exterior clean background ( well except for the tree, I had the flash one for some of these, then turned it off and had a firnd hold the gold refletor,
I have read all the tips on this "tutorial" (assignment) and wow, there is so much to learn...one thing that drew my attention was: subject on the edge of shadow/sunlight...and went to the backyard of my house, and took my homemade reflectors and this is what I came up with... Rainy season in California nowdays...
Minutes after I took these shots it started to rain...the neighbors fence,about 11 feet tall (3.5 m) created shade...
Carlos
First of all thank you for taking part at our MA.
I like backgrounds, compositions of these portraits, natural expressions of the model.
The only critique - try not to use white dresses (You must have a very good camera :-) as they eat a lot of brightness range.
Again, well done, my friend!
Yuri
OK, here are my first entries to this assignment. natural light No flash , minimal PP: interior ( window light)
Priviet (in Russian - Hello), CookieS!
Thank you very much!
I like this one a lot. You managed to catch her expression so nicely!
Sure you yourself see this big difference of brightness due to these sun spots. On the other hand, they add a lot here ... Warmness, Homeness so to say.
I also like the background. It tells a story.
My only advice will be: choosing your point of shooting, looking into the viewfinder, before pressing the button of your camera, please inspect once again the area around the head of your model. Sometimes 2-5 cm movement of the point of shooting (up/down left/righ) helps to avoid these things 'going out' of the head.
Again, very well done!
Spasibo,
Yuri
a stranger asked me for some spare change, I said "sure If i can take your photo signed model release. great charactor face
What a model! What a charachter!
My congratulations!
I like his pose more on the second photo.
My advice will be: Try to take several photos in different poses (placing your model in the left/right part of the composition with the head turned to the camera/ to the left / to the right. Eyes looking to the camera/ strait behind)
You'll count to 6-10 shots, but you'll have variety.
Spasibo,
Yuri
May I get some feedback about this shot? Many thanks.
Hello, JY!
Of course, this photo is important to you (that's the reason of posting it here).
...Yes...
But the thing is... to make it interesting to other people (the viewers).
Yes, we see some charachter here... But no enough...
Big part of the frame is filled with knitted cap.
If you have read our MA#2, you must understand why knitting details (and the left part of the shot as a whole) attract much more attention then the eye of the model.
Surely it wasn't your aim, yes?
From the 'light' point of view, the left side again attracts much more attention...
Undeservedly...
I think that it will be better from your side not to post here your shots to get some feedback, but to make homeworks. (Backgrounds, composition - we have a lot of them to work on)
At the same time I must say thank you for taking part.
I saw your works and must say you are a talented photographer. That is why this shot was a surprize to me :-)
Spasibo,
Yuri
This is a photo of my daughter. The setting is an old train station and museum in town. The background here is an old coal car used to fuel the train. I have been using fill flash in many of my outdoor portraits lately, but in this one, I relied solely on the natural light available. There is a concrete parking lot that is reflecting light into the covered walkway and onto her face. I am pleased with the exposure, but not entirely with the pose. I wanted her left arm extended as I was trying a new lense, and wanted to see the shift in focus at that distance, but.....I don't think I like seeing that much of her left arm and none of her right arm. I am anxious to hear your reply. Posing is a challenge to me at times.
Here is another without flash on the same day, but in an entirely different location. The majority of the light in this scene is bouncing from a large light colored building across the street
jeffreaux2
First of all, thank you, Jeff, for taking part in our MA!
Now to the photos. I think they are very good.
I like the diagonal composition of the first one. Besides, not only the hand leads to the center of the composition - the model's face, but also the light. The background is very good.
Maybe another position of the head, when the row of rivets doent pass through the head of the model, could be better, but DOF here played its role....
The second photo is very good too. I like its red.
At the same time we talked here at MA about using SIMPLE backgrounds first...
The thing is - to FIND such backgrounds around you.
As you can see, we have here vertical lines (left part of the photo) going our of the head.
Jeff!
Try to find more simple background and then, bit by bit, make it more complex (asking yourself 'why and what for?')...
And (Only my opinion)...
This must be a tradition. I mean... smile.
Yes, such a photo says that Everything is OK with the hero of the photo... But...
Please, close the bottom part of the face by your hand and look at the face like 'at the first time'.
Does these eyes smile?
We have something about 180 face muscles. And when we smile naturaly, the muscles around the eyes also tells about our smile...
And for me portrait WITHOUT SMILE tells MUCH MORE about the model. Charachter.
I mean you may ask you model not to use this 'SAY CHEESE' smile...
Such a portrait gives (me) a way much more 'food for thoughts'. More interesting.
What do you think?
This question is VERY IMPORTANT to me.
Thank you, Jeff.
Yuri
Hello Yuri, how do you do ?
I shot this portrait a couple of days ago with the help of natural light from our left and a soft light from the right, coming from a home made softbox.
The home made softbox is not a sucess, no.
But the photo is rather good.
However, I think the photo is rather studio type. Not my kind of pictures.
I like more informal...
Hello Yuri, how do you do ?
I shot this portrait a couple of days ago with the help of natural light from our left and a soft light from the right, coming from a home made softbox.
The home made softbox is not a sucess, no.
But the photo is rather good.
However, I think the photo is rather studio type. Not my kind of pictures.
I like more informal...
Antonio!
Spasibo for your photo!
Did you use some knowledge from our MA#2 here?
What it was?
Thank you in advance,
Yuri
MA 2.16 Part II. Composition 4. part3 Rythm
Rhythm in photography
The simplest rhythm in photography is the equality of forms. Recurrence. Brain hits upon an idea of the whole picture, judging by some components, curvature lines, intersection lines. And millions of pictures that human has seeing – his experience – are used here. Putting together parts of the picture, human brain all the time forms hypotheses upon how it must look.
Rhythm itself is an element of the composition and also one of the instruments. Using it, the clarity of the form is achieved. And sometimes - even the originality of the theme’s incarnation.
Rhythm comes to the photography from life. You can see rhythm everywhere: petals of the flower, see waves, sand patterns in the desert…
Of course, the rhythm, which you see in a real life is not mechanically brought into your photo. You put it into the composition’s fundament. It becomes the rhythm of lines, tone’s interchange.
The rhythm can be set not only by frequent lines, but also by single ones.
If we’ll look at the squares,
we’ll see that they seem to be larger in the direction, in which we unconsciously put the elements together.
Talking about rhythm we must also say about identity, nuance and contrast.
Identity is a complete similarity of similar (sorry!) elements. They form harmonious relation and look very effective. Sea waves, for example. Or even a fence.
Nuance is a relation of monotonous elements. Their forms come close to each other. The similarity is shown much more strongly then a difference. And the relation in the composition is based on this similarity. A forest. A group of people. Car park.
Contrast – is a correlation of similar elements of the composition with strong disparity. The relations between the elements is based on difference and contraposition. Parents and kids for example.
The keyhole effect.
Also the holes, formed by different parts of the body, especially in nude figures, at once arrest attention cause of contrast not only of the light tone, but also by linear size. They become the centers of the composition, amplifying the psychological effect of the lines of power, which make them.
Chink effect
When the chink made by practically parallel surfaces of hands, feet and body, being a special case if rhythm become the center of the composition.
Symmetry and asymmetry.
The rhythm can be called a special case of the symmetry. Photographers and models often use a natural symmetry in their creative work. The human is a symmetric by nature. It is proved by a lot of poses, used in photography. But. We must remember that the frequent usage makes the showing character of the model… invisible.
We can use the shadow of the model as a variant of the symmetry. Asymmetry is also often used in photography. It helps to break the rules, to disconcert the viewer, or show the internal world of the model.
Newbie asking to join this thread!!!
Wow! I only joined dgrin yesterday and i can't stop reading all over this site! but this thread is AMAZING! Yuri, I LOVE your work. I am a new pro photographer (only pro a year) and am looking to learn and perfect my craft. natural lighting is my preferred lighting, however i dabble with some flashes i own. i photograph people on location and would love to join this thread. do i just jump right in and post a recent shot?
Wow! I only joined dgrin yesterday and i can't stop reading all over this site! but this thread is AMAZING! Yuri, I LOVE your work. I am a new pro photographer (only pro a year) and am looking to learn and perfect my craft. natural lighting is my preferred lighting, however i dabble with some flashes i own. i photograph people on location and would love to join this thread. do i just jump right in and post a recent shot?
Welcome to Dgrin and to our Class!
FWIW there is no application to fill or fees to pay - just try to follow the assignments and start posting:-)
Thank you so much for this thread Yuri. I have an assignment tomorrow to do some more natural portraits of the model below for her acting portfolio using available light. This class will help me tremendously with choosing a location and in focusing on the elements needed to make a great portrait. Sandy
Thank you so much for this thread Yuri. I have an assignment tomorrow to do some more natural portraits of the model below for her acting portfolio using available light. This class will help me tremendously with choosing a location and in focusing on the elements needed to make a great portrait. Sandy
Sandy, I think I go on a limb here, but these three portraits look like they were taken with the aid of strobes. Am I wrong? And if I am - can you describe your light setup, at least briefly? TIA!
These photos were taken during a print shoot at the old Cecil B. DeMille studio at Hollywood and Wilton. The sunlight from the studio windows produced some awesome natural lighting. I took these with my 20d, kit 18-55 lense and the 50 1.8 w/flash There were strobes and studio lighting on the set, but these shots were not taken on actual set . I was working as the producer and was able to get some shots of the performers when they were relaxing between setups. I am attaching a few links to the work that was produced by Wayne Schoenfeld the photographer, and links to my background shots of the Circus'. He was honored for his work by Cirque du Soile for his charitable work w/Rotoplast. They travel to many places around the world and take clowns with them to entertain the children. He just returned from Nepal. All money from these shoots is donated to Rotoplast for their missions.
These photos were taken during a print shoot at the old Cecil B. DeMille studio at Hollywood and Wilton. The sunlight from the studio windows produced some awesome natural lighting. I took these with my 20d, kit 18-55 lense and the 50 1.8 w/flash ...
Another in Natural light
Natural light...
I am dropping this photo here because it garnered quite a bit of positive attention in the "People" forum where I originally posted it.
We were located in shade...not direct sunlight. The sun was to my left behind a building in overcast skies. The sky overhead was mostly clear blue sky. No reflectors or fill were used. We were also nearby some warm colored concrete buildings.
EDIT: I just realized this is my 1000th post!!! Thanks DGrin and Smugmug!!!
Date Modified 2008-02-26 06:22:09
Date Taken 2008-02-25 17:13:50
Camera Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi
Exposure Time 0.005s (1/200)
Aperture f/5.0
ISO 100
Focal Length 37mm (guess: 40mm in 35mm)
Photo Dimensions 3888 x 2592
File Size 6.32 MB
Impromtu Planning
While watching this young lady's troupe perform on stage, I started thinking about the color of her hair and the hay you see behind her. When the show was over and the audience had vacated the bales, I asked if I could take this photo. She agreed, stepped off the stage and sat on a bale in the front row. I jumped up on stage and shot from above so that her eyes would stand out as much as her smile.
I chose the hay for its color, shadowing and texture, and stepped to my left to get diagonal lines in the bales. I used just enough depth of field to keep her hair in back from blending in with the hay.
Lighting is all natural; overcast skies and shade from a tree above and to her left. I increased the contrast, converted to jpeg and warmed the image in Photoshop.
All comments and critiques will be greatly appreciated.
Compressed RAW (12-bit)
Lens: 18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 G
Focal Length: 100mm
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Metering Mode: Spot
1/160 sec - F/5.6
Exposure Comp.: -1.7 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 100
"If you've found a magic that does something for you, honey, stick to it. Never change it." - Mae West, to Edith Head.
"Every guy has to have one weakness - and it might as well be a good one." - Shell Scott: Dance With the Dead by Richard S. Prather
While watching this young lady's troupe perform on stage, I started thinking about the color of her hair and the hay you see behind her. When the show was over and the audience had vacated the bales, I asked if I could take this photo. She agreed, stepped off the stage and sat on a bale in the front row. I jumped up on stage and shot from above so that her eyes would stand out as much as her smile.
I chose the hay for its color, shadowing and texture, and stepped to my left to get diagonal lines in the bales. I used just enough depth of field to keep her hair in back from blending in with the hay.
Lighting is all natural; overcast skies and shade from a tree above and to her left. I increased the contrast, converted to jpeg and warmed the image in Photoshop.
All comments and critiques will be greatly appreciated.
I like the skin and the light.
She seems a bit tense, though, probably tired after the show and not "trusting" you yet.
Choosing the hay as a bg is a dual-prone fork for me here: for one, it tells me that her beautiful hair are of the natural hay color; OTOH, they blend together and thus create a huge hayish spot on the image. I'm not sure what could have been done here without some heavy lighting artillery, like having a hair light to separate the hair from the bg.
She's very fairly skinned, so I don't think bringing more contrast would do her skin any good (prolly would nuke it red, which we don't want). However, the whole image look rather flat. Again, I understand the tough lighting conditions and I'm sure you did the best you could considering the circumstances.
HTH
MA 2.17 Part II. Composition 4. part 4 Properties of forms MA 2.17 Part II. Composition 4. part 4
Properties of forms
Now its time to discuss the properties of different forms. After all the composition is just a harmonious combination of simple figures, which create an image.
pic 1
The circle and oval symbolize the perfection and the completeness.
The equality of the elements in all three dimensions tells us about the static character of the form – sphere, cube, square. Such a figure is visually static, shows a quiescent state. So does a contour of the model’s figure, which can be ‘inserted’ in such a figure.
And we have the next effect here: such figures associate with the smaller size then they really are! And if the side’s ratio is different, then the more difference of the sides - the more visually bigger figure is seeing. For example, the circle is taken smaller then the oval of the same area. That is why it is recommended to the full-bodied to ware the clothes with drawing in the form of figures, equal in all three dimensions, whereas to the thin people - vice versa.
The figure of the model is static if visually it is inscribed into the figure with equal sides, or if this figure has a run bigger than an altitude.
Again I must apologize for my so-so English. I only can imagine how naïve my language is. Sorry. And also I must say that first I wanted to post here my photos with figures of the models inscribed into red-colored triangles, circles, ovals and so on… But then I decided that we are grown-up enough to draw them in our minds :-) But if you’ll have some difficulties, please feel free to tell me.
Here are some static poses
pic 2
The figure of the model can be inscribed into a triangle with two equal sides.
Two other examples of static poses:
pic 3
and
pic 4
But if only we start to disturb this balance, the dynamics (action, movement) appears.
It seems that the object starts moving itself. Or the viewer’s eyes start moving along the long side of the triangle, parallelepiped or a cylinder.
Compare these two:
pic 5
pic 6
The subjects and figures make an illusion of the movement along their most long side. This must be taken into consideration while choosing a pose for the model.
pic 7
pic 8
If the figure into which the figure of the model is inscribed is visually unstable (upturned triangle, oval, any other figure which will fall down in a real life :-), than this feeling is transmitted to the viewer.
pic 9
On the other hand it brings some vitality, as we assume that model must apply some force to stay in such a pose.
The most dynamism is given to the form by its narrowing in the direction of the size decrease. And also any form which reminds of an arrow.
pic 10
This can be model’s waist, dress elements, body’s bend. Generally, any narrowing, which looks like an arrow, adds dynamic in the narrowing direction.
pic 11
Dynamic is also can be added by the texture, which rhythm is gradually decreased. Movement effect is created by the reduction of the distance between the parallel lines. This is also can be said about the color which changes from deep to bright, or from warm to cold.
Comments
First of all thank you for taking part at our MA.
I like backgrounds, compositions of these portraits, natural expressions of the model.
The only critique - try not to use white dresses (You must have a very good camera :-) as they eat a lot of brightness range.
Again, well done, my friend!
Yuri
Priviet (in Russian - Hello), CookieS!
Thank you very much!
I like this one a lot. You managed to catch her expression so nicely!
Sure you yourself see this big difference of brightness due to these sun spots. On the other hand, they add a lot here ... Warmness, Homeness so to say.
I also like the background. It tells a story.
My only advice will be: choosing your point of shooting, looking into the viewfinder, before pressing the button of your camera, please inspect once again the area around the head of your model. Sometimes 2-5 cm movement of the point of shooting (up/down left/righ) helps to avoid these things 'going out' of the head.
Again, very well done!
Spasibo,
Yuri
What a model! What a charachter!
My congratulations!
I like his pose more on the second photo.
My advice will be: Try to take several photos in different poses (placing your model in the left/right part of the composition with the head turned to the camera/ to the left / to the right. Eyes looking to the camera/ strait behind)
You'll count to 6-10 shots, but you'll have variety.
Spasibo,
Yuri
Hi Yauri,
May I get some feedback about this shot? Many thanks.
Of course, this photo is important to you (that's the reason of posting it here).
...Yes...
But the thing is... to make it interesting to other people (the viewers).
Yes, we see some charachter here... But no enough...
Big part of the frame is filled with knitted cap.
If you have read our MA#2, you must understand why knitting details (and the left part of the shot as a whole) attract much more attention then the eye of the model.
Surely it wasn't your aim, yes?
From the 'light' point of view, the left side again attracts much more attention...
Undeservedly...
I think that it will be better from your side not to post here your shots to get some feedback, but to make homeworks. (Backgrounds, composition - we have a lot of them to work on)
At the same time I must say thank you for taking part.
I saw your works and must say you are a talented photographer. That is why this shot was a surprize to me :-)
Spasibo,
Yuri
Yuri,
This is a photo of my daughter. The setting is an old train station and museum in town. The background here is an old coal car used to fuel the train. I have been using fill flash in many of my outdoor portraits lately, but in this one, I relied solely on the natural light available. There is a concrete parking lot that is reflecting light into the covered walkway and onto her face. I am pleased with the exposure, but not entirely with the pose. I wanted her left arm extended as I was trying a new lense, and wanted to see the shift in focus at that distance, but.....I don't think I like seeing that much of her left arm and none of her right arm. I am anxious to hear your reply. Posing is a challenge to me at times.
Here is another without flash on the same day, but in an entirely different location. The majority of the light in this scene is bouncing from a large light colored building across the street
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
First of all, thank you, Jeff, for taking part in our MA!
Now to the photos. I think they are very good.
I like the diagonal composition of the first one. Besides, not only the hand leads to the center of the composition - the model's face, but also the light. The background is very good.
Maybe another position of the head, when the row of rivets doent pass through the head of the model, could be better, but DOF here played its role....
The second photo is very good too. I like its red.
At the same time we talked here at MA about using SIMPLE backgrounds first...
The thing is - to FIND such backgrounds around you.
As you can see, we have here vertical lines (left part of the photo) going our of the head.
Jeff!
Try to find more simple background and then, bit by bit, make it more complex (asking yourself 'why and what for?')...
And (Only my opinion)...
This must be a tradition. I mean... smile.
Yes, such a photo says that Everything is OK with the hero of the photo... But...
Please, close the bottom part of the face by your hand and look at the face like 'at the first time'.
Does these eyes smile?
We have something about 180 face muscles. And when we smile naturaly, the muscles around the eyes also tells about our smile...
And for me portrait WITHOUT SMILE tells MUCH MORE about the model. Charachter.
I mean you may ask you model not to use this 'SAY CHEESE' smile...
Such a portrait gives (me) a way much more 'food for thoughts'. More interesting.
What do you think?
This question is VERY IMPORTANT to me.
Thank you, Jeff.
Yuri
Hello Yuri, how do you do ?
I shot this portrait a couple of days ago with the help of natural light from our left and a soft light from the right, coming from a home made softbox.
The home made softbox is not a sucess, no.
But the photo is rather good.
However, I think the photo is rather studio type. Not my kind of pictures.
I like more informal...
Spasibo for your photo!
Did you use some knowledge from our MA#2 here?
What it was?
Thank you in advance,
Yuri
I will continue MA after a couple of weeks - going to show my skin to Egyptian sun and take some shots of Red Sea fishes....
Yuri
I shot this picture today using two flashes for the first time.
Any good ?
Rhythm in photography
The simplest rhythm in photography is the equality of forms. Recurrence. Brain hits upon an idea of the whole picture, judging by some components, curvature lines, intersection lines. And millions of pictures that human has seeing – his experience – are used here. Putting together parts of the picture, human brain all the time forms hypotheses upon how it must look.
Rhythm itself is an element of the composition and also one of the instruments. Using it, the clarity of the form is achieved. And sometimes - even the originality of the theme’s incarnation.
Rhythm comes to the photography from life. You can see rhythm everywhere: petals of the flower, see waves, sand patterns in the desert…
Of course, the rhythm, which you see in a real life is not mechanically brought into your photo. You put it into the composition’s fundament. It becomes the rhythm of lines, tone’s interchange.
The rhythm can be set not only by frequent lines, but also by single ones.
If we’ll look at the squares,
we’ll see that they seem to be larger in the direction, in which we unconsciously put the elements together.
Talking about rhythm we must also say about identity, nuance and contrast.
Identity is a complete similarity of similar (sorry!) elements. They form harmonious relation and look very effective. Sea waves, for example. Or even a fence.
Nuance is a relation of monotonous elements. Their forms come close to each other. The similarity is shown much more strongly then a difference. And the relation in the composition is based on this similarity. A forest. A group of people. Car park.
Contrast – is a correlation of similar elements of the composition with strong disparity. The relations between the elements is based on difference and contraposition. Parents and kids for example.
The keyhole effect.
Also the holes, formed by different parts of the body, especially in nude figures, at once arrest attention cause of contrast not only of the light tone, but also by linear size. They become the centers of the composition, amplifying the psychological effect of the lines of power, which make them.
Chink effect
When the chink made by practically parallel surfaces of hands, feet and body, being a special case if rhythm become the center of the composition.
Symmetry and asymmetry.
The rhythm can be called a special case of the symmetry. Photographers and models often use a natural symmetry in their creative work. The human is a symmetric by nature. It is proved by a lot of poses, used in photography. But. We must remember that the frequent usage makes the showing character of the model… invisible.
We can use the shadow of the model as a variant of the symmetry. Asymmetry is also often used in photography. It helps to break the rules, to disconcert the viewer, or show the internal world of the model.
To be continued….
Wow! I only joined dgrin yesterday and i can't stop reading all over this site! but this thread is AMAZING! Yuri, I LOVE your work. I am a new pro photographer (only pro a year) and am looking to learn and perfect my craft. natural lighting is my preferred lighting, however i dabble with some flashes i own. i photograph people on location and would love to join this thread. do i just jump right in and post a recent shot?
FWIW there is no application to fill or fees to pay
portrait.
http://www.wschoenfeld.com/soleil/index.htm
http://www.takegreatpictures.com/Wayne_Schoenfeld-s_Circus_of_Life.fci
http://wschoenfeld.com/ethiopia/
http://sandra.smugmug.com/gallery/3413056_99mJY#191081358
http://sandra.smugmug.com/gallery/1418113_BxaFm#27900427
Natural light...
I am dropping this photo here because it garnered quite a bit of positive attention in the "People" forum where I originally posted it.
We were located in shade...not direct sunlight. The sun was to my left behind a building in overcast skies. The sky overhead was mostly clear blue sky. No reflectors or fill were used. We were also nearby some warm colored concrete buildings.
EDIT: I just realized this is my 1000th post!!! Thanks DGrin and Smugmug!!!
Date Modified 2008-02-26 06:22:09
Date Taken 2008-02-25 17:13:50
Camera Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi
Exposure Time 0.005s (1/200)
Aperture f/5.0
ISO 100
Focal Length 37mm (guess: 40mm in 35mm)
Photo Dimensions 3888 x 2592
File Size 6.32 MB
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
Thank You.
I am pleased with it even if it was more or less an out take from a recent session.
Jeff
-Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
-My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
Three lights: natural one from the back of the camera, one flash at the right and another on the left.:D
The light is too harsh. Next time I must use an umbrella and a soft box. Soon.
While watching this young lady's troupe perform on stage, I started thinking about the color of her hair and the hay you see behind her. When the show was over and the audience had vacated the bales, I asked if I could take this photo. She agreed, stepped off the stage and sat on a bale in the front row. I jumped up on stage and shot from above so that her eyes would stand out as much as her smile.
I chose the hay for its color, shadowing and texture, and stepped to my left to get diagonal lines in the bales. I used just enough depth of field to keep her hair in back from blending in with the hay.
Lighting is all natural; overcast skies and shade from a tree above and to her left. I increased the contrast, converted to jpeg and warmed the image in Photoshop.
Compressed RAW (12-bit)
Lens: 18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 G
Focal Length: 100mm
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Metering Mode: Spot
1/160 sec - F/5.6
Exposure Comp.: -1.7 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 100
__________________
My SmugMug Gallery
My Facebook
"If you've found a magic that does something for you, honey, stick to it. Never change it." - Mae West, to Edith Head.
"Every guy has to have one weakness - and it might as well be a good one." - Shell Scott: Dance With the Dead by Richard S. Prather
I like the skin and the light.
She seems a bit tense, though, probably tired after the show and not "trusting" you yet.
Choosing the hay as a bg is a dual-prone fork for me here: for one, it tells me that her beautiful hair are of the natural hay color; OTOH, they blend together and thus create a huge hayish spot on the image. I'm not sure what could have been done here without some heavy lighting artillery, like having a hair light to separate the hair from the bg.
She's very fairly skinned, so I don't think bringing more contrast would do her skin any good (prolly would nuke it red, which we don't want). However, the whole image look rather flat. Again, I understand the tough lighting conditions and I'm sure you did the best you could considering the circumstances.
HTH
MA 2.17 Part II. Composition 4. part 4
Properties of forms
Now its time to discuss the properties of different forms. After all the composition is just a harmonious combination of simple figures, which create an image.
pic 1
The circle and oval symbolize the perfection and the completeness.
The equality of the elements in all three dimensions tells us about the static character of the form – sphere, cube, square. Such a figure is visually static, shows a quiescent state. So does a contour of the model’s figure, which can be ‘inserted’ in such a figure.
And we have the next effect here: such figures associate with the smaller size then they really are! And if the side’s ratio is different, then the more difference of the sides - the more visually bigger figure is seeing. For example, the circle is taken smaller then the oval of the same area. That is why it is recommended to the full-bodied to ware the clothes with drawing in the form of figures, equal in all three dimensions, whereas to the thin people - vice versa.
The figure of the model is static if visually it is inscribed into the figure with equal sides, or if this figure has a run bigger than an altitude.
Again I must apologize for my so-so English. I only can imagine how naïve my language is. Sorry. And also I must say that first I wanted to post here my photos with figures of the models inscribed into red-colored triangles, circles, ovals and so on… But then I decided that we are grown-up enough to draw them in our minds :-) But if you’ll have some difficulties, please feel free to tell me.
Here are some static poses
pic 2
The figure of the model can be inscribed into a triangle with two equal sides.
Two other examples of static poses:
pic 3
and
pic 4
But if only we start to disturb this balance, the dynamics (action, movement) appears.
It seems that the object starts moving itself. Or the viewer’s eyes start moving along the long side of the triangle, parallelepiped or a cylinder.
Compare these two:
pic 5
pic 6
The subjects and figures make an illusion of the movement along their most long side. This must be taken into consideration while choosing a pose for the model.
pic 7
pic 8
If the figure into which the figure of the model is inscribed is visually unstable (upturned triangle, oval, any other figure which will fall down in a real life :-), than this feeling is transmitted to the viewer.
pic 9
On the other hand it brings some vitality, as we assume that model must apply some force to stay in such a pose.
The most dynamism is given to the form by its narrowing in the direction of the size decrease. And also any form which reminds of an arrow.
pic 10
This can be model’s waist, dress elements, body’s bend. Generally, any narrowing, which looks like an arrow, adds dynamic in the narrowing direction.
pic 11
Dynamic is also can be added by the texture, which rhythm is gradually decreased. Movement effect is created by the reduction of the distance between the parallel lines. This is also can be said about the color which changes from deep to bright, or from warm to cold.