|
|
|
|
I've got
to admit that the idea of photo sittings on two consecutive
days to be a little daunting. It requires that I come
up with triple the number of ideas. But I'm beginning
to feel that "daunting" is good for an artist.
I have a tendency to stay "safe", meaning that
I often return to concepts & setups that were successful
in the past. But if I'm going to dive into the deep
end of two days of photo sessions, there's going to be some
setups that are new.
This
is my guest room on the top floor. I had the idea
of putting the strobe heads on the floor & pointing
them up so that the light bounced off of the light walls,
especially the slanty part under the roof line. And
there she is -- Natalia naked on the best, looking so natural,
so comfortable, and so intimate. Somehow, Natalia
seems more nude than nude here.
|
|
|
Earlier,
in the Day One commentary, I think I decided not to mix
color & B&W images on a page. Here, I already
break that resolution. Well, okay -- it takes a while
to get started with a new setup, and converting to B&W
is an extra step, so I usually start with color. But
I think this page will be B&W.
I was
in awe of Natailia when I first met her. I can't help
but compare "her-then" to "her-now",
and I think Natalia is much more sensuous now. As
much as I liked looking at her then; I enjoy looking at
her much more now.
|
|
I posted
one of these images on one of my on-line profiles, and a
viewer commented that he liked the natural lighting of these
image. There is nothing natural about this lighting
-- these images were lit by three separate strobes.
Still
it is a nice effect, especially on a model with such natural
beauty.
|
|
|
|
Think about
it -- this setup is awfully constraining for a model.
There's not a whole lot of space. But the amazing
Natalia finds ways to move within those constraints. |
|
|
|
I've talked
about the great "chemistry" I feel with Natalia,
and I think there are many images made on this second day
that shows our "chemistry" -- this is an example
of those images. I look at images like this &
I see the relationship I share with the model. I wonder:
can people who don't know either one of us see the chemistry? |
|
One of the
on-line portfolio web sites keeps sending me an e-mail advertising
a "Shoot The Centerfold Experience" workshop,
and there are three pictures of head-and-chest shots of
three Playboy centerfolds. All are pretty, blonde,
with squeezed together breasts and big, big smiles.
They all look alike! Sure, they are pretty, but their
beauty conforms to a pre-defined definition of "beauty".
Maybe
that form of "beauty" is widely accepted, but
it's not universally accepted. It seems plastic.
Want
to know what I think is "beauty"? You need
look no further than Natalia. She's all natural, graceful,
and comfortable. She has very strong hands (you are
looking at her hands, aren't you?). When I first met
her, I thought she might be a potter.
|
|
|
|
Here's a
wide shot; it shows off the unusual configuration of the
guest room, and it gives a good hint about the placement
of the lights. (You can also see the attic access
and the speaker for the whole house audio).
I do
like these wide shots. I think photographers should
examine their own photographs & articulate their tendencies.
For example, I tend to crop images so that the model's figure
fills nearly the entire image dimensions. Yet, I like
these images, where the figure is a small fraction of the
image space. It's good to embrace these off-center
compositions, if only to give the eye some exercise.
Bonus:
I think Natalia's figure looks fantastic in this image.
|
|
I'm a big,
big fan of eye-contact, because eye-contact implies intimacy.
Or, at the other extreme, I dislike so-called "candid"
images, because there is no risk to the photographer --
without interaction, the photographer is just a voyeur.
I also dislike the "model staring wistfully out the
window" images. I always wonder what she's looking
at and why is she ignoring the photographer.
But "eye-contact"
is a guideline, not a rule. Here, Natalia is glancing at
the main light source. Somehow, I don't mind the lack
of eye-contact.
|
|
|
|
|
It's real
uncomfortable making this image and the ones that follow.
I'm above Natalia, leaning over her, and holding the camera
above her. You can't tell, but the lens is set at
a wide angle setting, so I'm pretty close. There is
a real danger of me falling on top of Natalia or of me dropping
the camera onto her, and I am kinda invading Natalia's personal
space, but she is trusting (or maybe she's unaware of how
precarious her position is). But I like the weightless
feeling of these "camera pointing down" images. |
|
|
|
Natalia
identified this image as one of her favorites, and I agree. |
|
