Opinions On This PP Please

Bryce Wilson

It seems that I've been playing and playing and then playing some more to get the right PP look for this style of image that I do a lot of. I think I kind of want something that is a cross between a Dave Hill look along with a vintage feel to it. This is about as close as I've come to what I want, but I'm still not exactly where I want to be.

I would be most grateful for your opinions on this particular look. You may have to click on it and enlarge to really see the effect.

Thanks for any input you are willing to give.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60399337@N06/5989119826/&quot; title="Little Executive by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6028/5989119826_7bdcd32fd2_z.jpg&quot; width="640" height="457" alt="Little Executive"></a>

Bryce Wilson

This is another PP that I'm almost happy with... but not 100%...just seems that there is something missing.

jpc

Really not sure what you're after, but I like them both. If I had to guess, I would say that the processing on the child's face in the first pic is great, but the rest of the pic isn't "beat-up" enough. It seems slightly too well-lit, or something... A slight shift in WB might even do the the trick. Maybe even a little vignette or a dose of Topaz adjust?

Very creative either way.

Sam

I loves it!!!! I have already commented on the boxer. I don't know where you want to go with the new one but you have a great image to start with.

Sam

zoomer

Are you trying to get just a slight HDR or Tonal Contrast look to the shots? Maybe just a very slight blur.
These look very good as is...I know what you mean though, just that final something.

Hackbone

I think they are both great. The newspaper in the first one is alittle bright and that misleads your eye however. You can make the first child much more of a child with a higher camera angle and maybe add some innoncence to an adult setting.

lifeinfocus

Very nice, lots of set up of work and it shows.

I wonder how they both would look in B&W?

How about trying the Brenizer Method, panorama bokeh, so that child is really stands out and the working materials are a distant part of his future or past?

I have still have a lot to learn about portraits, so please take these comments just as ideas.

Phil

Bryce Wilson

jpc wrote: »

Really not sure what you're after, but I like them both. If I had to guess, I would say that the processing on the child's face in the first pic is great, but the rest of the pic isn't "beat-up" enough. It seems slightly too well-lit, or something... A slight shift in WB might even do the the trick. Maybe even a little vignette or a dose of Topaz adjust?

Very creative either way.

That was a great way to put it JPC, "beat up". These are shot in .jpg so the WB option isn't really there. I tweaked it a bit, added a heavier vignette and played with the colors and I think I am very close to what I am after.

Thanks so much for the input and suggestions. I used them!

Will post finished results after I answer so of the other feedback.

Bryce Wilson

Sam wrote: »

I loves it!!!! I have already commented on the boxer. I don't know where you want to go with the new one but you have a great image to start with.

Sam

Thanks Sam. Seeing some of your work I take that as a very nice compliment! I'm going to post a "close to happy with" version at the end.

Bryce Wilson

zoomer wrote: »

Are you trying to get just a slight HDR or Tonal Contrast look to the shots? Maybe just a very slight blur.
These look very good as is...I know what you mean though, just that final something.

I think tonal contrast was one of the things that were missing. I played with that a bit and am happier. I'm not a big fan of the over saturated HDR look and was trying to find a balance.

Thanks for taking the time to chime in!

Bryce Wilson

Hackbone wrote: »

I think they are both great. The newspaper in the first one is alittle bright and that misleads your eye however. You can make the first child much more of a child with a higher camera angle and maybe add some innoncence to an adult setting.

You are soooo right on the newspaper being too bright. I was so caught up in trying to get "the look" that I completely overlooked that. Thanks! You will see some burning in that area in the image I'm going to post.

I have tried shooting this pose from a bit above and have never really been happy with the feel. To me, being on the child's level is what makes the image work. Shot from above it looks like something Uncle Harry shot with his point and shoot. At least to me.

Bryce Wilson

lifeinfocus wrote: »

Very nice, lots of set up of work and it shows.

I wonder how they both would look in B&W?

How about trying the Brenizer Method, panorama bokeh, so that child is really stands out and the working materials are a distant part of his future or past?

I have still have a lot to learn about portraits, so please take these comments just as ideas.

Phil

Thanks for the nice words.

It looks OK in black and white but not "special". From a sales standpoint, I really want to have something the average Joe can't do with the plethora of free image manipulation programs that come with retail cameras now days. If they can do it themselves, they don't see the value in what I do, nor are they willing to pay.

If I'm not mistaken, doesn't that method involve taking multiple exposures and stitching them together? That would require the subject/subjects to remain quite still for a period of time. Although the results are nice, holding still combined with shooting children is something that seldom happens. When I photograph children, I'm normally going to do about 6 to 10 sittings in one day. In order to keep prices reasonable and still get paid for my time, I just can't afford to spend a LOT of it in post with the stitching etc.

Bryce Wilson

With some of the suggestions you folks have been kind enough to give me, this is the version I am pretty close to happy with. There are still some minor tweaks I need to do to the actions, but I am closer to what I envision than I have ever been.

Thanks again.



Here is a SOC to finished that you can compare. Any other ideas are MORE than welcome.

Bryce Wilson

After looking at the little executive pose for a while, I decided that the subject itself looked too overworked. I like the grittiness of the background objects but the boy was too much in my mind.

This is what I've settled on. I think this is where I want to be.