BB4A

I sometimes find my camera inadvertently accentuates the story that I'm trying to tell. In it's programming and my added presets, it somehow adds up to something more than the sum of the parts I can contribute (Concept, Initiate, Plan, Execute). This happens most in Natural Light work; the Close adds noise, atmosphere, "something", that I could only sense at the time, but the captured image can reveal. Often associated with what I would call an "OK composition, interesting story, very challenging light" situation.

But that's enough from me. I'm interested in feedback (positive and negative, just make it realistic... this moment has passed, so I either had to execute a shot according to my concept, initiation & planning, or give up the chance).

Is this an (a) artistic image, (b) a disastrous defeat dragged from the very jaws of victory, or (c) something that could be saved, with a little sensitive PP? I'm genuinely interested in your feedback. For the record, I shot RAW and JPG; this is the JPG the camera delivered at the Close.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

(Download)

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

So far no image has appeared.

Dennis

BB4A

Apologies, Dennis... "We appear to have a problem. Do not adjust your Viewing Device; normal service will be resumed shortly."

RickL Loc: Vail, Az

Pretty girl, the pose is awkward with her leg up. Shot is ok from the waist up

Eddy Vortex

Her hair is blown out, eyes not well lit, those pipes on the right can be deleted and she looks really uncomfortable not sitting. If it was mine...I'd chuck it.

CPR Loc: Nature Coast of Florida

I don't see any value to the pose chosen for that model in that outfit. That said - There seem to be extremes on both ends of the spectrum. Parts of the hair is blown out, thereby lost, and parts of the black outfit are totally black so detail is lost. One of the fasteners in also blown out by a reflection.
Very difficult scene to capture. Considering the challenges, it's a good job in my opinion.

SonyBug

Were you trying for a porn shot?? Different pose would have been artistic. I think of art as something I would blow up and put on a wall. Not this...

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I'm not sure what you are trying to express with this. The pose is very awkward, the focus isn't sharp, highlights are blown. At least the vertical lines are vertical.
--Bob

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Can't see past the rather distracting pose. And poorly lit faces rarely work well.

Charles 46277 Loc: Fulton County, KY

I am not sure what your philosophy of taking photographs is, but mine tries to find art in reality, within the limits of the medium. I think portrait-type shots are almost always best in black and white (probably on film), unless the goal is in the snapshot style (which is-what-it-is) or the studio style for advertising.
In this case (apart from the very uncomfortable pose), my main concern is about the medium. Only very particular shots can include bright sun with indoor lighting with any degree of sincerity. Even the zone system with black and white film cannot handle the scale--and color just looks odd without some visible reason for the interior light. In my opinion, studio lighting should look like studio lighting. The sunlight should either highlight the model (backlight?), in which case the sunlight areas are luminous; or perhaps define the model (profile, facing the light?) Rembrandt would never attempt this setup--but neither would I. The interior light and the sunlight simply seem strange to me. I would either go for the soft interior light, perhaps with some overcast, North, or twilight window light; or I would go for the radiance of high key light, with the expected and appropriate crepuscular gloom in the interior areas.

Charles 46277 Loc: Fulton County, KY

p.s.
Since she is wearing heels instead of swim fins, I take it she is not going diving, yes? Perhaps she might as well just unzip the wet suit.

BB4A

Thanks to those who provided constructive criticism. And, thanks for the chuckles provided by you dirty-minded reprobates... You know who you are! 😆

This was a very quick shoot late afternoon on a day with lots of clouds and rain. This 3 minute window of harsh sunshine arrived; this was definitely my least favorite of the 18 times the shutter closed, but there's something about it that made me stop before deleting it... Wish I knew what that something was?

A couple of notes:
1. Model chose this pose; immediately after I took this, I asked "is that a comfortable pose?" You can guess the answer. Whose fault? Mine of course. Although "the client is always right", in this case I should have asked her to step completely through the door, and taken the shot with her in a more natural pose, with that harsh sunlight working for me, rather than against me. Previous and subsequent shots captured the "sunlight through doorway" concept better.
2. It was about as dark as dark can be, inside that little shack behind the grain silo. I'm mildly surprised that I captured any texture to the Model's/Client's black outfit or her blonde hair, when that shaft of sunlight speared in. This was definitely a case of my nifty fifty f/1.4 USM and the sensors doing a better job than my eyes in adjusting to the conditions. Unfortunately a great lens & camera body can't make up for a failure in planning & execution...
3. Where the heck did that reflection come from (good spot, CPR, by the way)? I spent about 30 minutes planning for those portraits, against the slim chance that the weather would allow me to shoot there... I thought I had moved or removed everything that could have caused a reflection (there was a second small window, over my left shoulder, providing bounce-back from the barn behind this location). Just goes to show, concept, initiate, and plan can still fail, through a small error in execution. Again, all my fault; I'm the idiot behind the lens on this occasion.

Anyway, thanks all for helping me take one of my mistakes and turn it into a learning experience; your feedback is sincerely appreciated.

Mary Kate Loc: NYC

Jolly Roger Loc: Dorset. UK

A couple of points I would add in addition to the uncomfortable pose, which has been mentioned.
The face looks a little soft to me as if the focus point was missed.
There is a fair amount of Chromatic Aberration, which could have been dealt with in PP.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

A very lovely young lady.
The pose is awkward and not flattering, Her hair is blown out and her right foot has toes cut off, Not worth editing/trying to save.
I hope you took more than this one shot.