Ice #91 - C&C please!

Kinkajou

So I've decided to actually participate in this one because 1. I made such a stink in the discussions thread and 2. I actually have time!

So here's a start. The problem for me is that I live in Florida, so there is no snow/ice/frost anywhere to be found. I went for a loose interpretation here, but I have no idea what to do for the background yet. Something cool and icy, obviously, but that's about as far as I've gotten. Any tweaks on the image so far would be great. I have a TON more, but this is just the first one I started to work on.

TIA!

sapphire73

I like the concept and what you've done with it so far. (I'm getting icy look or Ice Queen.)

For what it's worth, I made a sheet of ice in my freezer. I had a plastic lid for a rectangular baking sheet that worked well for this but a pyrex baking pan would also work. Just turn it over and run hot water over it to loosen.... Not sure whether this might help you get a background or a texture layer for your shot, but thought I would offer my bit of brainstorming for this challenge.

My various ice creations - a miniature pond of ice and fallen leaves, ice luminarias, etc. - often became more opaque than I wished. Running some water over them and/or warming it with my hand helped clarify the ice a bit.

I initially thought of doing something with ice between two people - husband and wife or two friends - with the wall of ice beginning to melt.

Have fun with it!

Gretchen

TonyCooper

You said: "So here's a start. The problem for me is that I live in Florida"

Sorry, but I've already tried that excuse, and I live further south that you do (Orlando) and my submission is in.

Google says there are two ice skating rinks in Gainesville. Gotta be something there.

GretaPics

I'm all for loose and creative theme interpretation so I like this idea but I think it needs something more although I'm not sure what. It doesn't quite say "ice" yet to me although her look is certainly approaching that....perhaps when you do something with the background as you indicated that will help too. I'm a bit distracted by too much of her chest but I like the pointed make-up. I might like a tighter crop too so I could focus more on her icy stare. GP

angevin1

Kinkajou wrote: »

So I've decided to actually participate in this one because.... I made such a stink in the discussions thread

haha!:D

I like the idea of just giving us your basic building block! That actually makes sense to me.

Nothing is this photo says ice to me. I know you can add ice to it, but that is why I like viewing it this way, adding ice is not going to make this photo say ice better I don't think.

Kinkajou

sapphire73 wrote: »

I like the concept and what you've done with it so far. (I'm getting icy look or Ice Queen.)

For what it's worth, I made a sheet of ice in my freezer. I had a plastic lid for a rectangular baking sheet that worked well for this but a pyrex baking pan would also work. Just turn it over and run hot water over it to loosen.... Not sure whether this might help you get a background or a texture layer for your shot, but thought I would offer my bit of brainstorming for this challenge.

Have fun with it!

Gretchen

I actually put a pane of glass with water on it in the freezer last night... great minds!

Kinkajou

GretaPics wrote: »

I'm a bit distracted by too much of her chest but I like the pointed make-up. I might like a tighter crop too so I could focus more on her icy stare. GP

Thanks for the comments on the crop. Once I get some background in there I'll post a couple with a different crop.

Kinkajou

angevin1 wrote: »

Nothing is this photo says ice to me. I know you can add ice to it, but that is why I like viewing it this way, adding ice is not going to make this photo say ice better I don't think.

Hmm... good point. If a background/texture/thingy doesn't help, it might be back to the drawing board for me...

angevin1

Kinkajou wrote: »

Hmm... good point. If a background/texture/thingy doesn't help, it might be back to the drawing board for me...

Foreground might though...looking thru ice versus behind~

dls

i like the different interpretation on the topic matter. if continuing along this line of thought, perhaps changing the white balance or decreasing the warm tones might help. i do like the idea of shooting through an icy pane.

VisualXpressions

I love the concept... would do it myself if I had a model... in this shot though, the stare just isn't icy... looks more sultry or sexy to me... whatever you come up with it will be competing with another icy stare which was very well done... agree with rest of suggestions... good luck

Winston

Kinkajou

Updates!

Frost texture added. Two different densities of it on the image first posted above. I've also worked up an image that has a little bit more of a cold stare. I have a TON more so I'm spending some time tonight working on a few more.

1a


1b


2

Jenn

She's too pretty for me to see "ice queen" as it is .. If she had some ice crystals in her hair I think it would work.

sapphire73

Of the images posted here, I like the first pose for the cold, haughtiness of the expression, the unusual make-up, etc. with a title reinforcing the Ice Queen connection. But not sure if that is your intention. The texture layers are challenging. They reinforce frosty - especially in the upper right where we can see the texture clearly - but tend to obscure the portrait. Wondering whether using a stronger density of the texture layer and then minimizing its effect in certain areas would help? Just a thought. Will be interested in seeing your other options.

Gretchen

TonyCooper

Jenn wrote: »

She's too pretty for me to see "ice queen" as it is .. If she had some ice crystals in her hair I think it would work.

What I see is "Doubt". She's got that look that women get when
they are offered some implausible story from their partner about
why the partner needs to work late again.

Kinkajou

I think this is the one I'm going to go with... increased the density of the texture as suggested and chose an image with a different expression:



Thanks, guys!

billseye

For what it's worth at this point... I like the one you entered best for both the expression and the texture.