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Autumn in studio

nyschulte

New member
When organizing my second session with a paid model, Mischou from germany, i got this idea.

Not too happy with the angle of the first one, so any suggestion is welcome for improving this one.

_D225394_la.jpg


Second one is a more standard pose
_D225417_la.jpg


On both i played with LucisArt ...

Nicolas
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hi Nicolas,

The concept is appealing but there re some issues. Both pictures are attractive and the poses and setup are 95% working for me. The first is lovely. I'm not any expert on glamor photography although I do like this genre when it is done well and is respects them as women. Alluring can still coexist with respecing the woman. To me, the whole image should have a unifying sense that is projected. Your pictures do not have, as of yet a clear overiding sense of meaning. That's in part because of arrangements that break the spell.

In the first picture, one should not see wood floor on the right, that breaks the mood. There is a nice suggestion that she engages the viewer. Hide the blue underware, show here bare or use the scanty underware to flirt or confront with her thumb in it! The picture would be then improved, to my mind. Otherwise the clothing breaks the flow of ideas of possibility. Here it shows a wall of limits! You could even have her holding a sheet over part of herself for modesty or opening the sheet as an invitation!

I'd love to see leaves behind her in the last picture, so it could possibly be a fantasy. If she held the leaves over her breasts and or her expression whent with that pose, then she's project better. In any case, engaging the viewer with a direct look might make the last picture really work!

Of course she could be standing in the open in a forest or by tees with fallen leaves and then holding leaves in front of her, in a teasing or arrogant pose.

I hope you can continue to work more with her!

Asher
 
Last edited:

Eric Hiss

Member
suggestions for the first image

I think your concept with the leaves is a good one, but did you try lighting the model from different sides? I know you asked about suggestions for angles of pose, but I'd first try lighting the model such that the underside of her chin and nose are in shadow instead of full light. The direction of light you have chosen places emphasis on her belly as well, with the more light there making her look heavier than she really is. Lighting from underneath the face as you have done is also very tricky to do and usually done for scary movie type effects since it normally never occurs in nature. The brain is used to viewing the light coming from above and so viewers will subconsciously try to orient the image that way. That's why I'm suggesting you change the lighting direction - can you do this in post? Hmmm not sure. After you get the light the way you want, a different shooting angle might appear to you. If nothing comes to mind, I'd suggest you shoot over her either by standing over her or on a ladder. Shooting lower than what you have done so as to be on the same plane of repose may also produce interesting results (IMHO). If you were only asking about a crop angle I'd suggest you try putting her body on the diagonal in the image. The more natural looking light will be with her head on the low corner, but this will change the viewer model relationship some. If you are reshooting, and want a crop, I'd suggest keeping her head higher in the frame rather than lower, but for the image you have posted I think the lower corner is going to work better.
 

Eric Hiss

Member
2nd image

Your second image is much better lit, and I'd think that Asher's idea to put more leaves behind her is a good one to make it appear that she is in a pile of leaves instead of just behind a pile of leaves. IMHO the model's top leg is not in a flattering position - too much bend. The sharp bend in her knee breaks the visual flow of her form and also makes her thigh look larger. You certainly can use the leaves to advantage here by covering areas of her form as you may have been doing. If it were me, I'd try to position the leaves to make her look even curvier and the legs as long and slender as possible.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
It's not customary in some websites to comment on the comments :)

Here however, I'd like to commend you, Eric, on your practical pointers. This is so valued as we are on pathways to great pictures and the help on the way is obviously going to be used by many photographers who follow.

Most peoplehere are neither figure nor glamor photgraphers and so are reluctant to give critique. So we do not exepct a lot of responses, but we do hope for other people's work too.

Nicolas, most people just like to lurk, get entertained. Still, even without practical expertese here, if one is a Wedding or New Photographer, one already knows about lighting and framing and positon of camera as well as timing, so what else prevents some comment?

At the very least, we have reactions and feelings. Post! We won't bite your head off!

Well I might very very rarely send a note privately, but that's as bad as it gets as we don't like even a sniff of censorship.

Asher

BTW, in OPF, we have no issues with the human body being shown as long as people are respectful of others and the work is not exploitative.
 

nyschulte

New member
Asher,

I must say that i do lurk as well a lot. As much as i like to receive comments, as reluctant i seem to write some :(

Here are some more from that setup:

I did not chose this one because of her chin.
_D225393.jpg


Not to sure about this one, but one could get the feeling of a ?cadavre?
_D225397.jpg


Here the position of her head/neck is not to her favour, which led to the second picture i posted initially.
_D225414.jpg


I will go back to the drawing board to ponder over the lighting setup...

Nicolas
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Nicolas,

Ignoring any remarks I may have made earlier, I really appreciate the social nature of being engaged with some sense that she is interecting with us. Even # 2 which merely implies vulnerablility.

You might BTW, if you feel like playing a little, adding a few leaves to cover the green.

Thanks again for allowing us to join your shoots!

Asher
 

Ray West

New member
Hi Nicolas,

The leaves are a 'natural product', which you have used in an artificial way. If you are trying to simulate some sense of realism then you need to look at leaves, decide if you want to use them blown by a fan, say, or in a large heap that she has just leapt or fallen into, or maybe just a few on a marble floor or similar. The very first image, as the body is square with the frame, makes it look like its a forensic photo. The angle of the third one (the chin) is better. However, in the first, the hair colour blending with the leaves is 'of interest'.

I actually think, that just placing one leaf on each breast must be some sort of joke? It would work fine here if she was wearing a Kaftan, or a teeshirt, any sort of outdoor clothes, or a contradiction -pyjamas, evening gown, whatever.

I think I would try and think of some story line, build the set a bit more, get more leaves, (pine needles not recommended) maybe a wheel barrow and a rake, other props.

When she is looking out of the picture, I tend to wonder what she may be looking at, it reminds me too much of some 'pet' photography I've seen/taken... If there were more leaves, then the photo with her eyes shut (she looks asleep to me - its the first one she looks dead) would be fine. Or, just spread her hair, as in the first, and fade it into the leaves. It seems you have a good model, and you yourself are finding faults in what you do. Just play much more - go crazy.....

Just my opinion, hope it stirs something.

Best wishes,

Ray
 

Eric Hiss

Member
Hi Nicolas,

(pine needles not recommended)

Ray

Ray,
I like your subtle humor!

Nicolas,
I think the last image you posted here is the best one of the set. I do agree with others that the underwear takes away from the image. Best to cover it up or shoot without it.
Eric
 

nyschulte

New member
First of all i thank you for the exchange of ideas.

Ray, my first plan was to have her wear only a c*rsette and p*nts, laying on top of the leaves.
She thought that would be too much clad, but would not pose n*ked.

Then, when i tried to change the angle of view by climbing on a ladder, i did not feel at ease :(
and i think this shows in most of these pictures.

For the last one, i laid flat on the floor (not kissing it though) where i felt more comfortable.

Even if i did not use pine needles i still had some concerrn about allergic reaction to the leaves, but my model had no problem with them.

I will check out lighting and posing with the model lying or crouching, as i mostly do standing poses.

Regards,

Nicolas
 
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