Originally Posted by Frank Petronio
Just a Xmas snap, it's Ugh season here.
That's a great pose, Frank. Very well put together shot. Like to know more how you did it..... Did you let her do her thing or did you pose her?.... What are the tech details of the shot etc?
Thanks!
I usually tell people how to pose, starting with their feet and working up, adjusting as we go. Then I use Photoshop's Liquify filter to make them look how they think they should appear. Usually that means less gut and more chest.
I forgot the details but I use Portra 400 and probably shot it around 1/125 at f/11 to prevent her movement from blurring. People tend to shimmy and shake so I find I need to use a faster shutter speed or get them really calm and mellow by boring them to death.
You make it sound all so easy, Frank! And I suppose when you are a Pro - it is. Experience, eye... capture. I'd like know how you selected the site.... by walking around with the model, or did you pre-plan - a lot of coordination there in terms of ambient colour and her clothing. The stance off side the corner, the hands gripping each other behind her back, the scarf..... did you work on that or did it "just happen".... somehow I don't think so..... Either you're too modest, or too cagey to give up your MO
with these models. Maybe it's just your TALENT clicking in, and you can't explain it....
This is the kind of stuff I'd like to learn. For you PROs it's probably trivial..... but it is very useful for this rank amateur to understand how a photo like this come about..
I like the AA "40 Photographs" book, where he explains his mindset and circumstances of each shot.
Grey concrete works with most any color, she chose her outfit and it was just a casual quickee so I could test a camera, like we texted an hour ahead of time and met outside a local restaurant parking lot. I had noticed the concrete before. She's a college girl who found me on Model Mayhem, convenient and local for doing a quick test like this.
As for posing I wanted her to do something a little different and I wanted to make her look as trim as possible since she had recently lost some weight, to be blunt. There are plenty of ways to do this but walking her legs forward and making her as long as possible is a start, as well as rolling her shoulders back (which brings the chest out) and rotating the hips so you get the maximum differential between her hips and waist (maximize her curves).
I'm not happy with her hands but I think it is good to see that she has both of her arms, not a fan of amputations.
I did indeed lessen some of the lumps in her clothing and thin her slightly in Photoshop, maybe a little more than I should of but most people appreciate it, especially women. Better not to mention it in public usually. Of course you can debate body image all you want but in the end....
To get the expression, well I am so good looking that most women give me that wanton mysterious look.... Not. But sometimes I will ask them to act or give me the look they give their boyfriends or something like that. It's a fine line and if you are creepy (or they take it as creepy) then they won't give you anything but if they are safe and you have a comfort level then people will act a little for you.
You do have to judge people, size them up. If I am a 52-year old guy who says "stick your boobs out" to some subjects they'll take it poorly. Most people will laugh because they know I'm joking around (except I'm not, I really do want them to get their chest out and not slouch). But you'd be stupid to say that to a stranger or a prissy, serious lady. Instead I'll be more elegant and ask them to roll their shoulders back, make themselves as tall as possible in the same position, etc. You do whatever works, including shocking people sometimes.
It's really just a 4x5 snapshot, the sort of thing that will please the subject... but thanks for the compliment. There are many stronger pictures here but you just have to keep shooting and work through things so that when the opportunity comes for something really great you'll be able to respond.
Ok, thanks Frank. Yeah, I don't think it's one of your best pictures here either, but somehow it works. I think the hands work... if you had not seen her hands it would have been a weird amputation for sure. But that pose makes her more vulnerable, in that concrete corner with her clasped hands behind her. Some "girl next door - cornered" vibe going on. The colours work great too.
Thanks for taking the time to explain your thinking. I'd like to see more "background" on posted pictures in general.
Merry Christmas!
very nice photo
Escaped the chaos of big-family Christmas for a quick afternoon hike in fresh snow. Owls Head ME. speed graphic, tiltall, trioplan 210mm at 5.6, tmy2 in PMK.
tmy2 in PMK is an awesome combination for handling dappled light in snow highlights.
Too busy to clean it up. 210 Sironar S, 5x7 Delta 100 in divided Pyrocat M
David Cary
www.milfordguide.nz
As you say, Frank, it's not your strongest image (but it's still a LOT better than I could do, though!), but I just wanted to thank you for a thoughtful and exhaustive answer.
Although it wasn't me who asked the original question, I still read your reply with interest.
Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge... it's appreciated.
Happy holidays!
I am sorry, but I have to say this... my eyes are straining to make contact with the eyes on your model (eye contact is the first thing people tend to look for on a tight portrait). You have captured all the main facial characteristics in dim light while there is an obvious light source on the right (as we see the image)... why didn't you turn the whole set-up to make use of this light?
Too busy to clean it up. 210 Sironar S, 5x7 Delta 100 in divided Pyrocat M
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