Interesting shoot-

heatherfeather

I had an interesting shoot with a young gal this week. This is Brittany. She is completely deaf and therefore can't speak. It made posing rather interesting and we filled up a notebook of "notes" back and forth. She is very pretty so it made it easy! And, some shots I am sure I wouldn't have gotten from someone who didn't have her "condition" because she was much more willing to be expressive! Anyway, it turned out, but I did have a few minutes there where I was thinking... what do I do!? But I figured out that she could read my lips pretty good and often I just did the pose that I wanted her to do or gestured and she got the picture pretty easily.

Oh, one other thing is that I ended up doing her hair and makeup- she showed up looking like she had jumped out of bed and hopped in the car to come over! She had a huge duffel bag filled with her clothes, and so I picked out her cute sweater and jeans. Well, if she was wanting a little self esteem boost, I think she got it- make over and some nice photos to boot!
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christulk

Brittany is very beautiful. I think the shots look great, I love the first one.

Well done

evoryware

I like these shots. #3 is my favorite! Nice job on the hair. Wish I knew how to do hair and makeup. After seeing #5 I was wondering if she was deaf, but then I scrolled back up and read. Nice

~Jan~

I really like #1! #4 is nice too, but there's an odd color cast...her face is a bit yellow. I bet w/ some saturation changes that one would be first-rate, too!

heatherfeather

evoryware wrote:

I like these shots. #3 is my favorite! Nice job on the hair. Wish I knew how to do hair and makeup. After seeing #5 I was wondering if she was deaf, but then I scrolled back up and read. Nice

It is interesting that you could tell just by looking at a picture. I bet it is something about the way she held her tongue. I ended up having her smile with her mouth closed most of the time- when she smiled with teeth showing it ended up being more of a "growl" look than a nice smile. She is very beautiful! Thanks for the comment!

heatherfeather

~Jan~ wrote:

I really like #1! #4 is nice too, but there's an odd color cast...her face is a bit yellow. I bet w/ some saturation changes that one would be first-rate, too!

Jan- could be yellow! I can't see it, but then again I can blame a lot on my monitor. I will check it out again! Thanks for the comment! (It helps me not stay "inbred" in my thinking!)

evoryware

I had a deaf family member and it just stuck out to me in his interactions with other deaf people that sometimes they put something extra in the movement of the mouth region in an effort to put across an expression. You just happened to freeze it in that picture.

Awais Yaqub

Beautiful loved them

heatherfeather

Quote: "they put something extra in the movement of the mouth"

Very perceptive of you!

Seneca

Did you shoot these RAW?

DavidS

Nice series. I especially like the first one. She is very pretty.

heatherfeather

Seneca wrote:

Did you shoot these RAW?

You bet... I am hooked on it!

heatherfeather

DavidS wrote:

Nice series. I especially like the first one. She is very pretty.

Thanks! She is!

Seneca

Thanks for letting me touch up your picture (via PM)...

here ya go...


Here is your old one.

ShepsMom

Wow Heather, loved your shots! Beautiful girl, i'm sorry to hear she's deaf, what life she must have.

#4, don't find this shot appealing, there is something about her expression that's not flattering. Other then that, excellent set!

heatherfeather

ShepsMom wrote:

Wow Heather, loved your shots! Beautiful girl, i'm sorry to hear she's deaf, what life she must have.

#4, don't find this shot appealing, there is something about her expression that's not flattering. Other then that, excellent set!

Hey thanks for the comment. She is a beauty.

I agree with you, and then I don't about number four. I think that one is the one that most reflects who she is and her personality as well as how she lives with her disability. Her beauty is often overlooked because of it. So, while her expression in that one is a bit uncomfortable or unflattering, it is HER. (Truly, in that set I must have 30 that had that same expression.) So while I agree with you it may not be the most flattering, it is the most accurate depiction of her as a person of the whole set. And while she is so lovely in the rest of her pictures, on a day to day basis, it is usually hidden for a couple of reasons. #1- her unusual expressions #2- she doesn't usually take the care to fix her hair or makeup in any way. In fact, I don't know how long it had been since she had brushed her hair before I fixed it. (Which, don't get me wrong, I was totally happy to "love on her" and serve her in that way. She is special and beautiful and needs to know it!)

I think it is interesting to try to figure out the answer to the question of balancing truth vs. our desire to capture only cookie cutter beauty as we photograph people.

So the question to me is: should I photograph only people that have put on their glamor makeup and smile in attractive ways? For portraits or shoots where people have hired me to do so, I think it is what I should do. But....then.... there is that part of me that wants to catch the "real" person that doesn't have their makeup picture perfect and doesn't smile in a "normal" way. Both are treasures, to my way of thinking.

Sorry- I'll get off my soap box. I really do agree with you. #4 isn't the most flattering. But it is one of my favorites!

I always enjoy thinking in abstracts. (Drives my husband crazy!):D Sorry you guys had to "listen in."

ShepsMom

Hey Heather, that's quiet alright!! I can feel your passion for this girl, and it's wonderful that you trying to capture her for who she trully is.
People pay money to get their shots taken, and hoping to look beautiful, (fake beautiful in some cases). I know a lot of people who absolutely hate take pictures, i don't know why?? They feel unatractive or lack of confidence, i don't really know. So, they hope that you, as photographer going to make them beautiful!!!! It is your preception of HOW beautiful one is, based on your opinion only. That said, i agree with you for trying to capture inner beauty of one, however, it might not be very appealing to the one whos picutre you're taking! Of course, it doesn't makes a difference to those who don't care.

heatherfeather

Thanks Marina- I am glad that you see my heart and are not offended by my little speach... Sometimes I do go-on... (and my husband would say.. and on.. and on...):D

ShepsMom

heatherfeather wrote:

Thanks Marina- I am glad that you see my heart and are not offended by my little speach... Sometimes I do go-on... (and my husband would say.. and on.. and on...):D

I'm not easily offended Heather