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Archive 2013 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

gempixel
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

Congratulations to gempixel for winning Feature Thread of the Week with 6 votes - View Previous Winners

Arranged to do a shoot with Sydney with some of the short lived wildflowers between Sedona and Cottonwood. After losing this chair at an Estate Sale, the family that beat me to it was still kind enough to let me borrow it for this shoot. After some planning with the family and Sydney we finally were on our way to the location and low and behold our location was full of campers! So we had to search for a new location with what little time we had before sunset and found this little patch.

Feel free to express your thoughts. :-)

Oct 28, 2013 at 10:01 AM

24Peter
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

Great looking model; cool concept. Your photos are getting better and better. My main comment is you've overlit your subject IMO. More of a natural balance between your subject and the beautiful background might have worked better. Typically the foreground (including your subject) would be a little darker in comparison to the setting sun. I get this is not supposed to be a literal interpretation of the moment, but there is something about the light on her that feels a little too much. Also, work on your composition in #1 & #2.

But all-in-all you are honing your skills nicely. In particular I applaud the effort it took to arrange the shoot with the couch, etc. And you have a nice eye for models. Good job.

Oct 28, 2013 at 10:32 AM

jefferies1
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

Nice concept but I would balance the ambient and flash better. Too flash looking which is taking away from the look. Some have too much shadow in the wrong places while other need a little shadow for depth and contrast.

Oct 28, 2013 at 11:11 AM

jeremy_clay
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

I would have to disagree with the accolades on the concept, unless someone can explain to me what the concept is? I see a model in a swimsuit on a couch in a desert - the suit doesn't sync with the scene, either by color nor any level of editorial styling. Maybe I'm missing it?

I would be careful how you choose to pose your subject. Every shot you've made your models' legs look far shorter then I presume they are - 2 especially looks cramped, as you've focused more on using the couch in your photo then having an objective view of the overall scene.

Oct 28, 2013 at 12:01 PM

John Caldwell
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

A sharp photo of a fuzzy idea, as I see it. Great looking woman in a nice environment, but the neither the wardrobe nor furniture relate, in my reading.

John Caldwell

Oct 28, 2013 at 12:26 PM

exposedme
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

jeremy_clay wrote:
I would have to disagree with the accolades on the concept, unless someone can explain to me what the concept is? I see a model in a swimsuit on a couch in a desert - the suit doesn't sync with the scene, either by color nor any level of editorial styling. Maybe I'm missing it?

Was thinking the exact same thing.

Oct 28, 2013 at 12:37 PM

gempixel
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

Thanks all for stopping by... I can see where she's coming in a little hot and I'm still working on that. As for the concept and those that might be missing it, it's my concept and I love it- that's what sets us apart :-) I still appreciate your opinions, some of which are very entertaining...

Good times,

Tim

Oct 28, 2013 at 04:45 PM

jeremy_clay
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

gempixel wrote:
Thanks all for stopping by... I can see where she's coming in a little hot and I'm still working on that. As for the concept and those that might be missing it, it's my concept and I love it- that's what sets us apart :-) I still appreciate your opinions, some of which are very entertaining...

Good times,

Tim

Hey Tim,

Don't leave us in the dark then, what is the concept/story to this series??

Oct 28, 2013 at 05:14 PM

gempixel
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

Hey Jeremy no intentions of leaving you or anyone else in the dark over my concepts. I prefer to leave that up to your imagination. It's an abstract idea I brought to life. I strongly believe that viewers with imagination will capture and define an image in their own unique way thus leaving ample room for the audiences own interpretations. That's why I take pictures and frequent Fred!

I understand that not everyone is going to agree with ideas that spontaneously pop up in my head all the time and which I will often go out of my way to manifest and I'm ok with that. I'm not here to have to explain myself or to please everyone. Either you like it or you don't.

Stay tuned for more photos to like or dislike from me soon

Tim

Oct 28, 2013 at 07:31 PM

jeremy_clay
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

Okies.

Oct 28, 2013 at 08:23 PM

garyvot
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

I like it.

I see no need for the suit and the sofa to relate in some obvious way; what works for me are the juxtapositions: the sleek, sophisticated woman with the funky, antique sofa, the near-complementary colors (turquoise / earth tones), all set in an unlikely environment.

For me the most successful image is #3 (the vertical), because the model's expression and pose seems genuine and spontaneous, whereas in the other images she is striking a pose and her real personality isn't coming through as much (to my eyes). Eliciting more humor and quirkiness would I think work well with your visual concept.

Kudos on the effort.

Oct 29, 2013 at 01:26 AM

JasperR
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

gempixel wrote:
Hey Jeremy no intentions of leaving you or anyone else in the dark over my concepts. I prefer to leave that up to your imagination. It's an abstract idea I brought to life. I strongly believe that viewers with imagination will capture and define an image in their own unique way thus leaving ample room for the audiences own interpretations. That's why I take pictures and frequent Fred!
I understand that not everyone is going to agree with ideas that spontaneously pop up in my head all the time and which I will often go out of my way to manifest...Show more →

That escalated quickly...

I'll agree with what has been said. Pretty girl who is completely out of place within the scene. Flash is way too powerful and needs to be dialed down. Posing is neither sexy/powerful, innocent/vulnerable, or sultry/seductive.
If your "concept" was to awkwardly pose a girl on a thrift store couch in the middle of some half dead flowers, you nailed it.

Oct 29, 2013 at 09:15 AM

gempixel
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

Thanks for taking the time to state your opinion. There both appreciated.

Oct 29, 2013 at 11:02 AM

Javier Crespin
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

She is stunning and you cut the legs of the couch on your best shot. The last one.

Oct 29, 2013 at 05:58 PM

Jim Rickards
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

Interesting thread.

I try to see both sides, because photography is so much about the eyes of the beholder.
That said, I'm not fond of couches in the wild and I think coordinating her clothing with the environment might work better (for me, that is). And I did find the lighting quite strong.

I'm puzzled by the comment about cutting the legs off the couch. Look at the other shots where they are not cut off. The grass hides the legs.

So some of our comments are "entertaining"?

Oct 30, 2013 at 01:43 AM

Javier Crespin
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

I'm puzzled by the comment about cutting the legs off the couch. Look at the other shots where they are not cut off. The grass hides the legs.

-So you agree there is room for improvement in regards to composition?

Oct 30, 2013 at 10:48 AM

Jim Rickards
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

Javier Crespin wrote:
I'm puzzled by the comment about cutting the legs off the couch. Look at the other shots where they are not cut off. The grass hides the legs.

-So you agree there is room for improvement in regards to composition?

Not with regards to the legs of the couch. I see no issue there. For a compositional improvement, maybe a slight crop of the left side to put her a bit more off center.

Oct 30, 2013 at 11:33 PM

popinvasion
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

Watch the background. The largish tree is distraction. The color of the suit should match the tones in the scene and couch, otherwise I like your attempt.

Oct 31, 2013 at 12:33 AM

gempixel
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

Jim Rickards wrote:
Not with regards to the legs of the couch. I see no issue there. For a compositional improvement, maybe a slight crop of the left side to put her a bit more off center.

Javier and Jim,

I think you both raised great points. There's no doubt a little more space underneath the settee would be acceptable. I see now there's other issues that need to be addressed first. Perhaps this is what Jim meant?
It didn't bother me obviously, but I'll consider this next time.

As for that damn distracting tree, that wasn't our first choice for location. Our original location had no cactus or trees just flowers and unfortunately when we got there it had been inundated with campers, tents and campfires. :-/
Thanks for your suggestion.

Happy Halloween,

Tim

Oct 31, 2013 at 10:41 AM

jfinite
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Fall Wildflowers with Sydney

Hmm, pretty incongruous styling/setting/lighting. Consider changing the bikini color to yellow.

Nov 10, 2013 at 01:51 AM

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