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Headshots in the snow for C&C
Had a big session for another singer yesterday - apparently I'm moving into "friend of a friend" territory for referrals which is supernice to hear, but means I always feel under tremendous pressure and was really quite anxious about it. I haven't done a shoot in a while and I always feel like I get "out of practice".
In any case, woke up to rain and freezing fog - it was DARK outside. So much for all my nice "natural light through the windows + reflectors" ideas... Granted, we did some anyway, but I had to add flash from the very beginning - it was simply too dark outside for much more.
This gal is very sweet, but she was really tough to pose attractively in the "studio" setup - she got very stiff in her shoulders and back which tended to come out rather school picture-ish. While we did get some ok shots in those setups, it was only once we took her outside that she really started to cook. I am so so so so SO grateful to Heatherfeather! :bow Thanks to all hthe gorgeous Brides in the Snow shots she has posted over the years, I knew there was a good chance that a long lens and shoot-through umbrella might be worth a try outside. The alley behind the house - normally pretty "suburban ugly" - still had snow down from the weekend, and since A was game to go for it despite the cold, we went for it. Those were, without a doubt, the best shots of the day! They arent' typical "headshots", but she can use them for her website and she loves, loves, LOVES them, so it was great. 'Course, my 420ex got badly rained on (takes a licking and keeps on ticking) as it started to drizzle a few minutes after we got outside with the red dress, but we still got enough shots. Phew.
In any case, C&C welcomed! Some have had some PP; some haven't - because she's a singer rather than actress/MT performer, they're generally a little more "glamourous", according to convention.
1. Trilite + flash bounced off the window camera left
2 First batch outdoors - needs some skinwork if she chooses it
3. We went back in to change, and it started raining! My poor flash... Fortunately, it still works! She went NUTS when she saw this shot (I posted it on FB, and I've already had several people asking me about shoots - what is it about red+snow?). I'm really pleased with it too - I didn't know I could do that... (btw, you can see the rain! I should probably clone that out :rofl)
4. To counter the stiffness on the chair/stool/standing, I had her do some lying on the sofa. I think this one may be a little bit over the top glam even for opera (a bit too close to those mall glamour shots :giggle), but I still like it. This was right at the end of the sessions, the MUA had left by then, and her liner had smudged under her eyes quite a bit though, so it was a piglet to clean up. (Note to self - keep Qtips on set and check for smeared liner...). All the softness is from DOF - there's no light vignette or blur (except a little skin softening on her actual face).
And here's what I mean about the school picture look - it's ok, but... Also, still can't decide whether or not I like that background - I like what it does for skintones, but I think it might be a bit too "old-school" for my taste. Jury's still out.
In any case, woke up to rain and freezing fog - it was DARK outside. So much for all my nice "natural light through the windows + reflectors" ideas... Granted, we did some anyway, but I had to add flash from the very beginning - it was simply too dark outside for much more.
This gal is very sweet, but she was really tough to pose attractively in the "studio" setup - she got very stiff in her shoulders and back which tended to come out rather school picture-ish. While we did get some ok shots in those setups, it was only once we took her outside that she really started to cook. I am so so so so SO grateful to Heatherfeather! :bow Thanks to all hthe gorgeous Brides in the Snow shots she has posted over the years, I knew there was a good chance that a long lens and shoot-through umbrella might be worth a try outside. The alley behind the house - normally pretty "suburban ugly" - still had snow down from the weekend, and since A was game to go for it despite the cold, we went for it. Those were, without a doubt, the best shots of the day! They arent' typical "headshots", but she can use them for her website and she loves, loves, LOVES them, so it was great. 'Course, my 420ex got badly rained on (takes a licking and keeps on ticking) as it started to drizzle a few minutes after we got outside with the red dress, but we still got enough shots. Phew.
In any case, C&C welcomed! Some have had some PP; some haven't - because she's a singer rather than actress/MT performer, they're generally a little more "glamourous", according to convention.
1. Trilite + flash bounced off the window camera left
2 First batch outdoors - needs some skinwork if she chooses it
3. We went back in to change, and it started raining! My poor flash... Fortunately, it still works! She went NUTS when she saw this shot (I posted it on FB, and I've already had several people asking me about shoots - what is it about red+snow?). I'm really pleased with it too - I didn't know I could do that... (btw, you can see the rain! I should probably clone that out :rofl)
4. To counter the stiffness on the chair/stool/standing, I had her do some lying on the sofa. I think this one may be a little bit over the top glam even for opera (a bit too close to those mall glamour shots :giggle), but I still like it. This was right at the end of the sessions, the MUA had left by then, and her liner had smudged under her eyes quite a bit though, so it was a piglet to clean up. (Note to self - keep Qtips on set and check for smeared liner...). All the softness is from DOF - there's no light vignette or blur (except a little skin softening on her actual face).
And here's what I mean about the school picture look - it's ok, but... Also, still can't decide whether or not I like that background - I like what it does for skintones, but I think it might be a bit too "old-school" for my taste. Jury's still out.
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She really looks gorgeous in 4....if only her chin weren't resting on her arm, you may be able to get away with cropping to the bottom of her chin just above the arm and making it more of a pano. Your focus/depth of field in this one is Perfection.
3 is my least favorite of the shots...her skin and the background are to similar looks washed out overall.....some people like that foggy look.
Nice job overall.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21695902@N06/
http://500px.com/Shockey
alloutdoor.smugmug.com
http://aoboudoirboise.smugmug.com/
...a bit later...
I cracked it open in PS... Warmed it up and added some black and it seems much better. I think it is okay if the background is cool, just keep her skin tones in the realm of the rest of them.
You can't really tell it is snow unless you get some of that background darker. Also, keep the rain drops! I love 'em.
I don't really care for 4 at all. It seems so 70s... golden... I don't know... just not digging it. Plus the hairs on her arm aren't my favorite thing to have in focus.
Pretty cool set though Diva, I like em all.
Heather, you've nailed the things I don't like about 4 - I'm not sure if it's the way her hair is doing a Farrah Fawcett or what, but something does look very old fashioned and a bit Soap Star. Part of me loves it, part of me hates it...
I'll have a look at the processing on 3 again - thanks for the pointers. My monitor had a calibration meltdown a while back and I find myself tinkering with things a little too much. I think I'm going to recalibrate and stop 2nd-guessing!
5 Possibly too desat - still playing with it
6 Also from "the sofa series" as #4 above, but I think it's a little less Soap Star (?)