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xenilk posted:
This captures what these photos are supposed to capture. Very, very nice. My son is definitely going to be a photographer:  Framing the Shot by torgeaux, on Flickr
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Jan 22, 2013 03:21
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After peeping out this thread for a long time, and practicing on my wife and baby I tried to take some headshots for a composer friend this past week. The process was illuminating and I plan to do more with other musician friends (since all of us musicians like current photos for publicity, no complaints) - after a couple more planning on charging rater than the current "shoot for beer" policy. I wanted to get any and all advice that you all might offer on 5 shots from the shoot. I think I like the black and white one the best - the only one shot on film - but given my poo poo scanner and the cost and time associated with film I don't know how much I would want to actually go down the all film route. I also didn't realize until I got back how similar all of the shots seemed, most likely due to my inexperience directing a shoot. He liked the last one the most (the sunset one) but I did not - it took a lot of post getting the temperature to be consistent and there were difficulties with the backlighting but something about it made him choose that as the favorite.  Scan-130122-0008 by Paul Hofreiter, on Flickr  DSC01508 by Paul Hofreiter, on Flickr  DSC01498 by Paul Hofreiter, on Flickr  DSC01529-Edit by Paul Hofreiter, on Flickr  DSC01548 by Paul Hofreiter, on Flickr I think on the next one I want to try to pose the subject but other than using pictures of common poses (and a lot of those look very cliched) I don't really know where to start. This time I just chose where I wanted him to stand that might work with the background and shot.
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Jan 26, 2013 06:43
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I like that movie where he's bipolar. Jennifer Lawrence is a QT
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Jan 26, 2013 07:23
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I like the second to last the most, independent of the subject, which unfortunately is the stumbling block in all of those. He seems very uncomfortable, deer in headlights comes to mind. He just isn't comfortable in any of them. On a different note, he's got a pretty noticeable tree growing out of his head in the second shot.
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Jan 26, 2013 08:39
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Reichstag posted:I like the second to last the most, independent of the subject, which unfortunately is the stumbling block in all of those. He seems very uncomfortable, deer in headlights comes to mind. He just isn't comfortable in any of them. Yeah, that look was probably part being out in the lower than usual cold temperature, part my lack of direction and also partially that he does tend to look like that normally. I saw it almost immediately from his body language and that is why I didn't take anything that was not shoulders/head for the most part. Since I expect not really shooting models and more working musicians (not the extroverted types either) are there any tips in terms of how to not get the deer in headlights look? Thanks a lot for the reply by the way - it definitely helped with how I am looking at these.
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Jan 26, 2013 10:29
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I've never done any headshots so I don't know exactly what the ideal outcome looks like, but in general just be talking to the subject and setting them at ease. When the photographer clams up people get self conscious and begin to assume unnatural poses. This is when having a tripod and release cable/remote is very helpful, as just coming out from behind the camera can have a big effect on people forgetting themselves.
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Jan 26, 2013 12:02
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I will have to try that. I was trying to talk to him while shooting at first but it wasn't really working, like I was getting weird mouth shapes and whatnot. I was trying to practice on myself this afternoon - it took like 50 shots before finding something that looked natural. I'm sure that it is old news to most of you but I was surprised how unnatural it felt to put my head just how I wanted it to be to get the various angles to look right and even then it wasn't 100%. It was also surprising how my imagined self image while sitting was often so different from what was captured in the images. I still feel like something is off - is it because i cut off my legs below the knees? Too crotchy? I like the picture and I feel like I learned from the process but any advice would be appreciated.  DSC01764 by Paul Hofreiter, on Flickr
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Jan 26, 2013 22:56
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psylent posted:Thanks so much! Can I see some samples of your work? Please excuse the horrendous processing. My portfolio is in physical media and I have a bad scanner. I took these the other day.  
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Jan 27, 2013 00:28
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rcman50166 posted:Please excuse the horrendous processing. My portfolio is in physical media and I have a bad scanner. Usually I'm actually a fan of 255/255/255 highlights (I mean white is supposed to be loving white), but it's a bit much in the second shot, there's just zero detail and it looks like it's doing weird color things to the kid's fingers.
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Jan 27, 2013 02:44
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It actually didn't start off too bad, but there are a ton of processes that alter the way it originally looks. It goes from camera, to cheap software, to a print, to my horrendous scanner, to here. Also, not to start a list of excuses but lighting is also a challenge with what I do. The camera room I work in has 4 Alienbee B1600s. One main with a 47" octabox, two "kickers" (think fill but coming from the rear corners of the room) with 10"x36" stripbox and a hair light (above the room biased to the backdrop) with a 24"x36" stripbox. It's near impossible to meter them correctly and try to take photos of a baby at the same time. Another challenge is that the lighting I use is pretty dynamic on the center axis (the axis that goes from left to right) but not very dynamic when it comes to the camera axis or the elevation axis mainly due to the hair light. Taller subjects are generally slightly over exposed and shorter ones are under. I try to compensate for babies (the first one is pretty much straight from the camera for example) by turning the main up a smidge but I went over a little bit on the second photo. So basically yeah, it's a tad blown out and I can't correct it with the software I use. Mom loved the photo though. What do you mean about weird color stuff going on? Are you talking about the purplish hue goin' on there?
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Jan 27, 2013 08:02
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McMadCow posted:More from my shoot last week. This guy was pretty awesome. I really like this idea but for some reason it's only the final one that gets it right for me. I'm trying to put my finger on why. I think the others are good, for sure, but when I hit the last one I thought "THAT'S what it should be". I think it's because it looks the most oppressive. It leaves more of an impact on me, whereas the others don't have that effect. The one with the hand grasping the guy's coat should work, to that effect, but I think maybe the hand flat against him would've been better. That's all very much personal opinion, I know, but I thought I'd chuck it in because of the significantly greater impact the final shot had on me. I went from going "huh, yeah. Nice" to "OH! Oh wow"
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Jan 27, 2013 10:07
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rcman50166 posted:It actually didn't start off too bad, but there are a ton of processes that alter the way it originally looks. It goes from camera, to cheap software, to a print, to my horrendous scanner, to here. You need to be careful with how you show people pictures. We're going to see the image and not care about the disclaimer that its been through two wars and a natural disaster. What do you mean it's impossible to meter correctly? Use a lightmeter? I think four lights is overkill for babbys anyway. You can get away with just using that octa with how small and tiny they are.
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Jan 27, 2013 13:12
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It's been a while since I've been able to shoot. Here's the last stuff I've had time to do. Badrul has seen too much by thetzar, on Flickr  Untitled by thetzar, on Flickr  Clayton is tired of your poo poo #2 by thetzar, on Flickr  Clayton is tired of your poo poo #1 by thetzar, on Flickr
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Jan 27, 2013 21:14
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Paragon8 posted:You need to be careful with how you show people pictures. We're going to see the image and not care about the disclaimer that its been through two wars and a natural disaster. I mean I have 20 minutes to get 18 different poses (company standard). With 3 background (also company standard) changes I don't have much time to play with the lights.
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Jan 27, 2013 21:52
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Then maybe don't show the soulless, meat-and-potatoes work you do where they don't let you change any of the setup or do anything creative and post something of your own work.
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Jan 27, 2013 22:36
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Gazmachine posted:Then maybe don't show the soulless, meat-and-potatoes work you do where they don't let you change any of the setup or do anything creative and post something of your own work. I might have put it slightly differently, but this. I have gig after gig of soulless headshot work, but it's poo poo I did for money, not artistic merit (well, SOME, but y'know), so I don't generally post that kinda thing. thetzar posted:
I'm a pretty big fan of this. Somehow B&W freckles always end up looking good.
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Jan 28, 2013 00:19
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Eh, I was asked if I had any examples I could show. Since my original reply was about how to pose a baby I thought I would post things that reflected that verses prioritizing the technical.
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Jan 28, 2013 01:24
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Well that was a bit difficult. I was with the family for 2 hours and the baby cried 90% of the time I was there, didn't really get the shots we'd hoped for. The parents are friends of mine so, I'm going back again tomorrow to try again. He calmed down towards the end of the session when I was packing up my lights and this is what he gave me. 
psylent fucked around with this message at 12:06 on Jan 28, 2013 |
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Jan 28, 2013 11:54
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Gazmachine posted:I really like this idea but for some reason it's only the final one that gets it right for me. I'm trying to put my finger on why. I think the others are good, for sure, but when I hit the last one I thought "THAT'S what it should be". I think it's because it looks the most oppressive. It leaves more of an impact on me, whereas the others don't have that effect. The one with the hand grasping the guy's coat should work, to that effect, but I think maybe the hand flat against him would've been better. Thanks! You're not alone in that, either. My instructors all love the last shot. I've been trying to show different ways the relationship can take place, but obviously that one seems to resonate the right way with a lot of people. I'm going to have to keep that in mind as I go forward.
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Jan 28, 2013 12:54
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psylent posted:Well that was a bit difficult. I was with the family for 2 hours and the baby cried 90% of the time I was there, didn't really get the shots we'd hoped for. The parents are friends of mine so, I'm going back again tomorrow to try again.
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Jan 28, 2013 13:03
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evil_bunnY posted:Was he even fed/rested when you showed up?
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Jan 28, 2013 13:55
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psylent posted:Yep, we even stopped for another feed break after the first hour. The parents were really apologetic, but what can you do? Poor kid just wasn't into it.
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Jan 28, 2013 15:18
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evil_bunnY posted:Wife works with infants and yeah, sometimes it just doesn't work. They tend to be better in the morning. That. Morning is pretty easy on kids at that age. And marketing wise it can also work quite well... booking babies in the morning and adults in the afternoon seems to work great for me.
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Jan 28, 2013 15:41
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rio posted:
I like this, the fourth one. It seems like he's the least uncomfortable, or there's something about the camera angle or lighting or something that just clicks. thetzar posted:
These are really good. Here's my recent work from this month:    
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Jan 28, 2013 16:52
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thetzar posted:It's been a while since I've been able to shoot. Here's the last stuff I've had time to do. What a great pic. You nailed it... Something about the freckles, b&w, and her expression.
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Jan 28, 2013 17:28
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It's always a shame when you get a freckled girl but all the shots in her book have them retouched out because most people are terrible at retouching freckles. I love 'em.
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Jan 28, 2013 18:03
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That is a great pic. I love shooting freckles! Think I get to shoot some soon!
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Jan 28, 2013 18:14
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red19fire posted:Here's my recent work from this month: The background really needs work, either in the pre or post stage. It looks uneven. You should either blow out the bg with a strobe or blow it out with curves, although the former works much better in terms of quality in the end result. You can also move the subject away from the background, a meter or so perhaps, that way you will avoid their head throwing shadows on the bg.
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Jan 28, 2013 18:21
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Shot some promo photos over the weekend. It was a fun style to work in, though the space that I had to shoot them in was loving terrible. Background needs a bit more work for one spot on one of the photos at least, but I'm sure there are other areas that I haven't noticed yet. Untitled by Myotomy, on Flickr  Untitled by Myotomy, on Flickr  Untitled by Myotomy, on Flickr  Untitled by Myotomy, on Flickr
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Jan 28, 2013 18:34
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RangerScum posted:Shot some promo photos over the weekend. It was a fun style to work in, though the space that I had to shoot them in was loving terrible. Background needs a bit more work for one spot on one of the photos at least, but I'm sure there are other areas that I haven't noticed yet. First one is the best. Second one is fine, I just don't like the model, personally. Third, awesome, but I'd fix up his cheek under his left eye (our right side). Seems dirty. Fourth, the light is splashing around his face. I like 'em though. Good job! Had the chance to shoot Hunter Moore the other day (drinking moonshine): 
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Jan 28, 2013 22:03
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evil_bunnY posted:Wife works with infants and yeah, sometimes it just doesn't work. They tend to be better in the morning. 
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Jan 28, 2013 23:18
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psylent posted:The shoot was at 10am, he just wasn't into it It's alright. I literally had hundreds of baby sessions last year. I'd say 15-20% of them had to reschedule because their kid was having an "unusually" bad day.
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Jan 29, 2013 03:28
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I took my twins in to get shot, it took about 4 hours to get a handful of photos from my friend and they were about 5 months old.
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Jan 29, 2013 03:32
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Have you seen my apex seals? I seem to have lost them.
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e: eh, decided to work on it some more
whereismyshoe fucked around with this message at 06:00 on Jan 29, 2013 |
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Jan 29, 2013 05:21
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I would say safely outside of the uncanny valley.
Chitin fucked around with this message at 16:38 on Jan 30, 2013 |
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Jan 29, 2013 05:34
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I think this model was the last shoot I'm going to do in this particular project. I have one more scene in the works, but that's going to be a much more elaborate staging. I like what I got out of it but I think I want to figure out something different now. Move this Way by McMadCow, on Flickr  Michal by McMadCow, on Flickr
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Jan 30, 2013 16:37
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McMadCow posted:I think this model was the last shoot I'm going to do in this particular project. I have one more scene in the works, but that's going to be a much more elaborate staging. I like what I got out of it but I think I want to figure out something different now. I think this model is the favorite of the series. The first picture, especially, is very technically good. The lighting and contrast is wonderfully on point.
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Jan 30, 2013 16:52
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McMadCow posted:I think this model was the last shoot I'm going to do in this particular project. I have one more scene in the works, but that's going to be a much more elaborate staging. I like what I got out of it but I think I want to figure out something different now. Fantastic, as always. What are these borders that you're using/getting? Are you actually making prints of everything?
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Jan 30, 2013 17:05
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thetzar posted:Fantastic, as always. What are these borders that you're using/getting? Are you actually making prints of everything? Thanks! All the B&W shots are darkroom prints, yeah. The border comes from using an oversized negative carrier and burning with split filters. I do make color prints as well, but the color shots here are edited neg scans.
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Jan 30, 2013 17:19
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McMadCow posted:I think this model was the last shoot I'm going to do in this particular project. I have one more scene in the works, but that's going to be a much more elaborate staging. I like what I got out of it but I think I want to figure out something different now. I LOVE these. This concept is a little iffy for me, sometimes it works for me, sometimes it doesnt, but I really like these. The model is great too.
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Jan 30, 2013 19:57
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