Shots for an ad - yoga

photogmomma

Long story short (you can read more here), I was asked to do a shoot in exchange for lessons. Only problem, we had very little time to prepare for it....

I remembered this location just a block from me and had them meet me there. Unfortunately, my husband was out of town and I couldn't get a baby sitter so my girls were invited to be a part of the shoot. (You can see them on the other side of Monica, who is in the middle.) By the middle of the shoot, my youngest was literally hanging off my legs (she sat on my foot crying because she was bored) so that added a little to the challenge. LOL!

Overall, I was thrilled with the final result. There are a few things I'd change, though. And I'd LOVE to have your feedback on what could have been done different.

Oh, it was just ever so slightly overcast and was just gorgeous for shots. Still enough blue sky peeking through, though, to give some interest in the sky.







And she had never had shots taken of her family so I did these few for her (and another with the reflection, of course):


(This one is slightly dark, I'm seeing now.)



CC always welcome!!!

Thanks a ton for looking.

jeffreaux2

The reflections are nice. I gotta say though, that last shot is my favorite and I do not think it is too dark. I think the subjects stand out very well from the BG. I wouldn't change a thing.

I wonder if the first one could use some help. Maybe a more panoramic type crop that retains your subjects and the reflections. There just seems to be a lot going on with the sky/mountain/people....and all of it repeated in the water.

2- whats good here is the formation/ shapes of the people, and the reflection. The dirt/gravel trail up the hill behind them is a distraction. You could clone that out, but I might would try cropping off that entire part of the image to isolate just the subjects and water.

3- This might have been my favorite, but the reflection is not theat good. No fault of your own, you need less wind. I dont really like that fence either. If you reshoot this on a super calm day, you might try just framing the reflection, and then rotate it for the ad.....in a nice contrasty BW. I am just thinking that yoga is supposed to help folk relax....and the shimmery reflection would make a nice backdrop for an ad here?

Agnieszka

Hi there.

You got some nice shots. Man, I definitely envy you for your outdoors area!!

# 1: I love the reflections, however I think the "objects" are a bit too far away ... I know it would be impossible to have the mountain in the background and the reflections of them all in one shot, but you don't really see the people :cry

#2 I would maybe try a tighter crop

#3 I like that one, but I would have her with her back more to the endge of the photo + I would mirror the image so she looks out to the right ... I read once that you "always" want your subjects look to the right (becasue you read from the left to the right - it looks like you're looking into the future, instead of back ... argh ... sounds cheezy, but I see the point) - might be just my opinion though ... - check all the ads from the Marlborough Cowboy ...

#4

JimW

Very nice shots but I agree that everyone's kind of small and far away. If used in a small ad or brochure, the allure of yoga may be minimized. But I think you did great considering you had a crying child on your foot. I don't know how you could concentrate. You must be an expert multitasker. :D

Richard

These are lovely photos in a gorgeous setting. Great light and color, beautiful reflections. However, I think if it were my yoga studio, I would want the people and their postures to be more prominent. #2 works best in this sense. In #1, the people are just too small. #3 comes close, but it could use a little more contrast--especially around the left arm--to emphasize the pose. The color portrait is lovely.

Regards,

photogmomma

Oh, jeez, I forgot to post the one I like best for the ad....



And I should also mention that I'll be PSing out the fence and some of the homes to give it a cleaner view....

I have been leaning towards this last one for many of the reasons you all mentioned - the big one is just too distracting and not enough "yoga". BUT! For many here, the mountain (Mt Crested Butte) is a HUGE part of everyone's life and is very prominent. So I do see her pull to that one.... She is thinking of having a friend of hers print it really large for her studio - I think it would be gorgeous!

Anyway, I'll come back later to respond individually to all the comments! Keep 'em coming - I may be using this location for family shoots....

Thanks SO much! (I LOVE this kind of feedback! )

jeffreaux2

photogmomma wrote:

Oh, jeez, I forgot to post the one I like best for the ad....



And I should also mention that I'll be PSing out the fence and some of the homes to give it a cleaner view....

I have been leaning towards this last one for many of the reasons you all mentioned - the big one is just too distracting and not enough "yoga". BUT! For many here, the mountain (Mt Crested Butte) is a HUGE part of everyone's life and is very prominent. So I do see her pull to that one.... She is thinking of having a friend of hers print it really large for her studio - I think it would be gorgeous!

Anyway, I'll come back later to respond individually to all the comments! Keep 'em coming - I may be using this location for family shoots....

Thanks SO much! (I LOVE this kind of feedback! )

Yup this one is better for all the reasons mentioned. If you took a bit off the bottom, you may be able to divide it into thirds....almost perfectly.