Something different for me

Phil V

Phil V

Messages
25,287
Name
Phil
Edit My Images
No
A friend of the family is doing a fashion design degree and asked if I'd help her out with some photography, she designed this outfit. The model is a schoolfriend (also went to school with my youngest).

My son acted as VAL and general dogsbody (including scouting the venue).

So, my first attempt as a 'fashion photographer', lit by a Safari in a beauty dish, rimlight from an unmodified speedlight to 'help out' the natural light coming from the skylights and windows to camera left.
Shannon2.jpg
 
Don't go much on the outfit, but the snap's a good 'un. It does need that white dot on the LHS at the same height as her ankles zapping though ...

ETA - "VAL"?
 
Too bad about the reflection on the piece on her top... maybe drop the highlights down a bit on it? I think a certain amount of highlight keeps it real though.

Nice lighting, love the definition in the folds of her trousers, really nice Phil.
 
Serendipitous Sid said:
Don't go much on the outfit, but the snap's a good 'un. It does need that white dot on the LHS at the same height as her ankles zapping though ...
Click to expand...
Thanks
I ummed and aahed about that bright spot. I decided to leave it because I'd left the one on the top...
 
Phil V said:
I ummed and aahed about that bright spot. I decided to leave it because I'd left the one on the top...
Click to expand...

Only a dyed-in-the-wool snapper could come up with that as a reason ... :cool:
 
sunnyside_up said:
Too bad about the reflection on the piece on her top... maybe drop the highlights down a bit on it? I think a certain amount of highlight keeps it real though.

Nice lighting, love the definition in the folds of her trousers, really nice Phil.
Click to expand...

Thanks Beth
The designer (also called Beth) never let on about the top being covered in mirrors, there are only 2 shots with a reflected highlight from the whole session, as above I left it on purpose because it's part of the nature of the outfit, but I might have another play now you've said this.
 
Phil V said:
But you hadn't seen the next reply...
Click to expand...

True. But now that I have, IMO the single highlight on the garment doesn't inform the viewer that it's mirrored. It would need more than just the one to convey that.

But wtf would I know. Whatever, it's still a well decent shot.
 
Good work Phil, it certainly meets the brief of fashion photography, it has that fashion look about it.
I too think that certainly the highlight on the model could be toned down a little but I understand your reasoning behind keeping it in as that is the nature of the outfit.
I never even noticed the one on the ground until Dan pointed it out.
 
In my very humble opinion there should have been another light behind the model just placing some gentle light under the hair and the back of her left arm.
The right hand light is too hard for me and only adding a harsh white line to that side. Also , the floor could have added so much more to the shot.
 
blakester said:
I never even noticed the one on the ground until Dan pointed it out.
Click to expand...

Some people are cursed with perfect pitch. I am cursed with an unerring ability instantly to spot easily-zapped distractions in photos (my own as well as others'). That, and a default proof-reading mode when looking at advertisements and websites :(

blakester said:
@Serendipitous Sid Dan, VAL, voice activated light :)
Click to expand...

Much obliged, sir.
 
Last edited:
Steve T said:
In my very humble opinion there should have been another light behind the model just placing some gentle light under the hair and the back of her left arm.
The right hand light is too hard for me and only adding a harsh white line to that side. Also , the floor could have added so much more to the shot.
Click to expand...
Thanks Steve
I know what you mean, had I to do it again...

The place is really interesting and I might return, it's not exactly local though :(
 
minnnt said:
Like that Phil, good work. You should post more of your stuff!
Click to expand...
Thanks David.
I don't because the world doesn't really need to see more 'fairly ordinary' wedding photo's. I am pushing myself a bit this year to do more personal stuff though, so I might post more as I do.
 
Phil V said:
Thanks Steve
I know what you mean, had I to do it again...

The place is really interesting and I might return, it's not exactly local though :(
Click to expand...

It looks a very cool location.... I'd love to try that sort of thing. Tres urban. Tres cool.
 
Phil V said:
Thanks David.
I don't because the world doesn't really need to see more 'fairly ordinary' wedding photo's. I am pushing myself a bit this year to do more personal stuff though, so I might post more as I do.
Click to expand...

Definately, it's a good location so if you have a few photogenic people to hand you could get quite a few styles of shots.
 
Not a bad shot at all, I hadn't noticed the white spot on the ground either.

I would've liked to see the trousers a little better and her shoes seem lost in the background :)

I think the top half of her down to her calves is lit well enough.

Did you get a shot near the graffiti on the back wall at all?

It looks interesting with the doorway? near it.
 
cowboy said:
Not a bad shot at all, I hadn't noticed the white spot on the ground either.

I would've liked to see the trousers a little better and her shoes seem lost in the background :)

I think the top half of her down to her calves is lit well enough.

Did you get a shot near the graffiti on the back wall at all?

It looks interesting with the doorway? near it.
Click to expand...
We used a few different spots, it's covered in graffiti.
The designer loves em, the models a bit more circumspect! I don't think she recognises herself in them at all :confused:
 
I don't know much about fashion photography but I do like the photo - great location and good separation from the background and good pose to

If I was picky I would say her left arm and shoulder area look a little bright to me
 
I think that she's too square on. That can work in fashion if she's more dynamic with the lines she's creating, but this looks more like an environmental portrait trying to be a fashion shot.
 
Cool as a few have said post more Phil ___Please :) Only saying as you have given me and many more people on here lots of helpful info on lighting, even though I still don't see half what you guys see, where lighting is concerned :-(


Gaz
 
It's a good shot, my first look was 'cool!', then second look I started to notice a few things that could be better:

1) her top half on our right is very bright, I wouldn't say it was 'blown' but it's over exposed imo
2) I'm never a fan of this type of flash / ambient ratio... the venue is gritty and cool but a lot of it is too dark to real appreciate it, i.e. the top right corner specifically. Also this then accentuates the over exposed part of her as it's in the most underexposed part of the image
3) I like the pose but as others have mentioned it's too square making her look a bit 2D
4) Something about either the pose of the lighting makes her look a nit like she's levitating to me
5) Bright reflection on her boob is a bit distracting

Overall though it IS a good shot and the above are just minor niggles
 
The23rdman said:
I think that she's too square on.
Click to expand...

No-one has commented yet on the overall composition; I think it's just splendid.

Things I would have done differently, fwiw (and I've said it often, I'm not an expert).. I'd have got her to take her hand out of her pocket and create a bit of space between the body and arm. That would have looked a bit more balanced and allowed some more of the rim to hit the clothes - which is what fashion is meant to be about, after all.

It might have looked cool - or perhaps contrived - if the line of her trousers continued up her right forearm to the line of windows in the roof.

I quite like the square on stance but it has left her chest lacking shadow and definition; my interest in physicality would have prompted me to get her to turn her body slightly away from the key to generate some interest there.

The other thing I would have tried would be to gel the key light with a CTO and let the shadows in the background go an interesting deep blue. Again, it might not have worked but I'm having fun with that kind of thing myself at the moment.

Really, though, those are just things I would have tried in the spirit of experimentation; it's a cool shot as it is.
 
juggler said:
No-one has commented yet on the overall composition; I think it's just splendid.

Things I would have done differently, fwiw (and I've said it often, I'm not an expert).. I'd have got her to take her hand out of her pocket and create a bit of space between the body and arm. That would have looked a bit more balanced and allowed some more of the rim to hit the clothes - which is what fashion is meant to be about, after all.

It might have looked cool - or perhaps contrived - if the line of her trousers continued up her right forearm to the line of windows in the roof.

I quite like the square on stance but it has left her chest lacking shadow and definition; my interest in physicality would have prompted me to get her to turn her body slightly away from the key to generate some interest there.

The other thing I would have tried would be to gel the key light with a CTO and let the shadows in the background go an interesting deep blue. Again, it might not have worked but I'm having fun with that kind of thing myself at the moment.

Really, though, those are just things I would have tried in the spirit of experimentation; it's a cool shot as it is.
Click to expand...

There are too many straight lines - right arm, legs - and she looks bored. I'm not trying to be harsh, but it's not a fashion shot. It looks like a test shot to me, Phil. There's just no dynamism at all.
 
I like it.

In many fashion shoots the makeup girl would have softened her very pale chest to give a more tanned look.
However I think what you have, is more today. many girls are pale and keep most of their skin out of the sun.
The more I look at it the more it seem natural.

I think your instincts about the white spot on the floor are right. it needs something in that region to balance the light and shade composition.
A car tyre about there would have done the trick.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top