Outside the box thinking...
 

For an upcoming demonstration that will be on two successive saturdays at a gallery, I want to paint a contemporary "outside-the-box" yet still appealing to soccer moms type of portrait.

The subject is my son Ben, who just turned 13. The canvas I chose is 15" x 30" - which in and of itself makes the painting "outside-the-box".

I was sort of happy with what I had, until I saw the thread that Chris Saper posted with William Coupon's beautiful, dramatic and unique photography. So, now I need to go back to the drawing board. Or, maybe not.

Here's a few of my inital comps. I like the rim lighting on the first one, but I don't know if it's too dark, etc.

Ben's a skateboarder, and I think now, maybe I should include the skateboard. I want something that appears natural and not contrived - and I think that these don't fit that bill.

Does anyone have any composition suggestions? Lighting help?

So, 13's not so grown up, after all. I just asked Ben if he would pose for me again, with some additional lighting set up (I was only using natural light) and he got all teary and upset. (okay, it is the THIRD time I've asked him to pose.)

I think he didn't want to wash his hair! LOL.

I WILL prevail, though. Hmmm, I wonder if I can get him to wear multi-colored striped tights, and a leotard? :o :exclamati

OK, now the LOL...truly means laugh out loud....you weren't talking about MY ref. photo here, were you? Nah....no.....not YOU...please don't abuse your son in that way...ok? for me..ok? you at least need to make the stripes be more along the blues and purples, I think he would be more open to that...ok? no pinks..I think that would be the deal breaker for him...just a thought.

HANDS DOWN...picture #3....the natural lighing is a stunner...LOVE it. It truly has a wow factor for me......One and two are too dark on his face, IMO.....#3 is the WINNER!! That will make him happy too...I think it is perfect for you..

You think pink stripes is too much? Okay okay - blues and greens, then. Got it.

I like the first photo better, the light is nice and I like the way his body moves. But the face is maybe too dark, I don't have enough experience to tell you if you can lighten it without touching the other parts.
Maybe, if he allows you another chance to take a photo, he could take the same pose, with his skateboard on his hip...I think it would make a very natural pose.
For this kind of light, you have to spot meter on his face. ( I tell you what I've been told: I don't control yet my camera that much :oops: )

Oooo - I'd paint Number 3 in a heartbeat.

I like the poses in all three, though the exposure is unworkable with the first two. You can adjust these images in Photoshop somewhat but you usually lose color accuracy. In the third one I would prefer to see his eye on the right side more.

The New York Times did an article not long ago about portrait paintings with very casual clothing, a trend in at least some parts of the country.

Thanks for all your input.

I was thinking that with poses 1 & 2 - I achieved the desireable S curve composition, but I definitely need to bring in some artificial lighting.

3 has the best lighting but I'm worried about the legs being out from the wall - is this one of those situations where the viewer accepts the visual clues in a photo but would see it as awkward in a painting?

Another pose for your consideration.

Today was a school professional day - teachers in, kids out. I was hoping to reshoot today...I even offered to buy him new skateboard shoes. But, the request to wash his hair scuttled it - Ben left. :(

Cindy,
Number three is the winner, but here are some suggestions for future shots. Try to make the lighting come from the side. slightly in front of the subject and slightly above as well. This will provide good definition to facial planes. This has been a portrait secret since the time of Vermeer or earlier. When the light source is slightly behind the subject as in your other photos, it tends to make the facial planes "flat" and therefore hard to paint.

I like number 1, and this latest one with his back leaning on the wall. Somehow I feel that the backlighting makes him magical, and brought out the x-factor in him (was I thinking of the elves from the Lord of the Rings movie??? LOL)

Anyway, the fact the shadow cast on him in the two pics, makes these two pics a down-er to use. But yet the composition has so much potential.

What i would reckon doing is to re-shoot the two poses, this time have a reflector to use to minimize the shadows.

Is it too late to vote, Cindy? I agree with Kim -I really like the pose in #3.

I'm smiling to myself looking at these - I just finished a portrait of my own son and you coaxed much better facial expressions out of yours than I did with mine.

Me, too--#3 is a clear winner. It's the light, Cindy. The other poses are great in terms of expression, etc., but the light is too far to the side.

I'm also amazed you even got your son to pose at all. I've been "working" on the same portrait of my son (from life) for almost a year because I can't even lure him into posing by offering a model's fee. Actually it's been hanging in the studio for months.

Marcus - thanks - I was hoping to pull off the rim lighting simply because it's so different than what I normally do. I usually go for strong dramatic light with dark shadows.

Thanks, Richard!

I guess if I can't re-shoot then I'll go with #3, but I really prefer the first pose. It has more movement to it.

Linda - that's funny that you mentioned coaxing a good facial expression from him. I've attached 2 composites below. I have hundreds more.

Alex - you know, I miss the days when I could just order my kids to do my bidding. They become so independent and even MONEY won't sway them. It's so frustrating. Of course, when I could order them around, I also had to do icky things like change their diapers and stuff. So it's a trade-off.

Wish me luck for a re-shoot today! I'm going to add an artifical light - and see if I can't get both the rim light from outside, AND directional light to make form shadows.

Do not add artificial light! I have done that with dreadful results. It just KILLS skin-tones. Fill with a reflector. You can use a large white board or a sheet. I have a portable 36" disk , a Photoflex, it has a white and a silver side, that I could not live without. it will reflect some of the light back to the face.

One example of its use is on my site, the girl in the white dress in the pink chair. I filled her face so it would not darken if I wanted to get the landscape detail and bleach out her dress.

Alright alright - since you feel so strongly about it... LOL

I LOVE that painting. Your handling of foliage is masterful.

Stop the presses! how does pose 2 with pose 3 lighting sound? I love his graceful stance and expression in 2

I like #3 too, but have some concerns about his folded arms. the sleeves are so dark and his arms cut the composition in have, quite severely. Is this something you can work around???

Tell your son, he has a great face to paint and great hair. My boys are older but you took me back in time! Your last pictures made me laugh. We do have to get through dozens of shots to get the primo ones!!!

Sharon, where can I get a Photoflex?

I do like the poses with more movement in them.

My re-shoot was a flop.

Next step is color studies - I'm planning to paint the face from #3 and the one from #1. With all your kind indulgences, I will post the results.

Pat, you're right about taking many shots. 246 for me, in total.

Pat,
Any decent photo store should have it.

Here is their web-site and a nifty one it is. www.photoflex.com