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Page
created April 2, 2004
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I don't
make many images featuring models' backs. I really like backs, but
typically during a sitting, we are talking quite a bit, and it's hard to
talk with someone whose back is towards you. Here's another tip
for anyone wanting to photograph people, whether it's fine art nudes or
portraits: I hate pictures of people with empty, blank stares on
their faces; the best way to avoid that is to engage the model's brain
through conversation.
This
time was an exception -- Lydia & I had worked together often enough
to reach that point where we are comfortable with each other without
conversation, and our moods were introspective. We worked quietly;
Lydia required minimal direction, and as a result, we made some of the
best back pictures I've ever made.
Technical
note: There is a hair light in these pictures -- a lamp behind the
model pointed back towards the camera position; Lydia's body hides the
light from the camera. Enjoy. |
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You've
probably noticed that I've applied a sepia-like toning to these
images. Actually, this toning was applied electronically using
Jasc's Paint Shop Pro ("colorize"; hue 23; saturation
75). Here is an example of a "before" &
"after" image. What do you think? Are the
images improved with the toning?
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(Without
the "sepia toning") |
(With
the "sepia toning") |
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Below
are two images that are favorites from this sitting:
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is the color digital proof exposure I did before we made the black
& white image directly above. It's interesting to look
at.
I'm still a
big, big believer in the power (and yes, superiority) of B&W
photography over color photography. Yes, the digital camera
has lots of uses, including proofing the lighting, as I do here,
but to me, the color image doesn't have the impact of the B&W
one.
This is a great
example of the contribution of that hair light, positioned behind
Lydia. For most of these back images, Lydia posed with her
eyes tightly closed.
What do you
think?
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Moving
on...
I love
the look of Lydia's waist in this picture, above.
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again, Lydia was a pure joy to work with, and I'm very glad that we
eventually dropped the fetish poses and included some of these artistic
pictures of Lydia's back. Don't get me wrong -- I enjoy the fetish
images that she & I have made together, and I hope we'll do more in
the future, but I'm really, really happy with the images you see here on
this page, too. |
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