Johan Combrink
New member
I am new here and thought i would post some work from the last two days.....CC always welcome.
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Funky
- Thread starter Johan Combrink
- Start date
Bart_van_der_Wolf
pro member
Hi Johan,
Welcome to OPF, hope you'll like it here.
I've spent quite some time looking/staring at the images you posted, trying to identify what it exactly is that IMHO is missing. There are lots of things I do like, the model is pleasant to look at, exposure level seems good, you've given the images attention in postprocessing.
A few things, like the cut off elbows in the first, and the Photoshopped halo and her disappearing left arm in the second image, are unfortunate. However, because I know how easy it is to comment from the side line, take my remarks as mere personal observations, rather than critique.
I think that the deciding thing that's troubling me, because I do want to like the images, is probably the main almost frontal lighting that's too overpowering. I think that if you reduce frontal/fill, or choose a more angled main lighting, things would become more interesting, for me anyway.
Hope to see more,
Bart
Johan Combrink
New member
Thankyou for the constructive crit. I agree...the main light is a little hot, and will turn it down a little in the future. thank you.
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Johan,
Let me add my handshake to Bart's welcome! Glad to have you on board. Your work shows impressive skills in photoshop and I do like the model and her dress. The mood is supposed to be a bit mysterious with the woman somewhat seductive but perhaps psychologically dark? We are not given a title or the the idea behind the shoot or it's possible end use. For a particular magazine typeface (to go over the dark areas), it might, for example, be just right. As it is, the image might be suffering from your expertise in photoshop. This is itself seductive! It can lead us to using that more than a greater investment in lighting to present her skin looking soft and lovely. But it's more complex than that. The image must appear in balance between the elements.
You first picture is packed with noticed elements in pose, pretty face and the glowing skin. Somehow these are not fused in the total presentation. The cut off arms add to the disjointed feeling. Given that, it seems to me that for this rare example an extra wide black frame would make her be restricted in her space and looking out. The image and the frame would have to reduced to about 80% of the current size to see it in one go. When the image is very big and requires even a little scrolling, any tendency for elements to separate themselves and declare independence from the unity of the image, is enhanced.
As an example, the detail on the dress is so well delivered compared to the smoothed skin that it appears far more important and the eyes are drawn away from her. If the here hair on her right was made more visible then the attention might be drawn back to her face. I'd tone down the curves on the black leather ? top and cut down the sharpening to tame it and allow the face to dominate. You might even try a slight blur to bring it in conformity to the skin rendition. I think you will then like this picture much more.
This second photograph is easier to contemplated on my laptop screen since I can see here in one go. Here, however, the detail in the skirt/pants is lost altogether so we have separate foci of interest: the shoes, arms and face! This is so easily remedied since you can develop another layer from the original RAW file and use that for the dress.
Thanks for jumping right in! Funky is fine and I hope you will continue this. If you will, I'll move it to long term projects by a particular photographer in "Riskiit".
Asher
Let me add my handshake to Bart's welcome! Glad to have you on board. Your work shows impressive skills in photoshop and I do like the model and her dress. The mood is supposed to be a bit mysterious with the woman somewhat seductive but perhaps psychologically dark? We are not given a title or the the idea behind the shoot or it's possible end use. For a particular magazine typeface (to go over the dark areas), it might, for example, be just right. As it is, the image might be suffering from your expertise in photoshop. This is itself seductive! It can lead us to using that more than a greater investment in lighting to present her skin looking soft and lovely. But it's more complex than that. The image must appear in balance between the elements.
You first picture is packed with noticed elements in pose, pretty face and the glowing skin. Somehow these are not fused in the total presentation. The cut off arms add to the disjointed feeling. Given that, it seems to me that for this rare example an extra wide black frame would make her be restricted in her space and looking out. The image and the frame would have to reduced to about 80% of the current size to see it in one go. When the image is very big and requires even a little scrolling, any tendency for elements to separate themselves and declare independence from the unity of the image, is enhanced.
As an example, the detail on the dress is so well delivered compared to the smoothed skin that it appears far more important and the eyes are drawn away from her. If the here hair on her right was made more visible then the attention might be drawn back to her face. I'd tone down the curves on the black leather ? top and cut down the sharpening to tame it and allow the face to dominate. You might even try a slight blur to bring it in conformity to the skin rendition. I think you will then like this picture much more.
This second photograph is easier to contemplated on my laptop screen since I can see here in one go. Here, however, the detail in the skirt/pants is lost altogether so we have separate foci of interest: the shoes, arms and face! This is so easily remedied since you can develop another layer from the original RAW file and use that for the dress.
Thanks for jumping right in! Funky is fine and I hope you will continue this. If you will, I'll move it to long term projects by a particular photographer in "Riskiit".
Asher
Johan Combrink
New member
Asher, thank you for your tremendous response, much appreciated.
Yes the theme is supposed to be slightly dark in nature, and was mainly for a hair stylist, and now realise i needed to have my hair light slightly stronger.
In the first image the dress/top is actually made of some material with shiny bit, not sure of the exact name. It does how ever fit her very well. I understand what you mean when you refer to a softening of the dress and I did sharpen it slightly to much for th web image. Thanks for this tip
On the second image, I hear you about th detail in the dress and top, and will give it a go to add more detail. With such a downsized image one does loose a lot, and I am still new to enhance it well for web sized images. Thanks.
About the longterm project.....can I view a tutorial what this is about....I will have a look....thanks
Again thank you for all the advice, as I am always willing to learn. I have only being taking photographs now for about 2.5 years and feel I need to improve more specifically with lighting and creating effects. I am not a technical photographer and generally prefer shooting what I "see" think looks good. I need to spend some time on technicals....which i actually hate.....hehehehe
Yes the theme is supposed to be slightly dark in nature, and was mainly for a hair stylist, and now realise i needed to have my hair light slightly stronger.
In the first image the dress/top is actually made of some material with shiny bit, not sure of the exact name. It does how ever fit her very well. I understand what you mean when you refer to a softening of the dress and I did sharpen it slightly to much for th web image. Thanks for this tip
On the second image, I hear you about th detail in the dress and top, and will give it a go to add more detail. With such a downsized image one does loose a lot, and I am still new to enhance it well for web sized images. Thanks.
About the longterm project.....can I view a tutorial what this is about....I will have a look....thanks
Again thank you for all the advice, as I am always willing to learn. I have only being taking photographs now for about 2.5 years and feel I need to improve more specifically with lighting and creating effects. I am not a technical photographer and generally prefer shooting what I "see" think looks good. I need to spend some time on technicals....which i actually hate.....hehehehe
Johan Combrink
New member
Ok, here is one including the arms......any better ?
I have my thoughts, but would love yours
I have my thoughts, but would love yours
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Johan,
This is so much better! We still don't have an end use for your photograph? May I try one?
The girl now is less awkward. The arms seem to have irregularities in texture, perhaps she was cold or maybe this is from Photoshopping.
Asher
This is so much better! We still don't have an end use for your photograph? May I try one?
The girl now is less awkward. The arms seem to have irregularities in texture, perhaps she was cold or maybe this is from Photoshopping.
Asher
Johan Combrink
New member
Thanks Asher. Yes she was cold, as it is winter here in South Africa right now and cold for us at about 15 deg C right now.....yeah cold for us.....brrrrrr....