I randomly worked on a few shots today, so I’ll just upload them quickly and see what comments arise from each one. They aren’t unified in any way, but I’ve given up on generating thematic blog posts at this point when it comes to photography. So here goes, and I guess the theme is “the shots I’ve processed since I last uploaded.”
Hang with me and this is bound to happen at some point
One thing this shot makes me think of is the fact that I really want to upload some pics of the studio and the tiny little space I was working with for full-body and jump shots. The backdrop ends right above Tamara’s head, so many jump shots were ruined by heads or hands moving past that line. But I liked this freewheeling leap, so I did the best I could with it anyway.
I really liked Tamara’s profile here. This one was taken pretty early in the shoot, as we all were trying to loosen into our roles; as the photographer, I’m still unfamiliar with guiding people through the process of getting their pictures taken, but this was one of my first attempts to get the models into a position I liked and provide them some direction.
And now for my favorite of the three I edited today (didn’t edit nearly as much I usually do when I’ve got new material to work on; but Candace and I wanted to make a shopping trip during Spring Break, so that’s what I did with most of my day).
The idea to pose while lying down came from Candace; it was my idea to have them close their eyes. I took a lot of shots while they were down there and have several I want to process, but so far I’ve only gotten one done. Many of the shots were ruined by the fact that I was unwittingly standing directly in front of a light source while shooting – I had to get up on a step stool to aim down at them, which not only created shadows but also made for some wonky framing; still, there are a few that are salvageable.
That’s it for today, but tomorrow I should be able to edit more, as well as possibly take a few shots of my hair after I get it done (it’s time for my 3-month trim and dye job). I like to take pics right after getting my hair cut because my stylist can actually dry my hair so that it appears to have volume, whereas when I do it it’s pretty flat (unless I leave it curly, in which case it appears unbrushed). I can actually feel hair brushing against my shoulders now, which hasn’t happened in well over 10 years, so it’ll be nice to show you all how much it’s grown.
mareymercy. 
I liked the last shot the best.
Your comment, “so many jump shots were ruined by heads or hands moving past that line”, got me wondering. When you work with your models, do you have to take individual shots, or do lighting and other conditions allow you to set your camera to take multiple shots at a time? This would allow you to get more shots around the arc of the jump where the models heads and the top of the backdrop are within the camera frame.
Because I use an external flash attached to the camera (and usually bounced off the ceiling) I can only take individual shots; the flash isn’t fast enough to do burst shots. But, for a leaping shot, there’s really only one second that’s the “right” shot anyway, since to get the proper effect you need to catch them at the height of the jump – at least, that’s the only point I like anyway.And in most of these shots, that the point at which they went beyond the backdrop anyway.
When shooting outdoors I probably could experiment with high-speed shooting some more, when i don’t have that flash attached. But it’s still hard to do without it coming out all blurry. It’s just not a mode I’ve used much so I don’t have experience with it; worth a try though in the right environment!
That last one is really exceptional. I love the creaminess of the overall effect. The neutral colors and lighting. It could be a makeup advertisement. Really nice work. (And, I am sure as you do these in the future, you are learning a ton. You might be able to retire early! I have a friend who is a full time photographer and I think she does very well at it — she just had a baby, so clearly she isn’t starving.)
I am learning a lot, so who knows. It’s just a matter of if I really want to take all that on or not! 🙂
I hear you. I paint decorative furniture and mailboxes, and people have told me I should sell them and my sweaters on Etsy, but then it would be pressure and I think my creativity comes from doing what I want, with no “bosses”, when I can avoid them. Customers just become bosses and then the art might become just another chore, lol…
I too favor the last picture. I also agree that you may be pursuing a new career without realizing it. You may become a school dropout. 🙂
LOL maybe!
The black and white portrait photo is exceptional and quite moving. Reminds me so much of photos of my family from way way back when they took black and white studio photos and were all dressed up. The one dress reminds me so much of a particular photo. I really love the naturalness of your photography and your imagination.
Thank you Denise!
Loved all three photos 😉
Thanks!