Model shoot: Kathryn

[Onyx]

My first real outing with the D200 (apart from familiarity snapshots around the backyard). A secluded bush track near Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains, and gorgeous models I can have my way with for a few hours... photographically speaking... [I love this hobby, I don't know why I didn't do more of this before!]

Plus, I discovered just how memory hungry this higher res camera is - 5GB of cards weren't enough, and I thought I was shooting conservatively.



Well there's nothing conservative about some of these models.
Teaser shot. More to come if there's demand...

[sirhc55]

Yes, Si, Sim, Ναι, Ja, Oui - is that enough Chi

[PiroStitch]

5Gb should be more than plenty Chi. Try compressed Raw and you should get double in terms of capacity. There's hardly any image quality difference b/ween compressed and uncompressed Raw.

Also you might want to stick an index.html in the root directory of your site Anyone with half a brain can easily browse the the folder contents of your site.

[BBJ]

Chi, mate teaser and u need to ask if you think we need more.DOH!!!!!

[mic]

I don't get it her arm is in the way.

[JED]

I don't get it her arm is in the way.

Yes, it's blocking the magnificent texture in the rock.

[Yi-P]

Oh, how can you tease people here with only one pic

[Onyx]

Lol, soz for the tease. I thought I'd have a gallery ready for viewing tonight, but it's 1:15am "tomorrow" already, and while I've culled the shots down to 280-odd images - that's still a whole lot to get through. I wouldn't wanna publish any that didn't do her justice.

Kathryn promises to reveal all, soon...

[Grev]

I'm sure all the guys here would like to see more... Seymourbutt.

[robw25]

onyx
you lucky bastard ! she is beautiful, i hope she likes them, will be watching for more

cheers rob

[Onyx]

Eye fails veryhard at basic web use!!11one

Images in here:
http://www.kayimages.com/2007/

Too retarded to figure out how to make a half decent browsing experience for viewers (with thumbnails and such).

[Oz_Beachside]

First shot looks like a great start. From shadows, looks like you had a nice overcast day, so the lighting conditions would have given you more keepers.

The first shot you have posted, I would have asked the model to swap arm positions ("change arms"), as she is shading her face from the soft light source (evident under the camera left side of sorong).

Also, I like to see some shots cropped in, at say above the knee. By keeping full length legs in, particularly at this focal length, her legs look extra long (and sometimes feet, if in focus, are not the softest, most beautiful feature to portray in these images). If you dont have any out of the camera that way, perhaps crop in PP. I cant see the focal length, but guessing around 18mm since her feet are nearly as long, as her shoulders are wide (and I'm sure thats not the case in real life). For head to toe, I like to use 70-100 range, but you are often too far away to be heard from subject. Someone in here, I think it was one of the Glen's, said to me, to keep focal lenght longer than standard for portraiture, for more flattering perspectives. Take the 85mm for example, a treat and delight!

Note to others: please note, that models read this forum, and even though comments are no doubt made in jest, they can be read the wrong way, as text has no pronunciation. I know models that I work with, perfer thanks, over cheekiness. Anyway, dont want to start anything to get off topic, just think its worth a mention, thats all...

Back on topic:
Last observation, is camera angle. If you are lower, than the centre of your subject, for this pose, her feet are going to be bigger than her head. And one of the first things to see in the pic, can be, hips wider than shoulders, which is not flattering for most. Granted, this location may not have provided you with a place to gain height from, but just thought I'd share my learnings. Location, step ladder? Or pose model lower on rockwall, and compose to crop out "ground level things"?

I think exposure is good, do you have any EXIF on your files?

thanks for sharing!
Oz

[Onyx]

Thanks for taking the time to critique Oz, I appreciate your help and suggestions.

Firstly, all exif should be intact. Shots were mainly taken at 35-50mm, I had the inadequate 18-70DX. All pics have been heavily cropped as presented. I was all too conscious of not cutting off limbs, etc that I've tried to incorporate all body parts within the frame (perhaps too zealously).

Light was problematic. It was under a cliff overhang, kinda like an alcove or rock cave. ISO200-400 was used, and shutter speeds were marginal with the lens wide open. Due to it being a bush walking track, longer focal lengths were out too (nasty slope/drop). I had the 80-200 on which I took a few at 80mm but they were very tight onto faces.

Advice and suggestions taken on board for next time. Perhaps I should extend an invitation to forum members who may be interested to attend this next shoot. Planned for 20 Jan, Little Bay or some such place... near Maroubra?!

[Glen]

Nice series Chi, the model seems very relaxed

[Killakoala]

Perhaps I should extend an invitation to forum members who may be interested to attend this next shoot. Planned for 20 Jan, Little Bay or some such place... near Maroubra?!

How about Nowra? Kangaroo Valley? Jervis bay?

Oz has given you a good critique Chi. But i would like to add that your post processing skills are good as you have managed to maintain very pleasing skintones of you model. Although she has nice skin to start with, you have managed to keep it that way.

If you decide to pop down to Nowra or nearby, i will lend you my 28-70 F2.8 and 85 F1.4 so long as you let me hold the reflector, which you can also borrow.

Keep up the good work.

[!~DeViNe~DaRkNeSs~!]

where do i buy one..... i dont mean the picture either
where are u cooking these girls up from......u must be quite a looker to drag them out to a bush track and shove a lens in there face lol

very impressive pics, the lighting appears warm and fairly soft, how much adjustment was needed in PS?

[Oz_Beachside]

looking at this pic again, I would think the model would not be happy with the shadows under her eyes (creating bags). Posibly fill with a reflector underchin, or PP them down a little?

[Mr Darcy]

Hey! I recognise that rock

[Onyx]

Oz has given you a good critique Chi. But i would like to add that your post processing skills are good as you have managed to maintain very pleasing skintones of you model. Although she has nice skin to start with, you have managed to keep it that way.

Thanks Steve, but you know what? They weren't adjusted. All of that is courtesy of the D200 out of camera jpegs. The only thing I did in photoshop was crop and apply USM. No other PP!

And I wasn't the lone photog on this shoot, and she wasn't the lone model. It was a shoot organised by a Penrith based photographer David Mapletoft. There were 5 models there on the day, 3 of whom were nudes, and 2 (including Kathryn were not).

RE: the baggy eyes, looking back at the pics her eyes do tend to look baggy...

[wendellt]

chi

one way to improve this shot is turn it to black and white its a glamour shot i dont think the colour contributes to this image
and the slight red cast on the skin looks a bit odd with the very pasteley background

you can gain back your contrast by playing around with curves

i think thats what it needs contrast and definition

in terms of directing the model it's best to make her feel comfortable that's 70% of the job then everything else is easy shooting if she fels comfortable

that pose is quite contrived and forced, i think more natural poses would of suited her

anyway great start the first model i shot was fully clothed with several layers of garments

[robw25]

Perhaps I should extend an invitation to forum members who may be interested to attend this next shoot. Planned for 20 Jan, Little Bay or some such place... near Maroubra?!

How about Nowra? Kangaroo Valley? Jervis bay?

Oz has given you a good critique Chi. But i would like to add that your post processing skills are good as you have managed to maintain very pleasing skintones of you model. Although she has nice skin to start with, you have managed to keep it that way.

If you decide to pop down to Nowra or nearby, i will lend you my 28-70 F2.8 and 85 F1.4 so long as you let me hold the reflector, which you can also borrow.


Keep up the good work.

steve
you little bumlick !! if he brought her down to whyalla i have a 3 star granny flat they can stay in and i will supply all her clothes for the photoshoot !
cheers rob