Bootcamp Promo!

Van Isle

Hi folks,
did a shoot over a few days for "bootcamp" promo material. Here are a few of my shots. C&C always welcome and encouraged.





Here's the owner/instructor:










I wouldn't say they were all good for promo material, but they're fun, and really fun to shoot! :barb

Thanks much,
VI

System

Use less flash, absolutely.
In the first shot, I can count her pores. Not very flattering. Duplicate this layer in PS, set the top layer to the Color blending mode and convert the bottom layer to grayscale with Channel Mixer, using mainly the red channel. You'll get a much smoother appearance, though you'll probably have to tweak the colours a bit later on.
In the second shot, they seem to be standing in front of a studio background - increase the sensitivity, use a longer shutter time, and you'll get a much smoother transition from flash to ambient.
Shot three, well, lose that one. Apart from admiring her physique, it doesn't really tell me much. The only visible weight is hidden behind her back, and half the frame is empty for no good reason.
Number four is OK, but you'd have to get a bit more light from your direction or at a 45 degree angle, because they're just too dark now.
Number five would be OK, except that you cropped her hand off at the wrist. Thou shalt not crop at major joints. Unless you're really good and do that for a reason.
Same goes for number six.

I hope I don't sound too harsh, but I think you really need to work on your flash technique, and you should be careful when composing. They're not bad shots, and they would probably look perfectly fine to someone who's not as hypercritical as me.

Van Isle

Mad props, yo. This is my first time really working with the flash. The cropping/composition isn't ideal, and the flash, well... you know! (still, as always, learning)

Thanks for the tips. If there's anybody that likes "harshness" in critiques, it's me. Helping me become a better Photog isn't "harsh." Thanks for the C&C.

Cheers,
VI