Carly in Heads and Halves

Bilsen · April 17, 2013

From our weekend shoot.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

divamum · April 17, 2013

GREAT dress.

#3 is the winner photographically, IMO.

Bilsen · April 17, 2013

Thanks Diva.

We are just not fated to be on the same page.

Carly is, of course, beautiful but I HATE that dress. No matter what angles I took I didn't like the way it made her look.

Oh well, Men are from Mars, etc..........

divamum · April 17, 2013

I'd totally have "Madmen" styled it, (or maybe this) complete with formal s-poses, but I love it. LOVE.IT.

joshhuntnm · April 18, 2013

hands look a little strange in 2

EphTwoEight · April 18, 2013

Sorry, ( I know, if ya dont have anything nice to say...) but looks like they're shot on a camera phone, bad editing, paper backdrops poorly lit with a clamp light.

Bilsen · April 18, 2013

Thanks Josh. Don't know what you mean so I can't comment.

Eph Wrong on all counts but thank you for playing. We have some lovely parting gifts.

ChrisLee · April 18, 2013

EphTwoEight wrote: »

Sorry, ( I know, if ya dont have anything nice to say...) but looks like they're shot on a camera phone, bad editing, paper backdrops poorly lit with a clamp light.

you know what they say...."if you dont have anything nice to say".....

Bilsen · April 18, 2013

Thanks for the defense Chris but, to be honest, I don't agree with that in the C&C context. There are plenty of useful things to say that may not be "nice" and most of the time I appreciate them.

In this instance I just didn't find anything worthwhile in the comments.

Ed911 · April 18, 2013

I agree...the dress isn't the best choice she could have made. And, while most of your shots flatter her figure...what's up with number one? The pose makes her look a little odd for some reason...maybe it's the camoflage dress...hmmm.

I'd opt for more like number three...which gives her an adequate waist.

Post processing looks nice...and five is definitely my favorite.

Thanks for sharing.

Bilsen · April 18, 2013

Thanks Ed.

I'm not sure why myself because Carly is gorgeous but I just don't think that dress is as flattering as it could be. #1 (and actually all of them) is me trying different angles to find one that worked.

On the other hand, here is a different look that I think worked better:

lensmole · April 18, 2013

#5 is the best of the bunch in the first set IMHO. Her ear seems to get too much of attention in a lot of the others, for some reason?

Bilsen · April 18, 2013

Thanks Mole. Interesting comment.

EphTwoEight · April 18, 2013

Ok, the first one, the edit around the back of her head?

All of the color ones, the BG is distracting, and in focus. Either scoot her closer to the camera, or get a faster lens or an FX body.

Lighting is harsh.

#3 I like.

I see a lot of digital noise. Hope you're not shooting in JPEG and high ISO's.

She is just stunning, I dont even notice the dress. I just think There is so much potential there to make a fantastic shot, and they are all just blah.

Maybe my monitor is out of focus? JK, I think this site must degrade the images a tad. Even portraits I see on FB are sharper. Or peoples websites, I see their models eyes, clear and sparkly as diamonds.

Alex has done such a fantastic thread on lighting and posing, and with the BG's and Hackbone (Charles), has giving also great advice on positioning and such, its hard to see such a beauty willing to stand in front of the camera and not really make her shine. I'd love to have so many gals willing to photograph. And I'd probably be no better, but I'd certainly try to keep the BG knocked out, (even if I had to borrow a friends 85 1.4) I'd use 3 lights, maybe use some color gels on the BG and play with some 1/4-1/2 CTO's on the model or perhaps go outside.

Mike J · April 18, 2013

For me the green BG detracts in 1,2, and 4. I can't get by that color. Are you doing green screen here to cut her out later? The grey BG's are better but these don't feel right either. I do love the sultry connection with the camera in 5 and 6 although the hand placement in #6 seems unnatural (plus it's too bright and the same size of her beautiful face:D). Finally, I wish her eyes were not turned so much in #3 and #4. I'm seeing too much of the white for my tastes.

Bilsen · April 19, 2013

OK thanks for coming back Epg28. NOW I have what you're saying.

I hadn't noticed the edit in # 1 but you're correct. I did a bad job of clearing out her flyaways. My bad.

No I don't shoot jpg. I shoot RAW at 200 ISO/ ss 1/200th and Avs between 4.0 and 7.1. I don't have room in the studio to pull her farther away from the BKG and f4.0 is my current limit unless I use my 50mm prime f1.4. I'll give that some thought for the rest of my indoor season.

As far as softness, it's not there in either RAW or in my galleries so I assume there's some site compression going on.

Mike J, the BKG is gelled on purpose with a strobe. YMMV but I actually like it to offset the dress.
I do agree about her eyes in #s 3 & 4. I should have brought her nose more in line with her eyes.

Again, thanks for chiming in.

Carly in Heads and Halves

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