Me again... well Em...

Gav.

Gav.

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Gav
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Hi, I've not done any portrait since the last one in July, I was hit by some confidence issues, but decided time to try again.

I'm happy to hear comments and crit', even if it's to tell me to stop :LOL:

Thank you looking :)


Em Dress by Gavin Wickham, on Flickr
 
I can sense a bit of tension in the pose. Not sure if it was intended but it's still a very nice portrait. I especially loved the colours.
 
No real crit, Gav,
except that, as above, Em does look a little apprehensive, in this one.
 
ashishtamhane said:
I can sense a bit of tension in the pose. Not sure if it was intended but it's still a very nice portrait. I especially loved the colours.
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Cobra said:
No real crit, Gav,
except that, as above, Em does look a little apprehensive, in this one.
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Thank you, Ashish and Chris.

There is a look of tension, she is naturally shy and I felt I'd try and work it, it's probably not come across as I had hoped.

It's probably one I should of kept back looking at it now.

We are trying to work on a few more and hopefully she/we can get back on track again.

Thank you for the comments. :)
 
I think it's because the shoulders are slightly dropped which would be a natural relaxed position but it can hunch the body a bit. I try and tell my wife to sit/stand up straight and get her shoulders nice & square, then imagine there's a piece of cotton pulling her head up to stretch her neck. That usually gets a smile (or some sort of reaction) which is when I'll often take the shot. Just my tuppence though!
 
Harlequin565 said:
I think it's because the shoulders are slightly dropped which would be a natural relaxed position but it can hunch the body a bit. I try and tell my wife to sit/stand up straight and get her shoulders nice & square, then imagine there's a piece of cotton pulling her head up to stretch her neck. That usually gets a smile (or some sort of reaction) which is when I'll often take the shot. Just my tuppence though!
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Thank you, Ian, I'm hoping to get some time to do more soon and fingers crossed some bravery might build.
 
I like the soft lighting, catchlights etc but, as abve, Em looks a little tense. Maybe if she was sittng it would make her feel less 'vunerable'
 
angelpaaul said:
I like the soft lighting, catchlights etc but, as abve, Em looks a little tense. Maybe if she was sittng it would make her feel less 'vunerable'
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Thank you, Paul, I agree she is tense, I tried to work with it, but not 100% my thoughts have made the right image (y)
mstphoto said:
Something doesn't look right with her furthest shoulder and hair.
Apologies if it is natural as I'm certainly not a portrait kinda guy ;)
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Thanks Mike, shoulder is natural, I will own up to buggering about with the hair, I removed a few stray hairs and filled a few gaps, editing isn't my strong point, I'll leave alone next time :LOL:
 
I think it's a good picture but having had my own problems in the past and they've not really gone away I don't think I'd want a picture with such visible unease printed and framed. If this was the mood effect you were aiming for I'd say you've captured it brilliantly but it's just not something that I'd want to do as I find it unsettling.

Mrs WW wont strike a pose at all and if I asked her to I dread to think what her expression would be like, she just stands there. What I usually do (apart from taking the picture as quickly as possible) is say something or do something to get a reaction of some sort. I suppose with someone who is especially shy or sensitive or otherwise uncomfortable or reluctant you'll have to be careful what you say or do to get a reaction. Just something you might be able to carefully try when going for a lighter look :D
 
Nothing new to add, really, but I wonder...

How do you communicate with Em during a shoot? What do you ask her to do? What do you chat about? How many pictures do you take? What do you do when something isn't quite working?

I've said it before, you've got the technical basics solid. It's the soft stuff that needs your attention now. Different people need different approaches but in the end it's all about communication.
 
Stop!

Haha! Just kidding. ;)

I'm with Simon on communication. It's your job to make her feel relaxed, you should both be having a bit of a giggle when you're taking pictures. As you're using digital, just keep snapping away while you're talking and joking with her. After a while, she'll stop anticipating the flash and start to relax a little more.

FWIW, I think you're both doing a great job and with practice the results can only improve. So keep it up. (y)

I'd like to see a little light on her hair and I'm assuming you don't have a second light. If this is the case, just try some white card or paper and attempt to reflect some light back on to her hair from the side and slightly above and behind her eyeline.
 
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Same as others have said above, but certainly dont stop. I've found over the years telling silly (but clean) jokes helps relax a subject, my jokes are so bad even Tommy Cooper would turn them down, thing is, I still get a giggle, and thats enough. Ok they are probably laughing at me more than the joke but who cares as long as I get a smile.
 
@woof woof @juggler @Jungli @Sky @swanseamale47

Thank you for the feedback, we both have confidence issues and working together is probably a bad idea, but we both have fun, I'm a fool and don't take myself seriously and I'm happy to laugh at myself, Em is always happy regardless of what the image shows :)

Em was happy with this image, but the ones she was laughing in got a no, so they are sat in a folder.

I normally take around 15-30 images if it goes ok, if we hit a blank and she's not feeling it, we either have a change of clothes or stop and put the kettle one and leave it until next time, if it's me struggling I just keep going so Em doesn't get disheartened.

Communication wise we just chat, we've been together 13yrs and just bounce off each other, I do ask her to move her head to try and get angles right, I try to help with the pose but don't want to come across as pushy, we are looking through a book together at the moment.

Thank you again, I'll stop and think for a bit and try and get a better idea for the next move.
 
I think.. headshots are the very hardest kind of portraiture.

15-30 is nothing. Some of the headshot specialists will spend half a day with a client to produce a handful of images.

Have you tried chatting and shooting _at the same time_? You'll make a lot of duffers but the good ones should be a heap more natural looking.

You can also try giving her directions which you know won't work, just to maintain a rhythm. That'll give her more confidence too.

e.g. - look at my right ear (click) .. no, other right ear (click) left ear (click).. what did you think of last night's Bake Off? (click) stick your chin forward (click) then relax your neck (click click) head one one side for me (click) smile but only with your eyes (click click)

You'll have to find something which works for you but that's the idea. The chat is largely pointless & inconsequential but you should both be able to maintain it for a fair length of time - with breaks every couple of minutes. And you'll both stop thinking about the mechanics of what you're doing.
 
I am not going to comment about the posing - I am at a complete loss at directing models in a studio, so clueless....

I'll agree with the hair comment above....if Em's hair was just like it was in 'had enough' I would've been happier... #

more please!
 
welshwizard645 said:
I am not going to comment about the posing - I am at a complete loss at directing models in a studio, so clueless....

I'll agree with the hair comment above....if Em's hair was just like it was in 'had enough' I would've been happier... #

more please!
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welshwizard645 said:
Would just add, take full advantage of her eyes....they do pull me in.
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Thank you, I keep taking notes, it just takes a while to sink in.

Cheers for the feedback.
 
Overall it looks good. Lighting is good, the only thing that I noticed was her right arm or rather her shoulder. If the dress covered the shoulder than it would have flowed but it looksa a bit "dis-jointed" on the right, but that's just my opinion.
 
JayceeC said:
Overall it looks good. Lighting is good, the only thing that I noticed was her right arm or rather her shoulder. If the dress covered the shoulder than it would have flowed but it looksa a bit "dis-jointed" on the right, but that's just my opinion.
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Thank you, I agree the dress has lifted slightly and distracted a bit.
 
Just had a second look at this. I was trying to see what grabbed my attention first, for me it's the hands. If you crop out the hands just up to the belt, Em doesn't look as tense.

My focal point is then the eyes.

Just my opinion
 
angelpaaul said:
Just had a second look at this. I was trying to see what grabbed my attention first, for me it's the hands. If you crop out the hands just up to the belt, Em doesn't look as tense.

My focal point is then the eyes.

Just my opinion
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I agree, it's there in the hands, but it's still there in the shoulders (& face), we're happy as it is, I should have held this one back, thank you for the feedback (y)
 
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