This shot started out as an attempt to reproduce something in the style of my shot from the day before yesterday, but in the end it turned out rather differently – mostly because I think this shot suits a much softer approach. And as such it makes a bit of a change from the last two, both of which had a much more ‘commercial’ feel (and I’m still waiting for the email from either HP or Coca Cola offering me vast amounts of money for my previous two shots … but I’m not holding my breath ;-)
If we’d had more time, i.e. my wife and I, I might have attempted to make this shot a bit more ‘polished’ – tidied up the loose strands of hair, set up the tripod to make getting the right composition a little less hit and miss – but at the moment our time to play around taking photographs is rather limited. By the time we’ve got all the kids to sleep the fine details of fashion and glamour photography are just a bit too much to be bothered with.
All that said, I like this shot, but my wife commented that she thought she looked miserable. In my opinion I think she has quite an enigmatic smile :-)
And finally, I did two versions of this shot – this one, and a horizontally reversed black and white version – and I don’t really know which one I like best. If anyone’s interested I could post the other version tomorrow.
camera capture date aperture shutter speed shooting mode exposure bias metering mode ISO focal length image quality white balance optical filter
Canon G5
10.22pm on 8/3/04
f3.2
1/60
aperture priority
+1 2/3
evaluative
50
14.4mm
RAW
auto
B+W UV 010
This is a great portrait. You know, this would make a great background image if your wife decided to take up blogging. ;) I'd definately like to see the other version.
Did you use a special background for this or did you just do it in front of a white wall or something?
comment byRichard at 07:40 AM (GMT) on 9 March, 2004
The composition and the space is great!
The only negative thing I can see is that her face seems overly PS'd - especially the eye. The face seems 'smoothened out' too much.
Apart from that it's really, really good.
comment by djn1 at 08:11 AM (GMT) on 9 March, 2004
quick update: I read the various comments this morning, particularly the one from Richard, and decided to have a quick go at reworking this image. However, when I opened my resized Photoshop file I found that I'd saved it as a flattened image. So, I went back to the full size version and had another go at sorting it out. This version retains a bit more detail in my wife's face, her eye is less drastically PS'd, and the overall contrast of the image has been heightened. I guess that one of the downsides of posting an image a day is that sometimes things get put up that really would have benefited from a bit more time/attention ;-)
comment by djn1 at 08:22 AM (GMT) on 9 March, 2004
Kim and spunwithtears: thanks (and I will post the other version tomorrow).
John: it's the curtain in our lounge - the same one as I used for this shot.
comment byDaniel at 08:24 AM (GMT) on 9 March, 2004
This picture is very good. Mostly people tend to center things to much in photographs. Maybe they are afraid of not showing everything important.
comment byjames m at 09:41 AM (GMT) on 9 March, 2004
The framing on this is great with the huge empty space on the right.
the first look at yours convinced me! you are good! i love the recent photographs and can see that you pay a lot of attention to 'the finishing' of your splendid images.
btw tell your pretty partner she doesn't look awful at all!
i love your feeling for colours and compositions
linked you right now!
seeya Paul!
comment byHouser at 02:42 PM (GMT) on 9 March, 2004
For what it's worth, I really dig this (and the other) shot. They show how "over-exposed" is not necessarily a bad word. They both have a surreal, dream-like quality about them. Some of your other work is beutifully crisp and rich. This is a nice deviation. Shows you got mo' skilz to unleash on us avid fans.
comment byemarquetti at 04:47 PM (GMT) on 9 March, 2004
Very nice the contrast between the white wall/ pink jaket and her green eye.
Nice work!
comment byMikee at 10:41 PM (GMT) on 9 March, 2004
Awesome yet again! The only criticism I'd have is her facial expression, only because her slight smirk looks like she's embarassed or about to laugh. Love it though!
comment by djn1 at 11:20 AM (GMT) on 10 March, 2004
Thanks everyone, and Mikee: I think it was probably the latter :-)
This shot started out as an attempt to reproduce something in the style of my shot from the day before yesterday, but in the end it turned out rather differently – mostly because I think this shot suits a much softer approach. And as such it makes a bit of a change from the last two, both of which had a much more ‘commercial’ feel (and I’m still waiting for the email from either HP or Coca Cola offering me vast amounts of money for my previous two shots … but I’m not holding my breath ;-)
If we’d had more time, i.e. my wife and I, I might have attempted to make this shot a bit more ‘polished’ – tidied up the loose strands of hair, set up the tripod to make getting the right composition a little less hit and miss – but at the moment our time to play around taking photographs is rather limited. By the time we’ve got all the kids to sleep the fine details of fashion and glamour photography are just a bit too much to be bothered with.
All that said, I like this shot, but my wife commented that she thought she looked miserable. In my opinion I think she has quite an enigmatic smile :-)
And finally, I did two versions of this shot – this one, and a horizontally reversed black and white version – and I don’t really know which one I like best. If anyone’s interested I could post the other version tomorrow.
capture date
aperture
shutter speed
shooting mode
exposure bias
metering mode
ISO
focal length
image quality
white balance
optical filter
10.22pm on 8/3/04
f3.2
1/60
aperture priority
+1 2/3
evaluative
50
14.4mm
RAW
auto
B+W UV 010
Stunning.. I would love to see the other one also
wonderful
This is a great portrait. You know, this would make a great background image if your wife decided to take up blogging. ;) I'd definately like to see the other version.
Did you use a special background for this or did you just do it in front of a white wall or something?
The composition and the space is great!
The only negative thing I can see is that her face seems overly PS'd - especially the eye. The face seems 'smoothened out' too much.
Apart from that it's really, really good.
quick update: I read the various comments this morning, particularly the one from Richard, and decided to have a quick go at reworking this image. However, when I opened my resized Photoshop file I found that I'd saved it as a flattened image. So, I went back to the full size version and had another go at sorting it out. This version retains a bit more detail in my wife's face, her eye is less drastically PS'd, and the overall contrast of the image has been heightened. I guess that one of the downsides of posting an image a day is that sometimes things get put up that really would have benefited from a bit more time/attention ;-)
Kim and spunwithtears: thanks (and I will post the other version tomorrow).
John: it's the curtain in our lounge - the same one as I used for this shot.
This picture is very good. Mostly people tend to center things to much in photographs. Maybe they are afraid of not showing everything important.
The framing on this is great with the huge empty space on the right.
another excellent pic djn ...
hey dj, thanks for your comments on my place!
the first look at yours convinced me! you are good! i love the recent photographs and can see that you pay a lot of attention to 'the finishing' of your splendid images.
btw tell your pretty partner she doesn't look awful at all!
i love your feeling for colours and compositions
linked you right now!
seeya Paul!
For what it's worth, I really dig this (and the other) shot. They show how "over-exposed" is not necessarily a bad word. They both have a surreal, dream-like quality about them. Some of your other work is beutifully crisp and rich. This is a nice deviation. Shows you got mo' skilz to unleash on us avid fans.
Very nice the contrast between the white wall/ pink jaket and her green eye.
Nice work!
Awesome yet again! The only criticism I'd have is her facial expression, only because her slight smirk looks like she's embarassed or about to laugh. Love it though!
Thanks everyone, and Mikee: I think it was probably the latter :-)