the dream stage
Alyssa 6
Posted by Ken McCoy (Orlando-Daytona Beach, FL, United States) on 3 January 2008 in People & Portrait.
Another, more "whimsical" reclining posture.
ColNed Pictures from Amersfoort, Netherlands
Another great shot, very nice cropping !
3 Jan 2008 8:07am
MadScientist from Düsseldorf, Germany
Very sweet - and I guess there's more behind that sweetness. Great!
3 Jan 2008 5:47pm
@MadScientist: Well, she does have a mysterious expression. Thanks for the comment!
Dean Francis from Midwest, United States
I read your profile, so, here are some suggestions. Good shot, but the skin tone is clearly light on her to start with. Post processing is always an option to correct the dain of photographers: turning your model into Casper the ghost. That should not be the case as her complexion appears flawless and it is a good shot you've captured. The skin tone is ghosted further by the proximity of her white clothing. Ultimately, what decreases your ability to control the tonality (warmth) has alot to do with the black clothing and background. You have the triad of factors working against your model. High contrast black & white will cause the fair skin to seem even lighter. Alternatively, a neutral background might blend and offer no contrast. With her outfit and skin tone, a different background is about all you could have changed during the shot. I might have flashed her from a side angle to increase the tonality along her face. I might have tried a warming filter as well. Another option is to simply convert the shot to black & white, then adjust some tonality. On the flip side, another outfit might have been the fix. Good luck. P.S.: I would have been very happy to take this shot myself. Regarding the pose, keep the hips a little lower (size perception) and remove the hand from the hipline. You took a nice photo and can do much better with very little effort. If you can garner some clientel, they will notice the difference and return for more. Ultimately, these headshots impact their careers and they will appreciate your work.
4 Jan 2008 12:27am
@Dean Francis: Thanks for the extensive comments and good tips. Rearranging the lights to contour the face might be the best solution - fixing the color balance and exposure on the face would be fairly easy but I don't know if it would have the kind of impact you describe. The photo was processed quite a bit in the face/arms - although invisibly given your compliment regarding her complexion - thanks for that :) She has a very light complexion - it's good to know to keep an eye on the "Casper effect" in the future. Watch your email - I'll send a copy of the unretouched original FYI. Thanks again for commenting!
Dean Francis from Midwest, United States
Your a gentleman. Please, feel free to comment heavily on any of my photos. Hint: Tear up my barn if you get a chance. I tried something with the focus that didn't come out the way I wanted. Oh well. I'll post a portrait soon and you can tear that up as well. You deserve that at least for being a good sport. I look forward to your input. Thanks.
4 Jan 2008 3:10am
Nikon D70
1/60 second
F/7.1
69 mm (35mm equiv.)