Let's Hear It...

codiac2600

I'd love to hear some honest critiques on my last few model shoots. I've been shooting models for about 4-5 months and it also led me to learn studio lighting. I really need to know what I'm doing and what I'm doing wrong (or what I need to improve on) for me to grow and develop my own creative style.

Here are some samples:

Agnieszka

Interesting angles

I love the third one (on the bed) #4 is also quite dramatic, #5 (white dress) very cute, #6 (wall) awesome .... #7 (wall) has to be my favorite. Love the angle on that one. Would have never thought about an option like this

(Too bad you cut the foor & fingers off on#6 & #7 + try to photoshop her ear out on #2).

Love your light settings & colors. Exellent job

saurora

I agree, interesting angles! #7 is my favorite also. Aside from the angle, I like the colors on the ground below her which makes for an interesting BG. I don't use studio lights, so my observations you can take with a grain of salt! I like the dramatic lighting in shots #2-4, but I think the color might have been controlled a little better in #8 as it is creeping onto her neck ....perhaps it is just a bit too much. #1 the angle is not too flattering, making her nose quite prominent. I learned to crop "in the camera" from an instructor years ago and I tend to crop too tight leaving little room for adjusting later, so I can relate to losing toes, fingers, etc. Over all...good job!

Swartzy

#3 I like alot. Great lighting, mood and capture! The only suggestions I would have are to find the right angles which "compliment" your model's facial features. It comes down to the look and style you wish to capture at the end. They all work, and the lighting is great on all of them. I like that you move around a great deal shooting from so many different angles. Keeps it interesting!

As far as lighting goes...there are no formulas....none....it's all about what look you want. If you were doing more traditional types of shoots, then there are some basic lighting techniques to implement but always a variation on a theme.

I like em...good job.

1pocket

You've got an impressive variety of different looks here -- the points of view, the framing/composition, the lighting, and the settings. I especially like the lighting in about 2/3 of these. (but numbering the pics would be helpful ) The shot on the bed has it all

codiac2600

Agnieszka wrote:

Interesting angles

I love the third one (on the bed) #4 is also quite dramatic, #5 (white dress) very cute, #6 (wall) awesome .... #7 (wall) has to be my favorite. Love the angle on that one. Would have never thought about an option like this

(Too bad you cut the foor & fingers off on#6 & #7 + try to photoshop her ear out on #2).

Love your light settings & colors. Exellent job

Thank you Angie

I try and go above and beyond in terms of a style and imagery and it seems to work well. I just have troubles moving up to the next level. People in my field of work are just extraordinary. The missing fingers and toes are poor visions on my end and I sometimes get so involved I don't look through the viewfinder as hard as I should. I tend to get stuck with expression and lighting and less involved with good basic portrait photography skills.

saurora wrote:

I agree, interesting angles! #7 is my favorite also. Aside from the angle, I like the colors on the ground below her which makes for an interesting BG. I don't use studio lights, so my observations you can take with a grain of salt! I like the dramatic lighting in shots #2-4, but I think the color might have been controlled a little better in #8 as it is creeping onto her neck ....perhaps it is just a bit too much. #1 the angle is not too flattering, making her nose quite prominent. I learned to crop "in the camera" from an instructor years ago and I tend to crop too tight leaving little room for adjusting later, so I can relate to losing toes, fingers, etc. Over all...good job!

Thank you for your honesty. I do notice the lighting issue in #8 and it was a tough call. I love letting some light spill especially if it's gelled light and in this instance it is a bit much. I have a few others that don't have the spill just her look wasn't as dramitic, which is tough to make a model do over and over again when they have only been doing it for a month.

The angles are a tough call... I know exactly what you mean about the nose and my brain tells my stop, but my heart tells my funky angles and lighting and it seems my heart wins more often than it should. Plus it makes her look like Jodie Foster lol.

I try to crop in camera, but since I'm just shy of a ful frame viewfinder I sometimes get in too tight thinking I can eye-ball the 4% I'm not see-ing.

Swartzy wrote:

#3 I like alot. Great lighting, mood and capture! The only suggestions I would have are to find the right angles which "compliment" your model's facial features. It comes down to the look and style you wish to capture at the end. They all work, and the lighting is great on all of them. I like that you move around a great deal shooting from so many different angles. Keeps it interesting!

As far as lighting goes...there are no formulas....none....it's all about what look you want. If you were doing more traditional types of shoots, then there are some basic lighting techniques to implement but always a variation on a theme.

I like em...good job.

Thank you.

That is a point I really should look into with the facial features. I mentor a top French photographer who gets to choose from 2 of 3 top modeling agencies in the world and his models don't have facial problems, nor skin problems, nor weight problems. I try to shoot in the same respects even though I shouldn't I'll have to weigh in the fact my models aren't going to be perfect in the ranks I'm in at the moment. It can all pass when I hit the bigs

1pocket wrote:

You've got an impressive variety of different looks here -- the points of view, the framing/composition, the lighting, and the settings. I especially like the lighting in about 2/3 of these. (but numbering the pics would be helpful ) The shot on the bed has it all

Thank you

I always forget to number, plus I haven't been tracking these forums to see how most do things aroud here, but I'll learn in time.

The bed shot was actually a test shot which is why I love it so much. I metered all the light got her in approximately the position I wanted her in and viola the first shot I pop was a winner. It was tough to continue after that, but hey you can't have models driving in from an hour away and tell her to go home after one shot now can we.

Marshmallow Man

great series, i love them, however theyre very creative and keeps you interested, i think i would of chose some wider crops on a couple of them...

great work and great pp

codiac2600

Marshmallow Man wrote:

great series, i love them, however theyre very creative and keeps you interested, i think i would of chose some wider crops on a couple of them...

great work and great pp

Thank you MM

I definitely get in their faces for a lot of shots and will hopefulyl expand to doing a larger variety of full length portraits next shoot.

Lucky for me I didn't PP any of these besides converting from my 25MB RAW files to JPEG to upload.

L The Shadowman

Very nice shots. I like them a lot. I did not read all the comments so someone may have mentioned it but watch shots where you can see up your subject’s nose that can be an unflattering pose for women.