However, the skin has a strong blue cast that IMHO is unflattering to the model. Perhaps your objective was to focus on the red dress, which doesn't appear to be detrimentally affected by the blue cast, but I still think the skin should be warmed some.
How did you pose the model to get that great flowing look in the dress, that really enhances the impression of "floating" in the air. Good job!
The most believable would of course be submerge the model in an actual swimming pool, with underwater strobes, and merge that shot into your nicely done "water room" as you are now doing. I'll guess an easier, but far less good, method would be for a fan to disrupt her hair, but I doubt that will really suggest water submersion. Still yet, have her hang upside down to get her hair "falling up" and merge the hair image. As it now, her perfectly tidy pillbox hair bun is, for me, just not allowing her to become part of scene. How about a few well placed bubbles, as they's appear around her garment and head?
Perhaps I've misunderstood your intent, or that you and others feel your current results create the notion of a woman underwater. The problem may be mine.
John, I get your points but, I dunno... I respond to it only favorably. I'm not so literal about it.
My personal guess is the intent wasn't for the model to appear to be actually submerged in water… dunking a girl is pretty straightforward if that’s what one wants.
I like the image(s) and one reason is, to me they aren’t that literal or contrived. To me there is a really well done handling and composite going on that evokes an ephemeral quality about the moment and pose – certainly floating but not at risk of oxygen deprivation if she doesn’t make it to the surface soon.
The impression is in-context-tense, but mood-wise relaxed... a bit other-worldly, unusual, visually appealing – to me at least, not un-believable lighting – I think they’re very intriguing, interesting images. And again, to my eye, impressive compositing.
As you say, perhaps I don’t understand devisor’s intent. But I admire the work and I have no complaints with the images.
John, if I have had budget to buy gear to do this kind of shoot under water I would.. much more fun and less hassle. Before I started to do the project I studioet a lot of underwater shoots, and one of the things I noticed, is that a lot of them don't have bubbles around the garmit. Mostly when I build setup like this, I try to create a fiction, a fantasy.
I was hoping for some editing tips, and not expensive shooting tips :P
