This is Ann

Scott_Quier

Had an opportunity to shoot this very fine lady the other day. As a Christmas gift, she was wanting to replace the portrait of her in her husband's office with something a little more recent. I, of course, processed most of the shots in color, but this one just screamed for B&W treatment (maybe because I had planned for a B&W image when I posed it?).

The B&W conversion process used was one that I found on the net, attributed to Greg Gorman (find it here). It's a little long, but the document helps you set it up as a PS action - that takes all the grunt out of it later.

Anyway, C&C is welcome/encouraged/solicited:

Richard

Very nice, Scott. I like the composition and the conversion looks good. I think she will be pleased.

Regards.

System

very nice conversion, scott-

to me, gorman's is the cat's meow for b/w portraits-

I would be very curious as to how she responds to this-

Scott_Quier

rsinmadrid wrote:

Very nice, Scott. I like the composition and the conversion looks good. I think she will be pleased.

Regards.

I think she will as well. I also think she will be buying a color print over the B&W, given that she's going to be giving it (framed, I hope) to her husband for Christmas.

gefillmore wrote:

very nice conversion, scott-

to me, gorman's is the cat's meow for b/w portraits-

I would be very curious as to how she responds to this-

I, also, will be interested in learning her reaction to the B&W.

Thanks both for the kind words.

WRRT the conversion, I don't remember how I stumbled upon his conversion process. Just know I'm glad I did.

JimW

Scott - Man, that shot works. I think your cross lighting setup (may I call it that?) works well here. The conversion looks great. But most of all, the expression you got from her really has life. As a photographer, of course I prefer to believe that was your doing, not hers. (After all, all portraits are self portraits to some degree.)

I'd like to see brighter flesh with a little more contrast as it appears a little grey and flat to me, but this is a minor quibble. Did you use the healing brush under her eyes or is she just an exception to the bags under the eyes thing?

Real nice job.
Jim

Scott_Quier

JimW wrote:

Scott - Man, that shot works. I think your cross lighting setup (may I call it that?) works well here. The conversion looks great. But most of all, the expression you got from her really has life. As a photographer, of course I prefer to believe that was your doing, not hers. (After all, all portraits are self portraits to some degree.)

The expression was my doing. We were having some real posing issues. I would ask her to tilt her head just a bit and I would get 90 degree movements. The lady (and I really do mean lady!) did not understand about small corrections. So, at one point, I said something along the line of:

• Move your head just this way
• Now tilt just that much
• Now, turn this way a bit
• Ooops, just a little back
• Put your right foot in
• Put your right foot out

At this point, she cracked a smile and I snapped off two or three exposures. This was the first - the progressive ones the smile turned into a laugh and we lost her eyes.

JimW wrote:

I'd like to see brighter flesh with a little more contrast as it appears a little grey and flat to me, but this is a minor quibble. Did you use the healing brush under her eyes or is she just an exception to the bags under the eyes thing?

Real nice job.
Jim

No healing brush, no bags under her eyes - at least not much. I did use a layer to blur some of the wrinkles away - just knocked about 5 years off. What I had to do those was to dodge the dark circles under her eyes. She works just way too hard and it showed.

One thing I did blow on this is that I should have had a hair light on her - oh well, next time!

Thanks for the really nice comments about the conversion. I agree with you in some respect and I may re-visit the conversion again later - if I get motivated enough and have some extra time on my hands.

Owen

I disagree about the hairlight - that would have dated this photo. Hairlights are very 1980.

Justiceiro

I have to agree with Owen about the hairlight.

photogmomma

Just gorgeous! I agree about brightening the skin slightly to give it a touch more pop, but otherwise I just love it! Beautiful lady.... wonderful capture!

Scott_Quier

OK - So no hairlight
I re-visited this, maybe I'm just a little OCD - ok! A lot OCD.

Is this more what you had in mind or do I need to take it up just a bit more?



P.S. - I really appreciate the help everyone offers to make photography so much more of a growing/improving experience!

saurora

Scott, you did a super job!!! I think your 2nd version looks great. I agree with the others on not using a hair light (she already has enough "highlights" in her hair!). I really like the casual, friendly pose....it doesn't look forced at all, which is not easy to attain. I think she should be really happy with this! Nice conversion, too.

JimW

Scott,

Well, who’s to say how it looks on each of our monitors, probably not too similar? Anyways, I would go further, but that may just be my personal taste. I like bright luminous flesh. Also, since you mentioned it, I would definitely like to see a hairlight, which could also provide a rim light to define the back of her coat and separate it from the abyss. I was not aware that hairlights went out of style, but by the time I learn to get ‘em done right, maybe they’ll come back into style.

OCD? On the Cusp of Dominance? Overrun with Compact Discs?

By the way, I’m still not getting this posting thing right, I think. Do you guys upload to your smugmug galleries each image that you want to post in the forum, and then post it by linking to your site?

Jim

saurora

I have to agree with Jim above...I was viewing on my workplace monitor which is totally bleah! Strangely, it looked good at work. I think her face still needs brightening. Believe me, a woman this age will appreciate a glowing complexion...especially in winter!

Scott_Quier

JimW wrote:

Scott,

Well, who’s to say how it looks on each of our monitors, probably not too similar? Anyways, I would go further, but that may just be my personal taste. I like bright luminous flesh. Also, since you mentioned it, I would definitely like to see a hairlight, which could also provide a rim light to define the back of her coat and separate it from the abyss. I was not aware that hairlights went out of style, but by the time I learn to get ‘em done right, maybe they’ll come back into style.

OCD? On the Cusp of Dominance? Overrun with Compact Discs?

By the way, I’m still not getting this posting thing right, I think. Do you guys upload to your smugmug galleries each image that you want to post in the forum, and then post it by linking to your site?

Jim

I also was not aware that hair-lights had gone out of fashion. I may be using the wrong term, but I do believe some sort of light from behind on her head and shoulders would have seperated her from the background a little more.

OCD = Obsessive - Compulsive Disorder (think the "Monk" show).

I'll work on it a bit more tonight. I should be able to sneak the mod in before the client gets a chance to see them - her computer crashed over the week-end and she's moving her office and ...

As for posting, see this page - it gives a good overview of how to post images. Short version - you can either attach 1 photo to a post (in which case DGrin down-reses the image and stores it) or you link from a hosting site. The hosting site need not be SmugMug. It's just that SmugMug happens to be the best place to host images rated G -> PG (don't konw if they allow PG-17). You have to host somewhere else for R rated images as SmugMug is very family oriented - one of it's greatest attractors IMHO.

JimW

OCD = Obsessive - Compulsive Disorder (think the "Monk" show).

Yes yes. I don't get to see much tv, but my lady tells me I'm a cross between this Monk guy and a Dr. Becker. Not sure, but I doubt it's a good thing.

It just never occurred to me that everyone was uploading every image they want to post in the forums to their website first. Seems like a lot of work, but I guess you get fast at it. Okay, I'll try it, and thank you.

Scott_Quier

Way off topic, but...

JimW wrote:

Yes yes. I don't get to see much tv, but my lady tells me I'm a cross between this Monk guy and a Dr. Becker. Not sure, but I doubt it's a good thing.

It just never occurred to me that everyone was uploading every image they want to post in the forums to their website first. Seems like a lot of work, but I guess you get fast at it. Okay, I'll try it, and thank you.

For me, it's not any extra work.

I upload personal images images to galleries for sharing with friends and family.

For each paying assignment, I create one or more galleries. I provide the URL to the gallery to the clients at the time of the shoot (I also provide them with this information in an e-mail when the photos have been uploaded). The client then views the proofs on-line, orders desired prints. SmugMug handles the CC transaction, prints the order, and mails it to the client. If the client wishes (and pays for it), I can order 4x6 proof images printed and delivered (or I hand deliver them).

Then, they send me the $$ (less cost and their cut).

Works well for me. So far, it's worked well for clients as well.

Scott_Quier

Latest & Greatest Version (Last?)

saurora wrote:

I have to agree with Jim above...I was viewing on my workplace monitor which is totally bleah! Strangely, it looked good at work. I think her face still needs brightening. Believe me, a woman this age will appreciate a glowing complexion...especially in winter!

Susan,

You and everyone else has been correct all along - her skin tones needed to be brightened up just a bit. I convinced by self of this comparing all three of these images on my monitor (you didn't think I had tossed the previous versions did you?), one right after the other as in a quick slide show sort of thing.

Aaaaannnnndddddd, Survey Says!!!....

#3 is the best so far. I don't think it needs any more lightening. But, I've been wrong before.

Thanks everyone for helping me see the light on this. It will help me immeasurable in the very near future I am sure!

System

that's way too much!-


just kidding-

looks pretty doggone good-

urbanaries

What a great portrait, Scott. Your depiction of her makes me want to know her, or feel like I already do.

Scott_Quier

gefillmore wrote:

that's way too much!-


just kidding-

looks pretty doggone good-

I about had kittens when I read the first line and almost didn't get to the last two. Good on you!!

Scott_Quier

urbanaries wrote:

What a great portrait, Scott. Your depiction of her makes me want to know her, or feel like I already do.

And that, my friend, is high praise indeed! Thanks!

saurora

Scott_Quier wrote:

Susan,

You and everyone else has been correct all along - her skin tones needed to be brightened up just a bit. I convinced by self of this comparing all three of these images on my monitor (you didn't think I had tossed the previous versions did you?), one right after the other as in a quick slide show sort of thing.

Aaaaannnnndddddd, Survey Says!!!....

#3 is the best so far. I don't think it needs any more lightening. But, I've been wrong before.

Thanks everyone for helping me see the light on this. It will help me immeasurable in the very near future I am sure!

Super!!! She looks great....brightened up her hair, too!