Mary Boxed In

Bilsen · January 30, 2012

Another set from the cruise with Mary Celeste.

We were shooting in the adult pool area of the ship when we noticed this shelf. I looked at her, she looked at me and in she climbed. I'd have needed a crowbar to get out but Mary's dancer body had no problem.

2.

3.

4.

5. and as long as we're in this area, a couple more outside the box

6.

Bryce Wilson · January 30, 2012

Phew! For a second, the first thing that popped into my head when I read the title was "Boxing Helena".

D

Absolutely love the expression in number two and three!!

Question, do you have any shots that her feet are coming out from inside the box? Reason I ask is that the box itself is cropping off her toes and a portion of her hands. I think the images would be stronger with them included.

Gotta say I'm not a big fan of five and six as the poses look contrived and unnatural to me. Even so, I do enjoy looking at this lovely girl.

Bilsen · January 30, 2012

Thanks Bryce. You know I like your honesty.

Unfortunately, there was no angle where I could get directly in front of the "box". The area was VERY small and, since I had already ruined my 24-105 at this point, I was shooting the 50mm prime so I couldn't get far enough away without being in a fountain. Had already done that for this trip.

I agree with your point but it was either that or no frames at all so the choice was obvious.

ACTUALLY HERE'S A QUESTION FOR YOU ALL. Given the situation I described, would you have taken the box set or just passed on it? You know what I chose but what would you do?

As for the poses in 5 & 6, they're not really contrived as such. Mary is a dancer and I asked her to get some motion into the shoot (as suggested on here many times). Again, the area was very tight so she moved as much as she could. I kind of like her "Live Long and Prosper" hand position in # 5.

heatherfeather · January 30, 2012

Hi John...

Not sure if you have access to photoshop, but the rubbed skin marks on the back of her upper thigh area are killing it for me Also, since her head is a different color from the rest of her body it makes her look sunburned. You could lasso that area and change the color to look less ruddy. And one last thing... shooting a box at an angle makes it look like the box is not square.

Bilsen · January 30, 2012

Thanks Heather. I do all my PP in CS5 so I'll go take a look at your suggestion.

Should I put you down as a vote to have skipped the box shoot??

Bryce Wilson · January 30, 2012

Here is the way I look at things like the "box scene". Remember, I'm rather new at location photography myself and still in a learning process that most likely will continue the rest of my life. I have started asking myself, "What is this setting/location going to add to the image?" Light? Ambiance? Leading Lines? does it set a mood? etc. If the answer is nothing, I move on and try to find something else.

I'm not sure what is in the area around the "box", but what did you think that the "box" was going to add to the image you had visioned?

heatherfeather · January 30, 2012

No, you could still do it... just maybe at a more severe angle. At this "sort of" square angle it looks less intentional and more accidental. Just make it more intentional looking and you'd have it.

Bilsen · January 30, 2012

Bryce, the area around the box is in #s 5 & 6.

Heather, thanks but there was really no place else to go.

Hackbone · January 30, 2012

John, hate to be the one but the entire set bothers me. I don't care for the box but most of all is they lack direction of light. I've seem soooooo much better from you. Could I have done better.....probably not but I would have tried to find the light. Again its just an opinion and we've all got em and at times like to spout em off.

Bilsen · January 30, 2012

No problem with the comment Hack but to be honest, you lost me on the light directionality.

This was natural light from the glass Solarium roof so it's all coming from one rather large source, above and to camera right.

Anyway, some is gonna like 'em sometimes and some is not so much gonna like 'em other times. Of everything there is to learn in photography, I think I've learned that the best of all.

Mary Boxed In

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