Marissa...cute senior.

zoomer · March 30, 2008

I don't make em up they just show up looking like they want to.
I say that cause I know some folks will think she has to much make up on..I thought so to when she walked up but it suited her personality I found as we got into the shoot. We had a lot of fun at the shoot and I experimented with some more black and white and lighting effects. Constructive critique welcomed.

thegreenegg · March 30, 2008

I have to say I think you did a good critical job of taking them at first glance. *goes back through them*
3, 5 and 7 are my favorites, and there is a reason for this.

I read your blurb at the beginning and it said that you thought we might comment on the make-up but that it didn't bother you so much in the end because it seemed like her personality. And that's okay, if that's who she is its fine. And that's why I like 3, 5 and 7 because they show her face and her smile and the little bit of sexiness she has going on along with the brightness of her clothing which I also think says a lot.
And while I think you had creative ideas on post processing I don't think you picked the right location to shot this girl in. By those things I mentioned before, make-up, clothing and hence personality I don't think this dolled up girl looks like she should be in the woods. I think she should be in a more glamrous, or harder looking place. Say like a skate park or a cool looking alleyway, or some of the nice inside places you find in Yuri's shots.
That's just my opinion.
I can tell you have a lot of talent by your photos, and I'm sure she will like many of these shots.
good job.
a.

NeilL · March 30, 2008

Hi zoomer, many of these have beautiful quality. As photographs they are excellent.

But, for me, they are also (very fine as they are) comments on the problem of photographing women. I steadfastly refuse to believe that there is not more to women like your Marissa here. More than the cutsieness, the self-conscious sexiness, the glamor paint-up.

So they come across to me as generic products to be put on a shelf - objects, not people.

I would be very interested to know what is in your mind as reference when you do this kind of shoot. Is it the TV Week or like magazines? I would genuinely like you to share which photographers of this genre inspire you. I really can't think at the moment of a photographer who has done outstanding work at interpreting women's lives. I hope someone suggests who I can look at.

I don't mean you or anyone must be artsy-fartsy and DEEP. But consider that in this shoot, as with any other, you make decisions, and you have alluded to some that you have made in these photos. Given that making interpretive decisions is part of what you do when these women are in front of you, I ask why do you make the decisions you do? And are you not free to make other decisions? And might not some other decisions give us something more than cutsieness, self-conscious sexiness etc.

Just my 2c worth, to coin a phrase (lame joke).

Thanks.
Neil

PS I wish my last pics got as much attention

zoomer · March 30, 2008

I pretty much agree with everything you said.
I have discussed with my partner the need to find some more urban settings to shoot in.
There are a few good places but way to may people there. I prefer this part because I basically have it to myself and it is very relaxing.
When the girls arrive they are VERY nervous normally. Generally takes about 30 minutes to see their real personalities start to come out.

This relaxing environment is very conducive to shooting these senior girls who as you mentioned... really don't normally have the self confidence they will develop in the next few years.

Once I find a more uban setting that we can shoot in that has a relaxed environment we will devinitely be branching out for you ladies like this one.
Appreciate the input.

zoomer · March 30, 2008

I think you are way overthinking it.

Marissa is a high school senior who wanted some photos taken to document the event. She wants some photos that will show her at her best.
Maturing and attractive. If I accomplish that she will be very happy.
These photos will provide exactly what she is looking for.

I don't have any reference I work to. I have the vision of the photos I want in my head and I do my best to create what I see.

Appreciate your response.

NeilL · March 30, 2008

zoomer wrote:

I think you are way overthinking it.

Marissa is a high school senior who wanted some photos taken to document the event. She wants some photos that will show her at her best.
Maturing and attractive. If I accomplish that she will be very happy.
These photos will provide exactly what she is looking for.

I don't have any reference I work to. I have the vision of the photos I want in my head and I do my best to create what I see.

Appreciate your response.

Maybe, zoomer. Maybe.

Yes, these are "seniors" photos, no doubt. But how does that explain everything? Please explain.

*Overthinking Hazard!*

I am missing something, that's for sure, and some of what I am missing is not in the photos. I know I'm crazy, tonight especially so. I like the photos for what they are, but don't like them for what they are not. If they were to be what they are not would they still be seniors photos? (There is no prize for the neatest correct answer! Which is... of course they would still be seniors photos!)

Neil

PS I wish my last pics got as much attention

SloYerRoll · March 30, 2008

I'm not a fan of the glamor type shot either. But I can see why a non photographer wold love looking like this. To them having flawless skin is nothing short of pure magic. To a photographer, it's more of a flaw though. But, as the old adage says, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

I think you did a great job capturing Marissa. There are allot of angles that are uncomplimentary and can make a person feel self concious in a picture. You did a great job avoiding those and showing her for what she is.

NeilL wrote:

I like the photos for what they are, but don't like them for what they are not. If they were to be what they are not would they still be seniors photos? (There is no prize for the neatest correct answer! Which is... of course they would still be seniors photos!)

lol
Yoda w/o the logic.

jeffreaux2 · March 30, 2008

Great job Z.

I like #3 and the last one especially!!

I do agree that she may have been a bit overdone for the outdoorsy stuff, and that a more formal location would maybe be a better option....but....still.....good job!

evoryware · March 30, 2008

I think 3, 4, and 5 are beautiful. I like all the rest but #6 the background competes too much. Even though there is a lot of tree stuff showing in #2, she's still standing out.
I love the makeup.

NeilL
Annie Leibovitz "Women"

What would you do if she was your subject?

NeilL · March 31, 2008

evoryware wrote:

I think 3, 4, and 5 are beautiful. I like all the rest but #6 the background competes too much. Even though there is a lot of tree stuff showing in #2, she's still standing out.
I love the makeup.

NeilL
Annie Leibovitz "Women"

What would you do if she was your subject?

Appreciate the reference, evoryware, thanks! I know the name, of course, so will seek out some pics.

If she was my subject I would do two sessions. In the first, we would have lunch and chat. We would look at this location and that, these clothes and those, this face and some other. We would talk about photos for the other guys and photos for her, for her history and for her children.

Second session we would do the photos, creating some of her worlds, with her music playing, with many of her expressions showing on a face that was as active in communication as the camera - while she told jokes or reminisced, or talked about her future plans.

I've done these things with friends, while I made a complete botch with the camera! As you know I am still a babe in the DSLR-photography world, in practice.

Neil

PS I wish my last pics got such attention

Swartzy · March 31, 2008

Nice Job Zoomer!
#3 & #5 really bring out her beauty....nice poses...great shots. #5 (which is not a whole lot you can do) has some element behind her head and my eye went there. Her look is elegant though and nice processing.

BriShay · March 31, 2008

I think you did a great job! Beautiful shots!

evoryware · March 31, 2008

Swartzy wrote:

#3 & #5 really bring out her beauty....nice poses...great shots. #5 (which is not a whole lot you can do) has some element behind her head and my eye went there. Her look is elegant though and nice processing.

her high heel.

Nikolai · March 31, 2008

Hi Zoomer!
Great work!

I like the variety and quality of light.
I agree that oversmoothing may seem a bit excessive, but it's always a toss up between what photographer may want and what client likes.
#2 is probably my favorite (love the tree. pose and the bg), albeit the light seems a bit too hot.

I also like the sun backlit one (was it sun? or gelled flash?)
And bw abstract is very dreamy!

zoomer · April 1, 2008

I actually have toned back the skin smoothing quite a bit from a couple months ago (mostly due to input I received on this forum) and I am getting a much more natural look.
In 2 I needed a bit more light to create a contrast between her and the background...It is a smidge hot.
The backlit one is the evening sun.
I was very happy with the way the backlit one turned out. I selected her..did an inverse selection and then did a soft focus glow on the background.
Thanks

Nikolai wrote:

Hi Zoomer!
Great work!
I like the variety and quality of light.
I agree that oversmoothing may seem a bit excessive, but it's always a toss up between what photographer may want and what client likes.
#2 is probably my favorite (love the tree. pose and the bg), albeit the light seems a bit too hot.
I also like the sun backlit one (was it sun? or gelled flash?)
And bw abstract is very dreamy!

Marissa...cute senior.

Comments