Portrait of Cui

[student]

Are you using an external Ring Flash?

I know narloke had answered.

But look at the eyes.

 

[narloke]

Unless you're taking an ID photo, your lighting is first of all too flat which doesn't do her any favours. You might want to play around with the way you light her a little.

Beyond that, I think you need to communicate a little with your model as well. She doesn't seem to evoke any kind of emotional response from the viewer apart from "eww'.

You might want to seek help from a MUA if you're really interested in shooting her portrait properly. It certainly looks like you didn't put any effort in the shoot at all. No doubt that there are limitations as to what can be done in a hotel room but I'd take a look at other portraits for some ideas before shooting cause it ends up as a waste of time, memory space and effort.

Keep trying though and don't get discouraged.

Cheers!

Not discouraged at all, I'm here to learn and improve, or else there's no need for me to post anything.
1)If you've ever seen this post: http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=249088 "Cui in yellow dress", you will c i used a more 3D lighting to this series which is quite different from the one in this post, the reason different mood or expressions need different lighting techniques.
2)Emm, communication is not a problem with me and my gf. However, for most of the time i don't like to give guidance on how she should pose, i'd rather give her to imagine something and give me freestyles, and i will capture the natrual moments.
3)I don't think i've wasted my time though we spent almost 4 hours from 11pm to 3am to shoot all these pics

Of course, this is not my best at all, i will keep on trying:embrass:

Btw, what's MUA?

 

[student]

Btw, what's MUA?

Make-up artist.

 

[Chris Lim]

a pretty heated thread. But i think i understand where Deadpoet's approach is coming from and i can relate to his comments on why the image does and does not work. It takes days to plan for an image like that in a professional world. Lots of time and crew to prepare for the shoot of this image. MUAs to put every single thing in place including hair. So even if it looks messy it is intended. They go through so much trouble just to make this shot close to perfect so little DI work needs to be done to correct the image. But intstead to enhance it.

Looking at you image it gives a feel of "Can i shoot a few images of you?" some what like an impromtu shoot where much wasnt really done. I dun agree about asian traits like puffy eyes and things like that. No matter how bad a "trait" is it can be touched up by Make up before the shot is taken.

Hope this helps.

 

[narloke]

a pretty heated thread. But i think i understand where Deadpoet's approach is coming from and i can relate to his comments on why the image does and does not work. It takes days to plan for an image like that in a professional world. Lots of time and crew to prepare for the shoot of this image. MUAs to put every single thing in place including hair. So even if it looks messy it is intended. They go through so much trouble just to make this shot close to perfect so little DI work needs to be done to correct the image. But intstead to enhance it.

Looking at you image it gives a feel of "Can i shoot a few images of you?" some what like an impromtu shoot where much wasnt really done. I dun agree about asian traits like puffy eyes and things like that. No matter how bad a "trait" is it can be touched up by Make up before the shot is taken.

Hope this helps.

Well, i understand perfection is needed in professional jobs, but ppl as poor amatuers as me doesn't have the luxury to hire one, that's the why my gf is trying hard to learn how to do make-ups and styling by herself. We will try to be better next time.
For the asian traits issue, i've discussed enuf. The "puffy" eyes has its own beauty, the definition of beauty however shouldn't lie on the standard beautiful faces, so actually it's not neccessary for me touch it up, and on contradictory, i would prefer to emphersize that feature.:bsmilie:

 

[Rashkae]

Hmmm...

My 2 cents...

1. The series has a very impromptu, but "fresh" feel to it. Like she was naturally having fun. This is a good thing.

2. In pic #3, her left cheek looks like she has mumps or you hit her. While this may be natural to *her* facial structure (not all humanity in general), some make-up or PP would have helped reduce the harsh line.

3. 11pm to 3am??? If you have a hotel room and someone like that rolling around in bed, what on earth are you doing taking pictures? That's 4 hours of "cuddle time"!

 

[mattlock]

Unless you're taking an ID photo, your lighting is first of all too flat which doesn't do her any favours. You might want to play around with the way you light her a little.

Beyond that, I think you need to communicate a little with your model as well. She doesn't seem to evoke any kind of emotional response from the viewer apart from "eww'.

You might want to seek help from a MUA if you're really interested in shooting her portrait properly. It certainly looks like you didn't put any effort in the shoot at all. No doubt that there are limitations as to what can be done in a hotel room but I'd take a look at other portraits for some ideas before shooting cause it ends up as a waste of time, memory space and effort.

Keep trying though and don't get discouraged.

Cheers!

I think there's this belief that a "proper" photo of a female needs to have styling/makeup involved, which I don't quite understand?
I do agree that makeup can make a difference in a picture, but the act of having a person styled versus the act of a girlfriend styling herself casually are two totally different acts.
The external application of makeup by a makeup artist becomes a skin on a person that is the makeup artist's belief of how a person should look, versus the application of makeup by Cui who is very familiar with herself.

What I see in narloke's photos here is the intimacy between a couple doing a photoshoot in a hotel room (maybe I recognise the feeling because I done it with my girlfriend before)

The issue here goes beyond how the photograph "looks" (lighting, styling), it goes into questions of what does the photograph say through the choices made (expressions, distance, setting,etc)

I don't think that it is healthy to tell people what is the right way to take a photo and what is the wrong way to take a photo, it just forces people to create cliched work.

 

[narloke]

2. In pic #3, her left cheek looks like she has mumps or you hit her. While this may be natural to *her* facial structure (not all humanity in general), some make-up or PP would have helped reduce the harsh line.

3. 11pm to 3am??? If you have a hotel room and someone like that rolling around in bed, what on earth are you doing taking pictures? That's 4 hours of "cuddle time"!

2) If i really want to do it, i may add some shadows one her right cheek, actually i expect some contour lines for it, it will make her face more 3-dimensional, but seems my unskillful lighting technique spoiled that.:embrass:
3) If ask me to pay for this hotel stay, i will never. But just happen this was from one of the photography competition prize (i think it's "free for wild" if i m not wrong), and my girl and i just thought why not we take the chance.:bsmilie:

 

[narloke]

I think there's this belief that a "proper" photo of a female needs to have styling/makeup involved, which I don't quite understand?
I do agree that makeup can make a difference in a picture, but the act of having a person styled versus the act of a girlfriend styling herself casually are two totally different acts.
The external application of makeup by a makeup artist becomes a skin on a person that is the makeup artist's belief of how a person should look, versus the application of makeup by Cui who is very familiar with herself.

What I see in narloke's photos here is the intimacy between a couple doing a photoshoot in a hotel room (maybe I recognise the feeling because I done it with my girlfriend before)

The issue here goes beyond how the photograph "looks" (lighting, styling), it goes into questions of what does the photograph say through the choices made (expressions, distance, setting,etc)

I don't think that it is healthy to tell people what is the right way to take a photo and what is the wrong way to take a photo, it just forces people to create cliched work.

Hey, bro, thanks for your supporting words. Well, i will never refuse ppl shout their opinions on my photos (except for those insulting terms or accusation without proof), because that gives me the chance of seeing things that i may not pay attention to. And trust me, i've had the ability to tell where the personal preference are and where the helpful advices are.:bsmilie:

 

[memoryblake]

hummzzz there are many forms of photography i guess.
Some ppl take photos to glorify beauty, while some take them to capture a certain moment, etc.... Not to forget beauty is subjective also.

While some find joy in appreciating arts in the museum, there are others who would rather flip throught snapshots of their family.

If there are formulas as to how creativity and beauty can be achieved, i guess that every photo we take will look the same.

 

[Zenten]

I don't think that it is healthy to tell people what is the right way to take a photo and what is the wrong way to take a photo, it just forces people to create cliched work.

Well said!!:thumbsup:

Anyway, don't take the criticisms here to heart .......... after all the comments are not from Professional Critics ...... sometimes I wonder if they they really know what they are dishing out :think:

 

[digisnap]

Well said!!:thumbsup:

Anyway, don't take the criticisms here to heart .......... after all the comments are not from Professional Critics ...... sometimes I wonder if they they really know what they are dishing out :think:

Well said. Just keep an open mind and keep on shooting. Nice model you have there narloke.