Dedra Christmas at the Beach

jonh68

We started at a shopping center and ended up at the beach. I used a D3s and D700 with a Siggy 120-300, nikon 50 and 85 1.8, siggy 24, 2 alienbees and a sb-800 for off camera light. When I get someone willing to shoot for a few hours I take advantage and bring out all the toys.

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Hackbone

Cute idea executed well, good work.

ian408

Looks good

How were you able to shoot at a shopping center with all that gear? Around here, you'd be trespassed out without a permit.

jonh68

ian408 wrote: »

Looks good

How were you able to shoot at a shopping center with all that gear? Around here, you'd be trespassed out without a permit.

Thanks! It was outdoors and for that I was using the sb-800 for on the go stuff. I brought out the ab's for the beach shoot.

We had a restaurant manager tell us we could shoot inside his restaurant if we wanted too. I didn't see any security and obviously no one reported us.

jonh68

Hackbone wrote: »

Cute idea executed well, good work.

Thank you.

ian408

That's awesome! It's touchy around here. Many center's security will chase you out if you bust out a "professional" camera. Even a group of kids taking photos of themselves are getting the boot.

Glad to hear it worked out for you.

jonh68

ian408 wrote: »

That's awesome! It's touchy around here. Many center's security will chase you out if you bust out a "professional" camera. Even a group of kids taking photos of themselves are getting the boot.

Glad to hear it worked out for you.

It probably helped that we shot on a weekday afternoon. I think some shoppers were entertained. She was asked a few times if she was going to make visits on Christmas Day.:D

ian408

I'll bet

kobistar

what a beautiful lady

divamum

Another great series, but there is something really strange going on in #2 - if looks like a greenscreen shot, or major photoshop cut/paste job (which I know it isn't). Did you do some HDRish something? Not sure, but have a look at it - it's very odd... #4 has a little bit of the same thing going on, but I think that's because the scale of the Christmas tree is so different from her.

1&3 are the ones I like best

Bryce Wilson

divamum wrote: »

Another great series, but there is something really strange going on in #2 - if looks like a greenscreen shot, or major photoshop cut/paste job (which I know it isn't).

I think it's merely the difference between the exposure of the subject compared to background ambient along with the color temp difference between the flash and ambient.

I think it's a great series. I love the position of the wreath in number 1. Just perfect.

Number three might be a tad warm. Skin tones look a bit orange to me.

divamum

Also, in #2 her shadow is missing. All the other shadows are falling behind her, but she doesn't throw one. Did you fill with another light from behind her?

jonh68

divamum wrote: »

Another great series, but there is something really strange going on in #2 - if looks like a greenscreen shot, or major photoshop cut/paste job (which I know it isn't). Did you do some HDRish something? Not sure, but have a look at it - it's very odd... #4 has a little bit of the same thing going on, but I think that's because the scale of the Christmas tree is so different from her.

1&3 are the ones I like best

Thanks!

For 2 I adjusted the highlights to bring more of the sky into the picture as it was a little blown out, but the exposure itself is due to using flash to match ambient so the look was on purpose. The major editing was on her white trim. I used Topaz Detail, increased medium detail a bit, and then brushed the edit in. I wanted a postcard look to go with her pinup like pose.

#4 is just a huge tree. That one is pretty much straight out of the camera.

jonh68

divamum wrote: »

Also, in #2 her shadow is missing. All the other shadows are falling behind her, but she doesn't throw one. Did you fill with another light from behind her?

She was flashed from in front, but if you notice there is a slight shadow in front of her. The shadows you see are due to the sun being behind her and other objects which is why I chose that spot. I wanted the sun to be a rim light.

The flash did overpower her shadow in front. The flash overpowered the sun's shadow and the sun overpowered the flash shadow. There is a slight shadow if you look, but it is softer.

jonh68

Bryce Wilson wrote: »

I think it's merely the difference between the exposure of the subject compared to background ambient along with the color temp difference between the flash and ambient.

I think it's a great series. I love the position of the wreath in number 1. Just perfect.

Number three might be a tad warm. Skin tones look a bit orange to me.

Thanks, and good catch on 3. I was on a marathon edit session and was unsure about the tone of the pic. Matched with being colorblind ....

zoomer

cute set...she looks like a lot of fun...cool concept
I like 1 but my favorite is 8. Light looks perfect in that one and she looks great.