring protection, let alone aircushioning . That's all. I usually stand where this was taken from, right under the boom mounted flash."
Thank you for making a great point!!! Light is light......its what you do with it. Great stuff, please keep posting.
This one is not really my usual as it is in colour. But when I saw the way light worked on this girl's very light complexion I had to leave the colour... here goes:
Vermeer's girl.
I'm a lazy portraitist. I only shoot beautiful women.
Very nice. Why didn't you start a new thread? She deserves her own.
Normally I'm not drawn to broadly lit portraits, but she has the facial structure to pull it off.
John :
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
Wow Marcin...just happened on this thread today. Fantastic work!
You might consider devoting a thread to each photo to allow for more comments/critiques on the individual shot rather than the body as a whole. It will hopefully allow more Dgrinners to view your work rather than waiting for a single thread to get bumped.
Comments
The DOF here is much more to my liking. This image would be so much diminished without the distinct line of the neck and front shoulder. Personally I very much like the angle of the lighting of the hair and shoulder. The decolletage is ravishing. Altogether a fairy princess look. I'm glad we were spared another thick underlip.
On the negative side, the large empty space around the subject in this and the other images gives a museum-like impression, rather "memorial"-like. Your inspiration Hurrell *dressed* the subject, and although his lighting-tone style has been given emphasis, I think his accessorising of his subjects is just as distinctive and powerful, and brings out the flesh and blood "fabric" of the subject. The knit fabric is too ordinary and casual in #28 imo, and fights the idea of princessly elegance. This is similar to a remark I made about #1.
I certainly appreciate what you stunningly achieve with some of these images, and I am learning from what you are doing - thanks! - but they as yet don't seem to me to totally gel and achieve as much as they might.
Neil
http://www.behance.net/brosepix
You are shooting this on film, yes?
Neil - hah... good point about the entourage... they might look a tad bit synthetic, I give you that... The reason is very mundane - lack of funds/space necessary to hire/buy and keep props... as I mentioned before, portraiture for me is only a hobby, a pastime if you will...
As for the underlips... I'm sorry to disappoint you, but if I will continue to show my work here, you're gonna see a lot of that... guess that's another of them "things" I have. A thing for full lips and big eyes. But somehow I doubt this makes me very unique amongst men
Ok, here's another one, called "Pocahontas":
Oh, and it's film (obviously). 135 this time, shot with minolta 800si with 70-210/4 on fuji npc-160, scanned on an ancient Agfa Arcus-1200, B&W-ed and processed in Lightroom.
One request, do you have a setup shot or anything? Not sure if you want to share, but I would love to try something like this with my wife. . . .
Definately following this thread to see what else you post.
As always, I'm craving your feedback
I'll post a "behind the scenes" photo later if you like - I don't usually make them, not many people are actually interested in how I shoot.
Please.
It would also be interesting to hear how you find your models. I would imagine, a quick flash of your portfolio, would have most any woman begging.
.
Two tiny preferences: a little more opening of light into the eye R to match the other, and a little less highlight on the hair over temple R to better match the fringe.
Neil
http://www.behance.net/brosepix
Unleashed
It is about how that thing looks photographed." Garry Winogrand
Avatar credit: photograph by Duane Michals- picture of me, 'Smash Palace' album
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003085685580
For those who asked about my setup, here's a little backstage shot:
As you can see, ain't nuthin' much. Two silly 300w/s chinese monoblocks each fitted with 15cm reflector. To the lower right, in the process of being ruined by the very flesh of my flesh and blood of my blood, the only other light modyfing tool - a 42" silver/gold bouncing reflector (also chinese, of the cheapest kind, set me back a whoopin' $15). Simplest radio trigger (also chinese, mind you) hangs from the monoblock in the back. The front flash is slaved to the back one via a photocell. Very simple kind of white-ish background nailed to the ceiling (country of origin - try and guess
And here is one of the shots from this section:
Corvus Monedula
Taken with medium format analog, 180mm @f4.5 on ektar 100. The noticeable smudges on the back are caused by labpeople, darn them...
phew
Ok, how 'bout this one:
Corvus Corax
You know how it goes:
"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary..."
Neil
http://www.behance.net/brosepix
I like your dramatic lighting and psing.
Keep em coming!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21695902@N06/
http://500px.com/Shockey
alloutdoor.smugmug.com
http://aoboudoirboise.smugmug.com/
Thank you for making a great point!!! Light is light......its what you do with it. Great stuff, please keep posting.
www.cameraone.biz
Neil, did you intend for this line to scan as per the poem?!?! "Not the raven on the edge, knitting life and death with shrieks..."
Neil
http://www.behance.net/brosepix
Here's another one for you, in a bit different mood:
Globus perfectum est
this image has awesome process
most thing I liked is black areas
I love your work!
Very classy, a bit of elegance, and a simplistic beauty reminiscent of times gone by
Please do post more!
This one is not really my usual as it is in colour. But when I saw the way light worked on this girl's very light complexion I had to leave the colour... here goes:
Vermeer's girl.
Normally I'm not drawn to broadly lit portraits, but she has the facial structure to pull it off.
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
You might consider devoting a thread to each photo to allow for more comments/critiques on the individual shot rather than the body as a whole. It will hopefully allow more Dgrinners to view your work rather than waiting for a single thread to get bumped.
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