#18 low key possibilities

JAG · January 29, 2009

Here is a couple from a shoot today. Exicuted some of the things suggested in my last post. I like the results of both of these. What do you think?

1. Isolation....

2.

pyroPrints.com · January 29, 2009

Composition of #1, color of #2

Karrie McD · January 29, 2009

I really like these a lot. They are more emotional than the first set you put up. I like the top one the best. Great job!

divamum · January 29, 2009

Karrie McD wrote:

I really like these a lot. They are more emotional than the first set you put up. I like the top one the best. Great job!

100% ....

KurtPreston · January 29, 2009

Wow, I have to go just the opposite ... I'm really put off with the comp in #1 but prefer the #2 to be black/white. I like the comp in #2 best but it needs a bit more drama in the lighting.

By the way, are you guys ready for the volcano up there ... I'd be planning a photo trip soon

Llywellyn · January 29, 2009

Oh, #1 is awesome. There's something slightly creepy about it, which appeals to me greatly.

ilbcnu · January 29, 2009

I also like these better than the first ones you had. Torn between the two - like the mood, blk/wht and serious look of 1 but like the crop on 2.

JAG · January 29, 2009

I have to tell you all. This was a hard shoot. As you can see from my advitar...this lil one of mine always has a smile on her face. She is a naturally happy child and always has been. So inbetween giggles she would give me this "moody" look I asked her to give. When I downloaded them to my computer and really looked at these....I felt my throat tighten up as she looked so isolated and sad. Thus why I named the first one isolated and put the added background to solidify it.

Now I have to ask...do you think that on the first one that the left side might be a tad too dark with her arm totally missing till it gets to the hand? I had a reflector to pick up some light for her eye one that side...but because her shirt was maroon in color, it did not pick up any of that light. I might revisit that one in post editing to see if I can somehow get a hint of substance there.

I like the second one too...the sepia is different...but might be a bit strong. But it doesn't show the emotion of the first one as she was trying so hard not to giggle!

Thank you all for looking and commenting! I really do appreciate your time and imput.

Flyinggina · January 30, 2009

Very, very nice. I love the first one. I like the use of negative space - it goes with her moody expression. I also love the facial expression and the position of the hands. I don't mind the missing arm. I'll bet you are going to treasure these photos of your normally smiley daughter.

Virginia

The Curious Camel · January 30, 2009

I love the first one. It looks like an advertisement for a spooky movie. nice work

peace, gail

richtersl · January 30, 2009

The first one. I love its creepiness.

If you wanted to enhance the moodiness, you might try fixing her hair so that is looks straggly and applying a little makeup to her face to make it look pale and gaunt but not so much that she appears more dead than alive -- just a touch.

Trevlan · January 30, 2009

#1 for sure Jag! The sepia and blue eyes don't work for me in the second one. If you could find a way to brighten the face up a tweak in the first one, it would be a great contender as well as a wall hanger.

The title is half the image, and you nailed it. Great comp and lighting.

***Edit***

I loved the first one so much, it reminded me of one of the games I used to play a while back. If you could produce something like this, I'd say you have a great chance of winning!

Disclaimer: This is not my photograph.

JAG · January 30, 2009

Well....after reading the response here I might have missed the mark of what I was going for. I was going for the loneliness that some children in this world have....even in America. Both parents working and they come home from school alone. Had I of thought about it I would have put a key on a string around her neck. Isolation could be a homeless child who has nothing but a corner to sit in the darkeness. Alone and afraid.

I really wasn't going for freaky, scary stuff. Just the feeling of lonliness and isolation of a small child. Sad.

I will be rethinking this.

divamum · January 30, 2009

JAG wrote:

Well....after reading the response here I might have missed the mark of what I was going for. I was going for the loneliness that some children in this world have....even in America. Both parents working and they come home from school alone. Had I of thought about it I would have put a key on a string around her neck. Isolation could be a homeless child who has nothing but a corner to sit in the darkeness. Alone and afraid.

I really wasn't going for freaky, scary stuff. Just the feeling of lonliness and isolation of a small child. Sad.

I will be rethinking this.

I do think you've captured exactly that - that is, in fact, what makes it so creepily powerful to me. In fact, I'm so happy to know that you grabbed them between fits of the giggles because as the parent of a young child, that kind of body language and look was quite gut-wrenching to see! I"m not surprised it made you choke up - it would any parent. You clearly have a strong little actress on your hands, because she nails it!!

I think these are very powerful and capture not only low key light, but the broody, moody atmosphere which is often associated with the technique. I think they're emotionally strong

lynnma · January 30, 2009

I seem to be the only one who LOVES number 2! love the color, the pose, the eyes...

to me it's more "low key" than 1.. just my 2 cents

Trevlan · January 30, 2009

lynnma wrote:

I seem to be the only one who LOVES number 2! love the color, the pose, the eyes... to me it's more "low key" than 1.. just my 2 cents

For #2 to work, well atleast for me, I would make the shot duo tone, not tri tone. And I would clone out the toes. They are very distracting. But in regards to winning. #1 would be her strongest entry. To date, in my opinion.

JAG · January 30, 2009

Actually number two is a monotone shot straight from the camera under the setting of monotone/sepia. The only thing I did to this image is bump the contrast and added a little bit of dodge brush to the eye. No color. Just the dogde brush opacity was set for something like 30 and it came out grey toned...which because of the sepia tone it look blue I guess. Even though I like this image...because she was on the vurge of smiling I didn't feel it meet what I had in mind.

I agree about the toes being distracted. But I didn't do much to the image. It was just a demo of sepia toning in low key. Unfortunately I can not get the same results to the top one with sepia toning post processing. It just doesn't look the same as what the camera captures.

Flyinggina · January 30, 2009

To me #1 nailed the isolation feeling. I don't find it creepy at all. Just heart wrenching because no matter how happy our child is, we know that sooner or later she will experience moments of deep sadness and isolation. To me, that is what gives it its emotional punch.

Of course, people see different things in photos and once we unleash our vision on the world, others may not experience it the way we intended. Overall, I think it is probably a plus for the strength of the photo that viewers see it differently.

Virginia

heatherfeather · January 31, 2009

Yup- #1!!!!

I love the crop you did as well... It is VERY moving.
Nice job Joyce!

leahe · February 1, 2009

I like the first one. She is lit on her left side then the light gradually drops off and she melts in to the darkness. Her right arm being in darkness helps this effect. Her expression continues the moodiness of the image. The title completes the effort. Great job!

sweet caroline · February 1, 2009

I like #2, also. I think all the negative space really adds to the mood. Her body language is perfect in this- you could have an actress on your hands. My 12 year old daughter, who is quite intellectual and mature and has great taste, saw this photo in the entry thread and it really caught her attention. It's her favorite so far.

Caroline

coscorrosa · February 1, 2009

Number 1 is my favorite too, I do think it conveys loneliness/isolation, it may work even better if the subjects eyes weren't looking directly at the camera and were downcast perhaps? Either way, I think you captured what you were going for.

JAG · February 1, 2009

Thank you all for looking and commenting. I did bump the lightness just a tad (but really not much) and have entered the first one. Unless I come up with something even better I will keep this one there.

Pistis Sophia · February 2, 2009

The Shadow
1. Isolation....

I like how you displayed the shadow in your first portrait. It gives a clear definition of the statement of the title of your picture.

Not sure I liked the second tho. Gotta think abt. it.

2.

[/quote]

#18 low key possibilities

Comments