First modeling shoot! (7 pics)

mmroden

My brother and his wife run a print shop out of Pittsburgh, PA, and they decided they'd use nepotism to get ads for their first shirt that they made. Both of them are classically trained woodcut artists, and have decided to branch out from making prints to other things as well, such as shirts. So, he gave us all shirts this Christmas, and then asked me to get people to model them so he could use them in ads on his website. Here's a small sampling of shots from the entire shoot (which can be found at: http://mmroden.smugmug.com/gallery/2301717)

This is my first 'modeling' shoot, so please, comments and critiques are most welcome! It's not just that the pics be good, the logos on the shirts (both front and back) need to be plainly visible.

All shots were taken with available light, and the choice of models came from my family.

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saurora

You got some very nice people shots and there are even more in your gallery. But I'm not so sure the lighting is good enough for product shots. Not having done this kind of shooting, I can't offer specific advice, but I have a feeling it will require some use of fill flash to even out the lighting more. I like the poses ... especially from the back...but I can barely make out the prints, which appear to be not very bright to begin with. I am barely able to make out the logo. The shots (poses) are much like what I see in catalogues like Spiegel, etc. But the lighting seems inadequate.

Seneca

I agree...the lighting needs some work. Keep at it...I think your work so far is really good.

Stustaff

They are nice people shots but they arent product shots in my opinion.

The actual shirts seem insignificant?

urbanaries

Stustaff wrote:

They are nice people shots but they arent product shots in my opinion.

The actual shirts seem insignificant?

Agree with what others have said about lighting, but wanted to comment on the pose in #6, this is GREAT!!!! Really like the natural feel and expressions. Very nice.

mmroden

Thanks for the comments so far. I agree, actually, that these don't really show off the shirts that well. The problem is, the shirts are both not very contrasty to begin with, and are extremely detailed. Getting shots of anyone wearing a very minutely detailed shirt in any kind of interesting environment is a challenge, to say the least.

What kind of lighting suggestions do you have in mind? These were all shot with natural light, no flashes used. I only have one flash (an sb800, if that matters), so what can I do with that? What kind of shots do you have in mind that could show off a very detailed shirt?

They've decided to use shot #2, but I'm glad you like shot #6, as that's my wife and me

Swartzy

Number 6 & 7 work
The others it's about composition. #1 needs more room. #2 doesn't have the flavor (I realize it's about the shirts). #3 subject is dead center.....would have liked less room on left more on right as she is looking that way. #4 is good but his feet are cut from the frame...since you have the whole pose there..the feet are important....otherwise could crop to below the knee. Yea, #5 works. Use black point curves to give the images some pop as well as try some selective saturation. Thought I'd at least give you my observations. Good luck!

Here's a quick PS fix to give you an idea of the suggestions. I also lightened up the model.

Ted Szukalski

Out of all these photographs #4 is close to what I'd see as a fashion pose and framing. The light and contrast is rather dull. I'd recommend a gentle fill in flash or/and reflector. I'd also recommend getting few fashion magazines and try to pick up the poses pros use.

mmroden

Thanks for the critiques, guys.

I'll look into reflectors, as that seems to be the big thing, as well as poses.

They did like #2 the best, because the name of the printshop is tugboat, so having a boat in the frame goes for what they're looking for. But I suppose I should actually look at the myriad Elle's my wife has lying around critically rather than just throwing them on a big pile...