> Oh Don't be brutal this time :-) just need even more > tips and pointers.
Very cool! Good use of fill, backgrounds, color variations in clothing, poses, etc. I see you you found an "interesting" use for the distinctive skyline; perhaps a wee bit suggestive :) The diagonals in the brick wall add a strong dynamic component to those particular compositions. Sometimes it over-powers the model. You might be able to reduce that over-powering effect by moving the model *away* from the wall and blur the wall with selective focus/DOF. The diagonal components would still be there, the decrease in sharpness wouldn't make them so dominant. That would also reduce the effects of the model's hair blending into the shadow a bit. About the problems with your background not staying in place; if the top was secure some bricks or other weights on the bottom could hold it still. The other thing to do is to secure the edges of the background to the (or some) uprights. Use spring clamps. Once it is secured on all sides it will act less like a sail (I'm guessing that was the problem) as long as the wind can't get behind it -- which the brick wall prevents in your situation. You mentioned the silver reflector was too strong -- did you try your gold reflector again? If so, how did that turn out vis-a-vis the model's skin tone? One thing to try with the hands (your 2nd email mentions that) is to place them non-symmetrically; up and down for example. S-curves. Another thing I've seen is to form geometric shapes with the limbs; I think you do that in a couple of the photos. Thoughtful poses with chin cupped in hand, elbow on knee. One last thing to try would be some props! For example, something to hold in a hand that the model looks at. A pole or rope to grab. A Meditative or prayer-ish composition. Athletic movements/poses such as diving or graceful skating. Dynamic poses such as pauses from a martial arts kata. I thought the from-the quarter photos illustrated the model's ... ahh .. curvature .. for lack of a better word, better than the frontal shots did. They made her body more 3 dimensional. Nice job! Bolo -- Josef T. Burger - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
