Zack - Senior 2012

jeffreaux2

A few quick edits from yesterday afternoon. We will do a follow up shoot next week at a separate location (football stadium).

1-


2-


3-

zoomer

Nice series. Cool location in one.
Like 3 the best, maybe a bit less tilt and tuck him a bit more into the upper right, but looks great as is.
Good looking kid and nice manly poses.

divamum

John Galt, are you looking? THAT is how to take a busy background and use it for texture. #1 COULD have been a disaster, but Jeff's shooting angle, distance, and brilliant use of the lines (as well as the tilt), make it a standout for me. Ditto the wood in #2.

Jeff, my only nit in #1 is the upper right hand corner where the steps disappear and you get trees+street; even with that delicious bokeh and everything else going on in the shot, my eye leaped to it and I found it distracting. Since it can't really be cropped out given the subject's position, I'd go so far as to think it might be worth patching/cloning the same background so that it fills the whole frame up there.

#3 is actually the most flattering pose/angle for him, although compared to the "wow" comp and details of the other two, it's a more anodyne shot from the photographic point of view. I'm sure he and his family love it though, and it has your usual beautiful skintones!!

jeffreaux2

zoomer wrote: »

Nice series. Cool location in one.
Like 3 the best, maybe a bit less tilt and tuck him a bit more into the upper right, but looks great as is.
Good looking kid and nice manly poses.

Thanks zoomer,

#3 actually isn't tilted. I very rarely tilt for portraits. He is sitting on a hill. I usually leave my images uncropped, and upload them whole to the proof gallery. I use the crop tool when ordering to polish it up. This is framed to allow for just about any crop ratio one might desire.... with my intent being to crop mostly from the right when/if it is purchased. I learned the hard way to try to frame EVERY image so that an 8x10 can be cut from it.:D

He is a big guy. Well over 6'....and has a scholorship to play linebacker.

Thanks for commenting.

jeffreaux2

divamum wrote: »

John Galt, are you looking? THAT is how to take a busy background and use it for texture. #1 COULD have been a disaster, but Jeff's shooting angle, distance, and brilliant use of the lines (as well as the tilt), make it a standout for me. Ditto the wood in #2.

Jeff, my only nit in #1 is the upper right hand corner where the steps disappear and you get trees+street; even with that delicious bokeh and everything else going on in the shot, my eye leaped to it and I found it distracting. Since it can't really be cropped out given the subject's position, I'd go so far as to think it might be worth patching/cloning the same background so that it fills the whole frame up there.

#3 is actually the most flattering pose/angle for him, although compared to the "wow" comp and details of the other two, it's a more anodyne shot from the photographic point of view. I'm sure he and his family love it though, and it has your usual beautiful skintones!!

The location for #1 is the Mississippi River levee in Baton Rouge. The side facing the water is concreted and has raised concret letters that spell out "Baton Rouge" with a fleur dis le between the two words. Zach is sitting atop the FDL with "Rouge behind him. The camera isn't tilted. Beyond and at the upper right corner is a wharf that is used to board riverboats. I agree 100% about possibly cloning that mess out. The real answer though is to shoot a little further upstream of the FDL.....like at the beginning of the words rather than the middle. I'm thrilled that I have finally found a use for this feature....and plan to use it again...and perfect the shot.

I have a shoot with a senior gal on Sunday...so....maybe....

The wood?
Dumb luck really. I was running about 30 minutes early to the shoot so I was driving around looking for a vacant house for sale (Mom asked for pics barefoot on a porch) and saw the stack of timbers in a parking lot that is currently being used to stage building materials for some project or other. I knew right away I wanted to used the ends for their texture as a backdrop.

I learned a lot on number 3 about posing. For instance....if his left elbow is tucked in tight to his body and his head is straight up and down?.....well it would be drastically less masculine of a pose.I used a 45inch shoot through and 580EX on that shot....with a blue phoxle gel.

Thanks for commenting Diva.

Meuryc

I like all three. I might also have tried 2 & 3 from a slightly higher position. I am always playing with angles even if I throw out the extras.

lizzard_nyc

Hey there,
I read all the comments etc. and agree on the great use of background in #1. Love the background of #2 as well.
However, your money shot is number 3 in my opinion. Here I am looking at this as strictly from the female perspective.
#1 he does not look very attractive to me, I don't know, is it the angle, discomfort, his downturned lips,I do not know.
#2 he is looking better and I like the pose, background etc. #3 he looks very very handsome and who doesn't want to look beautiful or handsome? Not crazy about the playboy pose and I agree that a crop at the top right is worth a try, but you have yourself a handsome young man. I bet he loves that one, if I was a betting woman, which I am, I'd lay $10 bucks on that being his favorite shot of all of these.

jeffreaux2

Diva....

Look at the images in this story...

http://redstickblog.visitbatonrouge.com/?p=943

Or.....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ceedave/2502902691/in/photostream

You ought to be able to get a feel for the layout even though the water was extremely high when the images were taken. Atop the levee you can see the light posts and benches I have used for many of my shots. This is just another feature I can make use of at this location.

In the shot of Zach I was river side facing south.

Here I am on opposite side of levee facing north....less than 60 yards away from Zachs shot.


...and facing north from atop the levee....


The river is beyond the couple here. I typically shoot these from off the levee and across the adjacent street. About 70 yards away?


Im on the levee with the subject here...and I am facing southwest.

Dooginfif20

I like these! I am actually looking forward to seeing the football stadium ones. Are you planning on doing a three light setup with him in his football attire? I have been wanting to do that, but being out here on deployment makes it tough

jeffreaux2

Dooginfif20 wrote: »

I like these! I am actually looking forward to seeing the football stadium ones. Are you planning on doing a three light setup with him in his football attire? I have been wanting to do that, but being out here on deployment makes it tough

Nah....I only have two speedlights, but rarely use more than a single light. I have some other ideas I will be putting to use. Id like to see your attempt when you return.

...and bless you for serving us all!

God speed your safe return.

jeffreaux2

lizzard_nyc wrote: »

Hey there,
I read all the comments etc. and agree on the great use of background in #1. Love the background of #2 as well.
However, your money shot is number 3 in my opinion. Here I am looking at this as strictly from the female perspective.
#1 he does not look very attractive to me, I don't know, is it the angle, discomfort, his downturned lips,I do not know.
#2 he is looking better and I like the pose, background etc. #3 he looks very very handsome and who doesn't want to look beautiful or handsome? Not crazy about the playboy pose and I agree that a crop at the top right is worth a try, but you have yourself a handsome young man. I bet he loves that one, if I was a betting woman, which I am, I'd lay $10 bucks on that being his favorite shot of all of these.

Thank you for commenting!!!

I do appreciate the "female perspective"!!!

I think #3 is his mom's favorite shot of the day.

VayCayMom

Not surprised at all #3 is her favorite, her big boy all in blue, must have made her heart melt. Inspiring work as always...

Hackbone

Love the repetition, repetition in the first two. Very cool. I really like #3 but my nit is "Pull my finger and guess what happens?" Really small nit but it catches my eye.