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Niyere (18+)

NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
edited May 7, 2011 in Go Figure
A couple from the last shoot. Nothing special, just doing some ABC-s.
For the ethnicity connoisseurs:
Niyere is from Kenia, hence an non-typical, somewhat reddish skin color and body shape.
She rode a train from upstate to shoot with me (her car broke, but she kept the appointment),
for which I was very grateful... :bow

#1: Curve's the word (2xSoftboxed rim lights + 1x20-deg grided key)

1240230395_hsQLz-XL.jpg

#2: Body (1 bare light above)

1242680034_5t23H-XL.jpg

This post was made with the assistance of Star*Explorer

Canon 5DMkII, 24-105L/4, Titan stand, PW.
ACR + PS CS5

Gosh, processing on O/C-ed i7 with 24Gb of RAM is super fun!
"May the f/stop be with you!"

Comments

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    NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited April 29, 2011
    I think #1 is very good. Lighting very successful, and the great pose with the lighting makes lovely lines. I wonder if it would be an improvement to shadow the hands a bit so they are not such an abrupt end to the downward/upward flow of light and shade? Alternatively, you could go more narrative and give the hands some highlight and call it "Light Bearer". I find the arm L with the ornament a bit unbalanced with the rest in terms of tone, and I think I'd prefer the highlights to be less eyecatching, the ornament to have just a sheen, like the necklace, rather than to be the most clearly defined item in the shot.

    Sophisticated and highly tactile.

    #2 is really brilliant, but marred for me by the very brutal crop across the shoulders. I would like to see it with shoulders and the beginning of the lines of the neck, deeply shadowed obviously.

    Really enjoyed these Nik!iloveyou.gif

    PS Great to get your shooting stats, thank you. Very professional of you!

    PPS Beautiful woman, who obviously has standards.

    Neil
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited April 30, 2011
    NeilL wrote: »
    I think #1 is very good. Lighting very successful, and the great pose with the lighting makes lovely lines. I wonder if it would be an improvement to shadow the hands a bit so they are not such an abrupt end to the downward/upward flow of light and shade? Alternatively, you could go more narrative and give the hands some highlight and call it "Light Bearer". I find the arm L with the ornament a bit unbalanced with the rest in terms of tone, and I think I'd prefer the highlights to be less eyecatching, the ornament to have just a sheen, like the necklace, rather than to be the most clearly defined item in the shot.

    Sophisticated and highly tactile.

    #2 is really brilliant, but marred for me by the very brutal crop across the shoulders. I would like to see it with shoulders and the beginning of the lines of the neck, deeply shadowed obviously.

    Really enjoyed these Nik!iloveyou.gif

    PS Great to get your shooting stats, thank you. Very professional of you!

    PPS Beautiful woman, who obviously has standards.

    Neil

    Thanks Neil!
    Appreciate the thoughtful comments! thumb.gif
    Good idea to add a light source on #1, I may play with it!
    The crop on #2... It's always a challenge. I don't like cutting through the neck (creating a "beheading" effect), yet adding the whole neck and, inevitably, the lower part of the face immediately changes the "body only" to an "incomplete portrait". I probably should have asked her to raise her chin very high up, thus bringing a nice looking top endpoint and accentuaing her collar bones... Oh well, live and learn...mwink.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited May 5, 2011
    Nik, what if you "cropped" #2 with a vignette instead of just a straight crop? If anybody could pull it off without it looking contrived, it's you.

    I love #1. She is stunning. I could never be an art critic. I just get stopped at first impression. iloveyou.gif
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited May 5, 2011
    Icebear wrote: »
    Nik, what if you "cropped" #2 with a vignette instead of just a straight crop? If anybody could pull it off without it looking contrived, it's you.

    I love #1. She is stunning. I could never be an art critic. I just get stopped at first impression. iloveyou.gif

    Great idea, John! thumb.gifclap.gifbow
    I was so tired of vignettes popping up everywhere that I stopped using them and mentally blocked this tool from existence.. But I guess this is exactly the circumstances when it's appropriate...

    Feminine

    1279182067_4GVcvpV-XL.jpg

    Thank you for your help! iloveyou.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited May 7, 2011
    Very nice work. Love the lighting.

    Sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited May 7, 2011
    Sam wrote: »
    Very nice work. Love the lighting.

    Sam

    Thanks Sam!
    Yeah, that's the problem... This lighting patterns (and a few others) are my "staple", I'm trying to get out of this rut...
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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    IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited May 7, 2011
    Nikolai wrote: »
    This lighting patterns (and a few others) are my "staple", I'm trying to get out of this rut...

    Most of us would like to have your problem. Just sayin . . .
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
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    NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited May 7, 2011
    Icebear wrote: »
    Most of us would like to have your problem. Just sayin . . .
    Yeah, I know... We never appreciate what we have learned and always looking for more...
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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