C&C : bikini girl under the rain

Feel free to be as direct as possible, I won't be offended. Au contraire ! I value all your inputs !



In the picture below, taken on a rainy day, in your opinion, what works and what doesn't work ? For example: are the tree leaves a distraction, should I blur them a little and make them fade in the background ?



Thanks in advance !







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NedStudio said:

Feel free to be as direct as possible, I won't be offended. Au contraire ! I value all your inputs !

In the picture below, taken on a rainy day, in your opinion, what works and what doesn't work ? For example: are the tree leaves a distraction, should I blur them a little and make them fade in the background ?

Thanks in advance !



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Https://www.nedphotography.net
Https://www.nedphotography.net/blog

Click to expand...

She looks rather uncomfortable and petrified.

Zoom in or crop in. If the model is the subject for attention then fill the frame about 1/3 of the way. In my style of shooting I always look for separation of the subject and background. They look like competing for attention. I think the greyscale picture here is not ideal.

StarPortraits said:

Zoom in or crop in. If the model is the subject for attention then fill the frame about 1/3 of the way. In my style of shooting I always look for separation of the subject and background. They look like competing for attention. I think the greyscale picture here is not ideal.

Click to expand...

1) More model, less surroundings. They are unexciting and do not convey anything special to show off the subject.

2) She is not Tarzan's Jane. Her pose on that limb is kind of-well- precarious in my humble opinion. Hard to imagine anyone sitting like that for more than an instant. It just grabs me as artificial and strained.

I know you can make something of this one by cropping, but I would like to see some better use of the outdoors to highlight the main subject. I am sure you will agree.

I wish you well. And don't let the mosquitoes bite..!

NedStudio said:

Feel free to be as direct as possible, I won't be offended. Au contraire ! I value all your inputs !

In the picture below, taken on a rainy day, in your opinion, what works and what doesn't work ? For example: are the tree leaves a distraction, should I blur them a little and make them fade in the background ?

Thanks in advance !

Click to expand...

Personally, I think she looks most alluring and interacting in the 3rd photo.

Photoshop:



Lightroom:

Fade,Flip and crop:

PankajDubey said:

NedStudio said:

Feel free to be as direct as possible, I won't be offended. Au contraire ! I value all your inputs !

In the picture below, taken on a rainy day, in your opinion, what works and what doesn't work ? For example: are the tree leaves a distraction, should I blur them a little and make them fade in the background ?

Thanks in advance !

Click to expand...

Personally, I think she looks most alluring and interacting in the 3rd photo.

Photoshop:



Lightroom:

Fade,Flip and crop:

Click to expand...

Very interesting .. and you are right. It is amazing how a simple crop and in this case, a horizontal flip makes the photo much more interesting. Increased contrast seems to have helped too. Wow !!





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StarPortraits said:

Zoom in or crop in. If the model is the subject for attention then fill the frame about 1/3 of the way. In my style of shooting I always look for separation of the subject and background. They look like competing for attention. I think the greyscale picture here is not ideal.

Click to expand...

Yes, the background is unfortunately competing with the model here due to the elevated depth of field. Thanks !

Gerry Siegel said:

1) More model, less surroundings. They are unexciting and do not convey anything special to show off the subject.

2) She is not Tarzan's Jane. Her pose on that limb is kind of-well- precarious in my humble opinion. Hard to imagine anyone sitting like that for more than an instant. It just grabs me as artificial and strained.

I know you can make something of this one by cropping, but I would like to see some better use of the outdoors to highlight the main subject. I am sure you will agree.

I wish you well. And don't let the mosquitoes bite..!

Click to expand...

Gerry, how did you know ? We did get mosquito bites !!

Yes, her pose was very uncomfortable. Other than the rain making everything slippery, the branch moved a lot, and with the low light, I needed to wait until movements stopped, which is why her pose at the end looked unnatural too.

Are you saying in your last paragraph that you prefer to see "less of the outdoors and more of the model" for this type of photography to work ?



Thanks again for your comments !

NedStudio said:

Feel free to be as direct as possible, I won't be offended. Au contraire ! I value all your inputs !

In the picture below, taken on a rainy day, in your opinion, what works and what doesn't work ? For example: are the tree leaves a distraction, should I blur them a little and make them fade in the background ?

Thanks in advance !

Click to expand...

I agree with others that the pose is unusual and it might have been a good idea to crop it a bit different but my biggest criticism is that the picture looks a little too dark and flat on my monitor.

It may be just a preference, on my part, or my monitor could be adjusted a little too dark but adding a little brightness to the image makes it look better to me.

I'll admit I'm not a huge fan of using B&W for this type picture so maybe that's my problem.

I am saying that' resurrection is harder than giving birth.' Start over. Monitor shmonitor, tiddleywinks gaming, sorry....I am direct as you asked.... Spare the model from the shaky limb and find a comfortable space. Where she can try different poses.... Decide what you are after if you know or think you know what you and she seek.... Certainly show off her loveliness and just let the background be background, for the subject...use light in a lighted area..... Those be my best thoughts. friend.

She is cute by the way. Nice form. Nice face. And ingenuous qualities. Show those qualities and I think pooh on the wilderness bit.

Besides you could have had her fall and ouch you lose a charming model.

Only the mosquitoes profit. Them( female insect)_ bloodsuckers. We got them here too and everywhere...outdoors is tough sometimes.

PankajDubey said:

NedStudio said:

Feel free to be as direct as possible, I won't be offended. Au contraire ! I value all your inputs !

In the picture below, taken on a rainy day, in your opinion, what works and what doesn't work ? For example: are the tree leaves a distraction, should I blur them a little and make them fade in the background ?

Thanks in advance !

Click to expand...

She looks rather uncomfortable and petrified.

Click to expand...

She could be on "petrified" wood.

By the way I was thinking along the lines of a tighter crop also. PankajDubey showed nicely the cropped version.

Gerry Siegel said:

StarPortraits said:

Zoom in or crop in. If the model is the subject for attention then fill the frame about 1/3 of the way. In my style of shooting I always look for separation of the subject and background. They look like competing for attention. I think the greyscale picture here is not ideal.

Click to expand...

1) More model, less surroundings. They are unexciting and do not convey anything special to show off the subject.

2) She is not Tarzan's Jane. Her pose on that limb is kind of-well- precarious in my humble opinion. Hard to imagine anyone sitting like that for more than an instant. It just grabs me as artificial and strained.

I know you can make something of this one by cropping, but I would like to see some better use of the outdoors to highlight the main subject. I am sure you will agree.

I wish you well. And don't let the mosquitoes bite..!

Click to expand...

I worked with many professional portrait photographers and they beg to differ on your view.

Pointless to argue in generalities. Or reference to authority.

I sought to name couple specific objections to1) the setting and and 2) the awkward pose, and we can't retouch the setting nor the pose..can we?

As a thought experiment let us say that bikini miss were a professional agency model. Suppose I am her agent. Suppose you as a professional's manager .there to protect her financial and bodily interest in the paid job. Just suppose. ( All relationships are a transaction of one kind or another, a digression of subject, but a reality, even when no money is exchanged. I will not elaborate on line, takes too long) She is your talent, to do well by and to protect is the theme I am asserting.

Q: Would I let my model/ actor/ talent/ daughter perhaps (who used to pose-) be out on a limb for the fancy of a photo idea ? . Would you? And if so, why in a sentence or three.(?)

Moreover, -and this gets beyond the instant situation- ..Would any actor's union now consider this a safe work setting? And no I do not mean skeeters.

I would argue, and I think it merits such, that bikini girl under rain and out on a limb, is not OKeedokee. Unsafe, and tenuous. Beyond minutiae and niceties of density and crop..

Harsh commentary?. maybe...But hey, is that not what we are all here for. Eg. To gain each others squint on working with other humans.

Aloha, and use DEET for the bugs.

Gerald

Good idea but it didn't work with this tree. The position is too precarious and it comes across in the photo-she doesn't look comfortable and that causes tension with the theme of luxurious sensuousness. Also, the background is too busy. You needed to be closer to blur out the background.

Idea was good but the execution failed.

Find a bigger tree (much bigger) get closer and it will work.

TEdolph

Gerry Siegel said:

Pointless to argue in generalities. Or reference to authority.

I sought to name couple specific objections to1) the setting and and 2) the awkward pose, and we can't retouch the setting nor the pose..can we?

As a thought experiment let us say that bikini miss were a professional agency model. Suppose I am her agent. Suppose you as a professional's manager .there to protect her financial and bodily interest in the paid job. Just suppose. ( All relationships are a transaction of one kind or another, a digression of subject, but a reality, even when no money is exchanged. I will not elaborate on line, takes too long) She is your talent, to do well by and to protect is the theme I am asserting.

Q: Would I let my model/ actor/ talent/ daughter perhaps (who used to pose-) be out on a limb for the fancy of a photo idea ? . Would you? And if so, why in a sentence or three.(?)

Moreover, -and this gets beyond the instant situation- ..Would any actor's union now consider this a safe work setting? And no I do not mean skeeters.

I would argue, and I think it merits such, that bikini girl under rain and out on a limb, is not OKeedokee. Unsafe, and tenuous. Beyond minutiae and niceties of density and crop..

Harsh commentary?. maybe...But hey, is that not what we are all here for. Eg. To gain each others squint on working with other humans.

Aloha, and use DEET for the bugs.

Gerald

Click to expand...

Gerald,

you are raising great points. Thank you for your time , I highly appreciate it.

Perspective plays tricks, call it optical illusion if you want. The branch was very close to the ground, less than 2 feet high. Were she to fall, she might have had a small bruise at most. Now she is not a professional model: I was there as an amateur to help her build her portfolio in case she wants to apply to modeling gigs. As such, I had little influence on the shoot, this was her idea. The photoshoot included more traditional poses, but I liked this one because it was different with the rain and the mood. But yes, i agree, the pose is awkward, clearly not an award-winning shot (yet).

thanks

tedolf said:

Good idea but it didn't work with this tree. The position is too precarious and it comes across in the photo-she doesn't look comfortable and that causes tension with the theme of luxurious sensuousness. Also, the background is too busy. You needed to be closer to blur out the background.

Idea was good but the execution failed.

Find a bigger tree (much bigger) get closer and it will work.

TEdolph

Click to expand...

Thanks TEdolph for the comment. Agree regarding the background: this was shot using a full frame canon DSLR with 70-200 f/2.8, at 95mm f.4 .. some of the foliage is at the same distance as her, It will appear sharp but the depth of field would be narrower (if I backed and used 200mm at f/2.8). I should have, maybe .

Hi. You are welcome. I have a better understanding with your explanation. I only take mild quarrel with your comment about not having influence on the shoot or the pose. Maybe a collaboration is useful. Or necessary.

You have command and will agree have ownership of the result, a starting point for online discourse. I know you accept that, goes without saying.

Whether it was awkward ( hazardous) or not, it LOOKS awkward to me. But then, I am conventional and traditional .

In a portfolio, I would consider this a what the heck and a lark shot.

Now with that stipulation if the comments got you thinking then even if we do not 100% agree, (why should we huh) heck it is useful, -nay?

No one here in DPR is a real super duper pro I suggest....

Super duper pros are out there making big bucks and flying off to a shoot for Sports Illustrated. Or Elle magazine. Or selling their how to do it videos, like whatshernameme I . Unless one considers anyone earning a buck on a shoot gets one the honorific as a consummate pro. Experiences is different from super duper- tons of books like Michael Freeman, that is what I suggest.

We/I seek mostly 1) to have fun.2)And practice the craft well. And 3) even to improve a little each year i.e, Growth in proficiency. (Leonardo D V felt the same way with his chisel .)

i commend you for sticking your neck out and asking all to take a whack at you efforts...most others do not. They have reached their own level of satisfaction. Status quo and they sort of stay in their own pews and read the gospel of camera worship...yeah that seems to be the tide lately. I like those who ask for critique. Good on you, sir.

Aloha, Stay cool. Gin and tonic helps these warm days. ;-) .....Bikini gal is my kind of lady, by the way, she is a trooper! You too!

gs

It is heresy to say this. I do not give a hoot about a" busy" background . Nor the make it mushy effect. Why not? When the background is totally uninteresting, like a field of weeds and crab grass, we do not want it to detract from subject. When it has bright dappled spots of sun it may draw attention. This is something that can not be a generalization.

I say it varies with each and every setting. Do wrinkles on a backdrop drive you nuts. Not I , not if the subject is powerful enough to be focus of attention. I think the outdoors can be a good place to shoot, and why go there and try to reproduce studio conditions. See my point.... Pick the lens that shows the subject at the scale you want. And if the photo is environmental, show the background and have her embrace it so to speak. If it is a model portfolio, and she is showing fashion swim wear, that is what counts...as long as one hints at the outdoors.

Had to add this. Sorry.