Amanda: top seven

Nikolai · July 4, 2008

For those who surved almost a week-long tease, here's the feature presentation!

1. Flirty

2. Striped and ready

3. Portrait

4. Oh, those curves..

5. Going superhero

6. Aviary

7. Pink, red and black

C&C welcome!

Enjoy!

bfjr · July 5, 2008

2 and 4

:ivar

Moogle Pepper · July 5, 2008

What kind of curves are you looking at, Nik?

And what kinda superhero did she turn into??

Really nice stuff! I think I need to get good lighting sets now!

Llywellyn · July 5, 2008

Absolutely love #4. Her expression finally seems more natural compared with the preceding images, and I love how the light falls. Also a big fan of the windswept hair.

Nikolai · July 5, 2008

bfjr wrote:

2 and 4 :ivar

Thanks, Ben!

Nikolai · July 5, 2008

Moogle Pepper wrote:

What kind of curves are you looking at, Nik?

All of'em, Ted, all of'em:-)

And what kinda superhero did she turn into??

We used it with the masks :-)

Really nice stuff! I think I need to get good lighting sets now!

Definitely helps:-)

Nikolai · July 5, 2008

Llywellyn wrote:

Absolutely love #4. Her expression finally seems more natural compared with the preceding images, and I love how the light falls. Also a big fan of the windswept hair.

Very good observation! That was exactly when she finally "opened up" and the fun began. It was hilarious.. Before that moment it was like 1 frame in 5 minutes, setting every pose was almost like pulling a tooth (not that they came out too bad, but they required a lot of work on my side). And finally something snapped and she just burst in expression. My camera went "click-click-click-click...". I love those moments!

I rarely shoot without a fan. Just before that shoot I even got myself one with a remote control - very convenient!

eL eSs Vee · July 5, 2008

Excellent work, Nikolai! Your work just keeps getting better and better! I'll bet it was quite a chore finding just these seven!

Nikolai · July 5, 2008

eL eSs Vee wrote:

Excellent work, Nikolai! Your work just keeps getting better and better! I'll bet it was quite a chore finding just these seven!

Thanks, Lee!

Yeah, I had a few hundred to go through:-)

eL eSs Vee · July 5, 2008

Nikolai wrote:

Thanks, Lee!
Yeah, I had a few hundred to go through:-)

I wasn't talking about quantity!

evoryware · July 6, 2008

I like 1 - 4 though not crazy about expression in 1.
My favorite is number 2 followed by 4. I think 2 is a lovely shot of her, however, it looks underexposed. Her face looks greyish on my monitor. I think 1, 2, 4, and 7 could use a boost in exposure. Hope you don't mind the attachment. Let me know.
I admit I would like to see a nice high key shot of her.
I'm torn on the feather shots. She isn't selling it like Mina.

Nikolai wrote:

setting every pose was almost like pulling a tooth (not that they came out too bad, but they required a lot of work on my side).

That's a shame too. She's beautiful and they all leave me wanting more. She appears to have great shape, legs, outfits and all, but I can't really tell like with some of your shots of Tawny and Mina, for instance.

Nikolai · July 6, 2008

evoryware wrote:

I like 1 - 4 though not crazy about expression in 1.
My favorite is number 2 followed by 4. I think 2 is a lovely shot of her, however, it looks underexposed. Her face looks greyish on my monitor. I think 1, 2, 4, and 7 could use a boost in exposure. Hope you don't mind the attachment. Let me know.
I admit I would like to see a nice high key shot of her.
I'm torn on the feather shots. She isn't selling it like Mina.

That's a shame too. She's beautiful and they all leave me wanting more. She appears to have great shape, legs, outfits and all, but I can't really tell like with some of your shots of Tawny and Mina, for instance.

Thanks for the treatment suggestion! I was really hesitant about that and I kinda liked the more even light in it, but I like yours, too:-)

It's hard to compare shots of different models from purely photographic perspective... And they *are* different. I am also at least trying to do some different things with each, sometimes my experiments go awry

Like today I tried something more like a high key scenario (that Playboy light setup worked out pretty good, thanks gain)

and I don't think I pulled it off :-( Prolly need to do those bigger diffusing panels on the sides. I even have the ways do do it, but didn't have time to do it right.
Other than that having 6 AC lights is awesome! :ivar
Oh well, we learn :-)

Nikolai · July 6, 2008

evoryware wrote:

Her face looks greyish on my monitor.

Yeah, you're correct! I reprocessed and replaced the image, hit F5 to clear the cache..:-)
Thanks, man!

evoryware · July 6, 2008

Cool man looks much better!
And no worries like I said it left me wanting more.
You have your own style, there's nothing wrong with what you are doing experimenting with new techniques and lighting, and you are further along in your development than I by far! Just lending my thoughts is all!

Heh, snuck in another tease!
6 lights! OMG!!!

Two questions, is it hot and how is it on electricity bill?
You'll get it once you figure out which modifiers achieve which effect. Keep it up!

Nikolai · July 6, 2008

evoryware wrote:

Cool man looks much better!

Thank *you*!

And no worries like I said it left me wanting more.
You have your own style, there's nothing wrong with what you are doing experimenting with new techniques and lighting, and you are further along in your development than I by far! Just lending my thoughts is all!

I said that before: I'm here to learn, so good C&C is all I can ask for!

Heh, snuck in another tease!

6 lights! OMG!!!

When I put them all up first there was no room left for the shooting. Exaclty like in that foto-dojo comic: http://shop.fotodojo.org/popular/1/94956788_387dK/Original

Two questions, is it hot and how is it on electricity bill?

No, they are all strobes. And even though I keep the modeling lights at full power, 6x150wt don't really break a bank or increase a room temperature by a noticeable amount.

You'll get it once you figure out which modifiers achieve which effect.

I'm getting there:-) I'm already using the grids (got a set of 10, 20, 30 and 40) and the barn doors. And I finally get to try that beauty dish... :ivar And some gels, too

Keep it up!

Thanks!

eL eSs Vee · July 6, 2008

Nikolai wrote:

When I put them all up first there was no room left for the shooting. Exaclty like in that foto-dojo comic: http://shop.fotodojo.org/popular/1/94956788_387dK/Original

Been there, done that!

Set-up time is another factor. I once made a set using a table, floor panels, background and other props for a specific idea I had. It took me two hours and forty-five minutes to set it all up, check the lighting and pose the models, and all of twenty minutes to shoot it.

Then, to top it off, I accidently printed it backward and liked it better that way.

Nikolai · July 6, 2008

eL eSs Vee wrote:

Set-up time is another factor.

And that's exactly why I decided to drop my DYI stuff and cough up some dough for the special items.
And in that regard, AlienBees may not be the top of the line (in fact, they aren't), but their add ons are super-easy to use, and for what I need them for (extras/accents) they are right on the money.

I still like my ProFotos as the main lights, though

ChatKat · July 6, 2008

Nikolai wrote:

And that's exactly why I decided to drop my DYI stuff and cough up some dough for the special items.
And in that regard, AlienBees may not be the top of the line (in fact, they aren't), but their add ons are super-easy to use, and for what I need them for (extras/accents) they are right on the money. I still like my ProFotos as the main lights, though

Nik,

I was going to ask how the ProFoto's and AB's combine as far as light quality goes. I have the AB Ringlight and next to the Profoto's it just feels like a toy. I love ringlight but that means a brick and I am in a hold pattern for buying anything else for the moment.

Nikolai · July 6, 2008

ChatKat wrote:

Nik,

I was going to ask how the ProFoto's and AB's combine as far as light quality goes. I have the AB Ringlight and next to the Profoto's it just feels like a toy. I love ringlight but that means a brick and I am in a hold pattern for buying anything else for the moment.

Kathy,

Thus far I only had one shoot with ABs, so I'm kinda hesitant to provide any serious feeback. I agree that the first impression - at least after shooting with ProFotos - is indeed, "plastiky" and "toy-like". However I managed to get them to do exactly what I needed them to do very quickly and efficiently. And considering all the accessories I got with them thus far I'm a very happy camper.
I'm planning to produce some more serious hands-on review after I actually get a chance to use them for a couple of months.

JH-Photo · July 7, 2008

dear nikolai,

i like at most the number 4. the reasons are not the 2 perfect balls, but the 2 perfect eyes.

the face is shining bot not over flashed. exactly the perfect flash power.

best regards
JH

JH-Photo · July 7, 2008

Nikolai wrote:

Thanks for the treatment suggestion! I was really hesitant about that and I kinda liked the more even light in it, but I like yours, too:-)

It's hard to compare shots of different models from purely photographic perspective... And they *are* different. I am also at least trying to do some different things with each, sometimes my experiments go awry

Like today I tried something more like a high key scenario (that Playboy light setup worked out pretty good, thanks gain)

and I don't think I pulled it off :-( Prolly need to do those bigger diffusing panels on the sides. I even have the ways do do it, but didn't have time to do it right.
Other than that having 6 AC lights is awesome! :ivar
Oh well, we learn :-)

i think for some pic`s this is much to much effort.
:-)
nobody has the time to build this up ;-)
one beauty dish from the front and one lamp behind for no shadows must be enough.

;-)

but anyqay...your results are very good :-)

Nikolai · July 7, 2008

JH-Photo wrote:

dear nikolai,

i like at most the number 4. the reasons are not the 2 perfect balls, but the 2 perfect eyes.

the face is shining bot not over flashed. exactly the perfect flash power.

best regards
JH

Whatever works, my man, whatever works!

Thank you! I do try to build my light field accurately. And sometimes I manage to get it right:-)

Nikolai · July 7, 2008

JH-Photo wrote:

i think for some pic`s this is much to much effort.
:-)
nobody has the time to build this up ;-)
one beauty dish from the front and one lamp behind for no shadows must be enough.
;-)

!

I actually never tried that particular scenario :-) I guess I'll have to even if only to get it out of my system:-)

but anyway...your results are very good :-)

Thank you!

cmorganphotography · July 8, 2008

I really waited this one out. Taste of your own medicine

Mr. bait-and-take-forever-to-deliver!
I'm going to pretty much skip over 1-4, you said she wasn't all in until the fourth so really, she wasn't modelling and well, that's not the interesting stuff anyway, right?
I can't see the pics, gettn another window up:
#5, putting on make up is difficult no matter which way you swing it and I really enjoy the intimate moment with her, she looks indecisive or like she's taking a breather to see what to do next. The red corset is a nice choice and I like that she's not done up yet. I know she's wearing a lot of makeup already but it doesn't *look* like it.
#6 I'm not a friend of that pose for anyone, her face disappeared and I think I see some PS... but I'm not going to point it out, just tell me if I'm right.

She doesn't have much of a neck, her collarbone isn't very interesting... I think with the look you were going for a black corset and some body paint would have brought your idea more to light. Plus there are comparisons to be made with her and Mina because they both have the mask and boa. So there's my 2 cents on that one.
I much prefer #7 because it's more old school burlesque and her pink lips compliment the pink boa and this is a look all her own. I just have to not think about where the black mask was on Mina prior to being on her face >.<
I like the leg position and the fading light. She's making a good connection with the camera and looks relaxed. I also like that you used the red cloth hanging for (almost) everything but it never looked tired.

So there you have it, take it or leave it. I agree with moogle, you promised superhero!!! What happened!

cmorganphotography · July 8, 2008

You worked in another tease you bother!

Nikolai · July 8, 2008

cmorganphotography wrote:

You worked in another tease you bother!

And even another one on a separate thread:-)

Nikolai · July 8, 2008

cmorganphotography wrote:

I really waited this one out. Taste of your own medicine Mr. bait-and-take-forever-to-deliver! ...

Yeah, I know, I've been procrastinating lately... Too much raw material, not enough time to process. I decided to take a step back and put a tap on "shoot whoever is willing/availalble" approach. But even with that I still have both July and August fully booked, so it's gonna be some pretty intensive couple of months...

cmorganphotography · July 8, 2008

This must be your leave it approach. Geez. I think you should explore the superhero make up business you started with Amanda. It could get interesting. Have you thought of doing Greecian Theatre togas? With the over exmphasized white masks and the see through costumes?? Particularly Oedipus Rex and the Jocasta costume designs.
You might find a flavor in your favor.... oh there's some rhyming good time in there... ohhhh I did it again!

Amanda: top seven

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