Carlotta

[LarsB]

I am REAL green when it comes to photography. I have been reading as many photography books as I could over the last year, but I just got my first DSLR (Canon 40D) in January, and shot Carlotta 2 weeks later (and lost half the images due to "pilot error" on the camera settings). I could really use feedback and suggestions on ALL aspects of photography.

Thanks,
Lars

[Arbib]

D**n.............(can I write that?)
Pretty good for a newbe...are you sure you are GREEN ?
The poses are nice and the lighting looks good too..

#2 framing may need to be a bit more centered and her head could be a little higher in the frame...But I guess you are using the rule (guide) of Thirds. That works better on your Landscape framing best. BUT...It can work in Portrait Framing too.

[clarionite]

Originally Posted by Arbib

D**n.............(can I write that?)
Pretty good for a newbe...are you sure you are GREEN ?
The poses are nice and the lighting looks good too..

I was thinking the same thing.

The 40D is good, but not that good. Some of this was due to the user.

Good start. I look forward to more like this.

[soupman]

Great start...and a beautiful model.

One suggestion I have is to light her hair from the back to separate her from the background. Her hair and the background blend together. #3 you have cropped blow her elbow and on my monitor her eyes seem soft.

I think you should schedule this beautiful model and do this again and again and keep posting.

[RSStory]

Very nice shots... I agree that the 2nd should be cropped differently. Less space on top and her more centered in the frame. In #3 the elbow was mentioned. Generally you dont want to crop below the elbow, but I dont find it too distracting in this shot. I also agree that a hair light would be very helpful here for some seperation. Very nice overall. Keep shooting and posting.

Scott

[SteveB]

For this series I believe all 3 should have been verticles. To me the way you have framed the shots are the only real weakness. With the exception of the hair light you are well on your way!

[LarsB]

Thanks for all the help.

I completely agree about a hair light to separate her hair from the background, and keeping the eyes sharp.

I had read about avoiding cropping at joints, but not about avoiding cropping below the elbow - are there any other cropping "rules of thumb" for glamour that I should know about?

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to decide between following the "rule of thirds" versus going with a more centered portrait framing?

Finally, I include the last good shot from that session - Carlotta in her Liza wig and tassels (yes - she can twirl them).

[Arbib]

Originally Posted by LarsB

Thanks for all the help.

I completely agree about a hair light to separate her hair from the background, and keeping the eyes sharp.

I had read about avoiding cropping at joints, but not about avoiding cropping below the elbow - are there any other cropping "rules of thumb" for glamour that I should know about?

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to decide between following the "rule of thirds" versus going with a more centered portrait framing?

Finally, I include the last good shot from that session - Carlotta in her Liza wig and tassels (yes - she can twirl them).

This is good example of "ROT's" and "centering" on one pose.
She crosses the frame from upper left to lower right, BUT, even though her head is off center..She is balanced from top left to bottom right. It works well here.

The Key is "Balance" or the "Appearance of Balance" for the ROT's. this pose gives the "Appearance of Balance" even though she posed diagonally in the frame...Nicely done.

[Jim Peters]

For Years I Worried About Those Cropping Rules.Then I Did my First Catalog Shoot,And In The End They Choped And Cliped The Poop Out Of Them!
When I Started To Drift Away From Standard Cropping And Croped Vertucals Into Horrizontals,Offsetting Them To The Right Or Left Slightly.My Customers Would Say WOW! THAT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING FROM RIGHT OUT OF A MOVIE!! In The END Listen To Your Customers.Ther'e The Ones Paying ,And Getting Paid For All Of This, As A Business, Is What Will Keep You Going.
You Do Need to Seperate The Hair Better from The Background.

[A.C. Gellert]

I have to agree with some of the others. All three images should have been vertical or what is called "portrait orientation", and in this case with the solid background centered, yet cropped tighter so as not to have so much "black" empty space. just my opinion.