Coupla recent guys

divamum

C&C always welcome!!

Had two guy shoots recently. First is an opera singer - he had a very "classic idea about what he wanted, but we did the shoot in his apartment which had THE.MOST.AMAZING. huge windows and natural light. Just fantastic. The entranceway (it's a converted mansion) was also pretty cool with tons of dark wood and draaaaammmma. Hadn't intended to do an "Old Hollywood" set, but his look is so retro, and the shots took a high contrast bw treatment so well I couldn't resist!

1. His favorites (Grrrr these collages are a little crispy - for some reason my software set itself to sharpen>high, and I was too lazy to redo them.... Originals are more normal!)



3. Back to the 1940's (not intentionally, but I really like the look


3.


This next guy is a talented, high-energy opera singer AND actor - does a lot of different kinds of work. Challenge with him is that he looks SO.DIFFERENT. dependent on the angle - in some of these he's almost unrecognizable. I'm still not sure what to think of that... He hasn't picked his edits yet, but here are some I like... plus I love his outtakes!!!

4. Kind of a Jeff Daniels thing goin' on....



5. But COMPLETELY different in different light/pose


6. Different again with glasses...



7. And when goofing around



And..... outtakes (FWIW, I think these look more like him than anything, but how do you get all of that in one image??!?!!! :rofl)

lifeinfocus

To me, #5 is a very nice image of the gentlemen. Nice pose and lighting.
Phil

Bryce Wilson

I think this is some of the best work (for my tastes anyway) that I've seen you post. All of it is just wonderful.

Bet you can guess which images are my favorite.:D And here I thought I was the only guy that still wore double breasted.

Mitchell

Love the first guy's look, but that single grey hair is driving me crazy! I can't stop looking at in both #2 shots. Never thought I'd say it, but the second shot in #1 is a bit too shallow DOF for me. Something about the soft earring is bothersome. What FL on #1. A bit of wide distortion. He looks so much better in #2.

You already know I love #5. Nice!!

divamum

Thanks, gents!

Mitchell, I hadn't even noticed that grey hair! I think the extra-crispy sharpening is emphasising it somewhat, too. I think what may be bugging you on that one shot is the day-glo ear - it bothers me, too, but given that he was backlit I don't know how I could have avoided it. I toned it down some in post, but my eye still goes RIGHT to it. Everybody seems to love #5 - I like it myself. But (speaking from having worked with him onstage over the years) it just doesn't look like him to me! It's so weird the way his face changes *that* much.

Bryce, glad to know I nailed the "old school" look! That jacket was a pain, hwoeve r- it's atually linen so creased, and he's a very slender guy and while the jacket fit, it was generous enough that there were wrinkles and bumps I had to clone out to make it look smooth. I swear that "men's tailoring" is the worst kind of photoshop I ever wind up doing..............

Hackbone

Really nice work. The second fellow really has different looks. On the first fellow I'm not being inconsiderate but he does need a gobo to help lessen the light on his ears.

divamum

Yeah, the ears bug me too. But how do you gobo a window? The light was a HUGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEE bank of windows behind him; I couldn't even think how to flag that (especially when it was just me, no assistant, on location).

StueveShots

Only have time for a quick comment: The b&w shots are wonderful!

Foques

Fantastic work.
Diva, what light was used for 1 and 2 on the left, and 5?

divamum

Thank you!!

1. Gigantic wall of windows behind him; 2'x3' softbox +speedlight jsut out of frame camera left
2. Gigantic wall of windows to camera left (essential moved him 90* clockwise compared to the first shot) - softbox fill camera right.
5. We were in a multi-story parking garage, under cover - ambient + softbox (as per catchlight) Here's a crappy shot but sort of a pullback:

Foques

thanks so much!

divamum

Wait -when you said 2 on the left, did you mean the BW? That was actually on a staircase - SB to my right, but the tickle of a rim light to camera left was the overhead light hanging in the hallway!!!

Foques

yes, the BW.

thank you for the detailed info! very much appreciate it.. I'll catch up to you.. one day.

divamum

I'm not at home now, but I'll see if I can find some pullback-ish shots of the stairs - it was neat... challenging, but neat! And "catch up to me"?! Dude, you smoke me and leave me in the dust, regularly!!