p.1 #1 · First beauty shoot: Ning | Los Angeles, CA
Well, here's my first stab at doing a beauty shoot. Wanted a bare, bright look. First shoot of 2013! Feeling good about my start to the year. C/C appreciated as always.
p.1 #6 · First beauty shoot: Ning | Los Angeles, CA
ChiShutter, good shots. But, I don't like the perceived green tinge in the hair and lips. Either a stronger blue or green. As it is it looks like color cast. My 10c.
p.1 #7 · First beauty shoot: Ning | Los Angeles, CA
Howdy,
My comments or suggestions below are not a criticism of you, your model, your talent or skill. I offer them in a friendly tone of voice and with the sole intent to help you with a second POV and set of eyes. If you read sincere questions and simple suggestions as "criticism" of you, then you will miss how I am trying to help you.
Of course this may be your own "style" or your own "vision" and I suppose we can assume that the images look just like they do because that is exactly how you like them. That is OK too. It just shows that there are differences of "opinion" on what looks good. IF these are exactly what you want and like, then by all means continue making your images look like that and have fun doing it. I can only speak for myself and what I do or do not find appealing in the posted photos. As I always say: "Follow your own muse."
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She is pretty, and that always helps a photo.
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As I see it, a "Beauty Photo" is all about details and the woman's goal of "perfection," and eliminating anything that distracts from the subject.
So, when glancing down these photos I had these QUICK observations (and the numbers have nothing to do with the images or order):
1. She is pretty..
2. She knows how to pose... Good job by the model.
3. The hair styling is the thing (subject)...and so I think the best images were 5 and 6 as the hair looks more unusual (and interesting) in those images.
3. The photographer missed several small details before the shots were made (pipe or chair in corner of image 2, hair out of place...like fly aways and a gap in bangs in two images, etc.)...Some of these can be fixed by cropping or retouch.
4. Beauty Shots are often about "perfection"....so I suggest you should not show imperfect teeth (see image 6....this could have been solved by simply saying "close your lips" or a lack of lipstick (look closely) in another two images).
5. My favorite or what I consider the strongest image of this set is the last one image 6. Mostly due to the hair style but also a good pose and not bad of the model etc.
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That all said, I think you did a good job, the model did a very good job, and now it is up to the retoucher to finish the images to the level one expects (or is accustomed to seeing) for this genre.
Given that most photos we see in magazines (where this style is usually seen) are HEAVILY retouched, it is nice to see a photo that shows a beauty before retouching has eliminated all the imperfections.
p.1 #8 · First beauty shoot: Ning | Los Angeles, CA
Bfindlay wrote:
Wat gear, focal length,aperture, speed, special lighting did you use?
Well, that's a surprisingly detailed question!
Nikon D700, mostly shot with an 85mm 1.4G although I captured a handful with a 28-70 2.8 also. I was between f/7.1 and f/9-something throughout, which is a nice easy way to make sure everything's in focus.
I was mildly horrified to find out after the fact, when examining EXIF data, that I shot the vast majority of the set at 1/50 or even 1/40 -- but as you can see, with strobes it really doesn't matter. I was at ISO 200 in a darkened room; there is no ghosting from ambient in any of the shots. In any case, because I was shooting tethered and frequently checking focus on the eyes and lips at 100% zoom, I'd have noticed and adjusted if the slow shutter was causing problems.
As for lighting: A very simple setup. AB800 in a 28" BD (with diffusion sock) overhead and pointed down and slightly angled toward the model, about a foot in front of her, and maybe 18 inches above her. Silver reflector directly below the BD and in front of/below the model. Another AB800 aimed at the white seamless background. That's it!
p.1 #9 · First beauty shoot: Ning | Los Angeles, CA
Thanks for the comments, Steady! You have correctly perceived that retouching is not an area of strength for me! I did a bit of light skin smoothing and balanced the color between her real hair and the fake pieces (i.e., hair Saturn and its hair rings ), but that's it.
If I ever put a book together and make a serious run at making some money off this hobby, I will have these retouched by someone who knows what they're doing.
p.1 #16 · First beauty shoot: Ning | Los Angeles, CA
CoLmes wrote:
Just 2 AB's? I love that. So simple. Do you know what kind of power you had on each?
I don't recall the power settings precisely, but fairly low... The background light was probably at about 1/3 power, and the key light even lower.
), but that's it.