Tips to minimize a bustline?

divamum · January 30, 2012

I know, I know - usually it's the opposite! But I'm doing headshots tomorrow for a gal who is actually really slim overall, but rather topheavy. Any particular tips (lighting or posing) to help make sure she doesn't look bigger than she is?

Thanks in advance!

divamum · January 31, 2012

Anybody? Obviously, try to light other areas more and use lightfalloff to minimize where possible, but any other tips? Thanks in advance!!

Bryce Wilson · January 31, 2012

Duct Tape.

Hesitate to add this as I'm sure you are going to do this anyway, but make sure the main light source is on the opposite side of the direction she's facing.

divamum · January 31, 2012

Thanks Bryce. You mean short lighting (which I get by having them face body to 45* light, then turn head back to me)? Yup.

But the problem is that her face and frame aren't large - she's just busty relative to the rest of her body. Superslim legs. Maybe I need to ensure lots of 3/4 shots so that's clear....

~muses~ ~thinking out loud~

ETA: she has less-than-perfect skin, so I'm thinking she'll do welll with some butterfly/modified buttefly. I just need to figure out how to get plenty of falloff between face and chest. Smaller light source placed closer?

zoomer · January 31, 2012

Try the light lower so less shadow.

anonymouscuban · January 31, 2012

I'm going to have to see photos of said "Top-heavy gal that is really slim overall with super slim legs" to really be of any help.

divamum · January 31, 2012

Thanks Zooms

Alex:

zoomer · January 31, 2012

anonymouscuban wrote: »

I'm going to have to see photos of said "Top-heavy gal that is really slim overall with super slim legs" to really be of any help.

.....yes this is really the best way for us to be of "help".... Good thinking AC.

VayCayMom · January 31, 2012

I recently took a candid picture of a friend that was pg with TWINS. She was standing pretty much straight on wearing a black top, next to a buddy and you could NOT see her belly at all, in fact she looked just as good if not better than her buddy that was wearing some other color. It literally just disappeared.. thought somehow this might help.....black turtle neck maybe??
This is covered in a book I have , if I can find it in this mess from moving, I'll be back to post his advice..

VayCayMom · January 31, 2012

found it!!
hehehee my photography "stuff" always had top priority when I was in charge. Jeff Smith says....
comes down to controlling highlights and shadows. posing in respect to main light..dark clothing ..black is best.... Black hides the distinct contours...Bustline is determined by the appearance of shadow in the in the cleavage or under bust.. reduce or or elimenate the shadows in those 2 areaS, TURN THE BODY SUBJECT TOWARD THE MAIN LIGHT opps did'nt mean to use caps. hope this helps, glad I retained something from my time spent reading.

Icebear · January 31, 2012

Another example of solutions looking for "problems."

VayCayMom · January 31, 2012

Icebear wrote: »

Another example of solutions looking for "problems."

well John, Jeff's book includes 2 illustrations, one to maximize and the other to minimize maybe you need to proof the book to be sure they are correct, lol.

divamum · January 31, 2012

You guys are too funny!!

In the end, it wasn't an issue - sorry to disappoint

Weird, because when I saw her last weekend, I thought "CRAP how do I shoot that?" and today she looked much more proportionate. I'm guessing different bra plus shirt choice.

Anyway, just finished. Very VERY fun shoot and looking forward to going through it!

Hackbone · January 31, 2012

I guess it's too late but place a gobo between the main and her chest to block some of the light from hitting that area. We use to do that with bald guys and folks with large ears. Place the blocker so it casts a slight shadow over the concerned area. In PP you've always got liquify to make em smaller.
Glad it worked out for you

divamum · January 31, 2012

Thanks Charles (I'd been hoping you would respond

. Definitely filing that away for future reference!!!!!

Icebear · January 31, 2012

Hackbone wrote: »

In PP you've always got liquify to make em smaller.

Boy, would I feel like a creeper . . . I have a hard enough time with zits.

Nikolai · January 31, 2012

Next question: how to shorthen the legs?

rofl

novicesnapper · January 31, 2012

I saw a tutorial on liquifying sometime back, lmao, it's true, it works one way, why not the other way, lol. Who would have thought?
Don't click this unless you want to know how too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrZb0GRVKjg

Edit to add, I have watched 40-50 vids on LR3 and CS5 to learn how to work with images lol. Not big into CS5, but laughed when I saw that one.

DeVerm · January 31, 2012

Considering most paid a fortune to aquire it, I would be very careful with minimizing bustlines... might get you whacked around the ears

(or they go for bigger ones

)

divamum · January 31, 2012

Not sure whether to :bash or

:lol4

Seriously - if you'd seen her as I did a few days ago, you'd have been asking too! Not every image is about bazonkers - professional headdshots being used outside the arts world (she has a concurrent consulting career in addition to her musical life) can't really emphasise the, uh, assets.

But, as I say, it turned out to be a non-issue.

Now y'all can go read some of John Galt's threads to get it out of your systems! :giggle (you know I love you all really

)

divamum · January 31, 2012

Icebear wrote: »

Boy, would I feel like a creeper . . . I have a hard enough time with zits.

In the context of this thread, I think you're one consonant adrift there, John...

Bryce Wilson · January 31, 2012

rofl

If the voice ever gives....

ummm..... I'm thinking.... "Diva.0"

If people are unaware of Tosh.0, this post is going to seem rather stupid.

Icebear · February 1, 2012

divamum wrote: »

In the context of this thread, I think you're one consonant adrift there, John...

I need more coffee. I've been sitting here trying to change consonants in "creeper" to make something funny . . .

divamum · February 1, 2012

Just to put a button on this, here's a sneak peak from the shoot. Sorry to disappoint, guys!

novicesnapper · February 1, 2012

Lol, thanks for the first laugh of the day Diva. Move along guys, nothing to see here lol. I'm glad it all worked out. One less thing to have to deal with during the shoot.

lilirishangel · February 1, 2012

Diva

Love the second one, really stands out
the first one looks like she was having fun..

Tips to minimize a bustline?

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