Outside the box thinking...

Cindy Procious · 03-20-2006, 01:33 PM

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.

Richard Monro · 03-20-2006, 03:17 PM

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.

Marcus Lim · 03-20-2006, 09:47 PM

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.

Linda Brandon · 03-20-2006, 10:50 PM

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.

Alexandra Tyng · 03-20-2006, 11:17 PM

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.

Cindy Procious · 03-21-2006, 08:58 AM

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.

Sharon Knettell · 03-21-2006, 10:01 AM

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.

Cindy Procious · 03-21-2006, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharon Knettell

Do not add artificial light!

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

Quote:

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.

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