Looking for ideas...

jsedlak

I really want to get good photos of my gf and am scratching my head for ideas. Unfortunately I feel as though she isn't a natural in the pictures... I can't figure out why except for the fact she has broad shoulders and likes to scrunch them up and make her neck look non-existant.

I was getting an idea of having her in lingerie, and sort of silohuette (sp?) her some how but she isn't very tall. So now I am back to square one... *sigh*

Anyways I was over at her house and tried my hardest to snap some pictures of her. Any help would greatly be appreciated! She is definately a favorite subject of mine... hehe



edit, I didn't take or edit this... I don't know if anyone can see it but I really like this posture. I just need to find a good spot and get her back in it...

Shay Stephens

If the trouble comes from too much self awareness when shooting, have her do something other than pose. Set her up where you want her, then have her do something, maybe interact with a prop, door, or something, and spend a few minutes talking to her and let her know when something works to encourage that. Basically get he mind off posing.

If it is a posture thing instead, then have her stretch, reach for the sky, arms over her head, anything to stretch the body. Try different positions if standing isn't working, maybe sitting in a chair (try all positions) or laying on a couch or bed. Try mixing it up until you find her best side if you will.

AntoineD

At least she's beautiful which is a good starting point

I do have the same problem. I do great portraits of some friends but it's very hard to get my girlfriend good :cry

Sometimes it's okay but it's very rare.

It takes some time to make good portraits of people close to us, because we know too much. It depends

ESiggins

Wow, look at those eyes. I like the first shot a lot, but I can see what you mean about the neck thing in the second one, so maybe stay close. You could also try sitting her in a straight-backed chair, stand next to her and have her turn her head and look up at you. That should make her neck look longer. I've taken so many photos of my girlfriend now that she doesn't even notice, which means that I catch her in some great moments. Just shoot 'till she doesn't care anymore and you'll get more intimate stuff like that first shot. I agree with what Shay said, too.

Fred.

jsedlak

Thanks for the replies and the compliments. She is very beautiful in my eye, and I want to capture that beauty so badly!

I think I need to find a good place this fall to take pictures with her. She has been telling me we need to go get pictures taken, and I am like... ooh, mee!

Anyways. I really want to try two shots in particular: the classic wall shot, girls up against walls is hot for some reason, and this way I can show off her posterior... (lol) The other shot is as ESiggens said, in a chair.

I think one problem with giving her a prop is she isn't really a prop kind of girl. It kind of sucks because she doesn't really have any hobbies, and I think it would be unnatural to say "here, play with this." and then take pictures... hehe

And I definately like the stretching idea, and she had mentioned she wanted to try yoga. That will definately get her mind off things and keep her from shrugging her shoulders.

SteveM

jsedlak wrote:

Thanks for the replies and the compliments. She is very beautiful in my eye, and I want to capture that beauty so badly!

I think I need to find a good place this fall to take pictures with her. She has been telling me we need to go get pictures taken, and I am like... ooh, mee!

Anyways. I really want to try two shots in particular: the classic wall shot, girls up against walls is hot for some reason, and this way I can show off her posterior... (lol) The other shot is as ESiggens said, in a chair.

I think one problem with giving her a prop is she isn't really a prop kind of girl. It kind of sucks because she doesn't really have any hobbies, and I think it would be unnatural to say "here, play with this." and then take pictures... hehe

And I definately like the stretching idea, and she had mentioned she wanted to try yoga. That will definately get her mind off things and keep her from shrugging her shoulders.

Keep in mind, a prop can be anything. She might not have hobbies, but she's a girl, so give her a phone! Or maybe just try to catch her on the phone where she's distracted, hopefully in a good setting. Everyday activities can be very appealing and of course natural. Washing the car, talking on the phone, doing dishes, reading a book. Also makes for some great stock photography!

Good luck!

jsedlak

SteveM wrote:

Keep in mind, a prop can be anything. She might not have hobbies, but she's a girl, so give her a phone! Or maybe just try to catch her on the phone where she's distracted, hopefully in a good setting. Everyday activities can be very appealing and of course natural. Washing the car, talking on the phone, doing dishes, reading a book. Also makes for some great stock photography!

Good luck!

Good point! Never thought of it like that... By the way, this may be a noob question (I am a noob afterall): What is stock photography?

JamieC

She certainly shouldn't be self conscious! She's beautuful!

Jamie

SteveM

jsedlak wrote:

Good point! Never thought of it like that... By the way, this may be a noob question (I am a noob afterall): What is stock photography?

Stock photos are generic images (Not bland or boring. Not generic in that sense) that advertisers purchase and use for their products and services. Envision a woman standing near a bathroom mirror with a nice smile. This might be purchased by a toothpaste company or a dentist's office for advertising. Do a Google search for stock photography and thumb through the various agencies. You could view images from now until the end of time and not see them all. The photos are generally very well done and represent no brand or affilliation. I'm sure in your time you've paged through a magazine and noticed an owner throwing his dog a frisbee in an ad for Viagra or something and said, "What does that have to do with Viagra?". That would be a poor choice in stock photography. Ha.

Art Scott

Being a woman she probably loves flowers....here is one to play with.....do you have a mirror outside of the one in your bathtoom????? This used to be a staple of my wedding shots......have her stand with Rose in hands looking at rose or dreamily off into space in front of the mirror os you can capture both her and her reflection......You need to be positioned so you are not caught in the mirror......now for a real fun shot using same mirror....set camera on tripod position GF for shot then you join her...stand behind with arms wrapped around her gently holding her and get both of you in mirror....a very intimate shot of you together...done by you.......mirror shots work well with the lingere also....

Good luck

jsedlak

I read the post to her and we have some great ideas now... :ivar

We went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art today in NYC... here are some shots I got of her!

No one tell she was touching the statue!


This one didn't expose correctly, but would have been awesome if it had!

photogmomma

I love the two new shots of her! the first one is especially good! The second one is pretty dark and you lose her pretty skin tones. I'd crop to just her (if it looks okay) and lighten it up to bring her out more.

In the first one (for future reference), you could have had her facing the window a bit more. Maybe on the other side of the statue in the same pose... And you would have contoured her face a little more and it mgiht have been a little better.

She's definitely quite pretty and I'm sure as you both relax taking photos, you'll get even better ones!

My suggestion is to find someplace nice with good lighting (maybe 60 percent of her face towards a bright window, but not in the sunlight) and then give her something to look at or do. A book, a flower, whatever. Then get slightly below her and take some photos of her concentrating on what she's got in her hands. The more interesting whatever is in her hands (and it doesn't have to be in the photo), the more absorbed she'll be - and the more relaxed her pose will be. Outside leaning against a tree studying some leaves or a flower might also work. Something that matches the setting.

I sometimes find that having the person NOT look at the camera can get them to relax more. And then as they see that they DO look good in photos, they get more relaxed when they start looking at the camera later!

Great shots! My favorite is still the very first one you posted!

SteveM

jsedlak wrote:

I read the post to her and we have some great ideas now... :ivar

We went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art today in NYC... here are some shots I got of her!

No one tell she was touching the statue!


This one didn't expose correctly, but would have been awesome if it had!

Did you happen to shoot these in RAW? The last one might be fully rescued, or at very least drastically improved if you had.