Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

by Urban Decay

As per Forum Guidelines here are settings used...
Exposure: 1/250 second
Focal Length: 260mm (full frame)
Focus Distance: 4.22m meters
Aperture: f/13
ISO: 100
Exposure Bias: -0.33 EV
Exposure Mode: Manual
White Balance: Manual K5600
Color Space: Adobe RGB (1998)
Illumination: Classic Clam Shell Lighting

For you thoughtful consideration... Thank you

(Download)

BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten

Thomas, your skill set is so far over my head I hesitate to comment. However in an effort to learn I will post my critique.
First, your thread title is perfect as the virtual B/W nature of the shot really emphasizes the product. Second, the shot seems perfect from the eye focus, hair, makeup, models beauty right down to the (perfume ?) box being perfectly square to the frame.
I tkink it is well thought out and well done.

Edit: While I think the lighting is excellent, I don't know enough to comment.

ronichas Loc: Long Island

Great image, I do think her skin is a bit to white. Looks a bit un-natural to me.

aaciolkowski Loc: Sugar Grove Illinois

The lighting is perfect

Lens Cap Loc: The Cold North Coast

Agreed....

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

Thomas, this is being ultra-picky, but the only thing I find less than perfect is a distracting spot in the middle of her lower lip. The lighting is superb.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

BassmanBruce thank you for your kind words, and yes this narrative was entirely about the makeup... The "box" is an extremely popular eye shadow palette which is especially noteworthy for it's ability to create drama in eye decor. Clam Shell lighting is an over/under at 45 degrees which yields virtually shadow-less illumination thus routinely used for beauty product. The talent here is an emerging makeup artist who's aesthetic insight helped formulate the compositional elements thus she is equally due credit. And yes for beauty genre focus is nearly always locked on the eyes...

roni, yes her skin tone is extremely pale which is why she is an ideal beauty model... Rest assured I shot a X-rite ColorChecker target at the beginning of this set and color balanced in camera RAW so it is what it is. That said, what you are really seeing is RCMA Porcelain foundation mixed with a tad of Ivory to match the skin just below her jaw line... This is a "professional" full coverage cream foundation formulated for the film industry... RCMA was founded over sixty years ago (they do not advertise) and the porcelain variant of their Shinto Palette that was formulated for Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan in the first Star Wars movie. The foundation was set with a clear translucent powder and blush / eye / lip decor added.

aaciolkowski and Lens Cap thanks for your kind words... the lighting was set and balanced with an incident light meter which makes short work of dialing in the appropriate values...

Rab-Eye you're keen eye is spot on... yes I had asked her to be certain to heavily moisturize her lips in the days leading up to the shoot, winter is not kind on the lips... That said it is somewhat inappropriate to convert an image into a graphical rendering if it might end up in a makeup artist portfolio. It's a tough judgement call, so I left it as natural as possible... I could have used a matte lip color instead of gloss to camouflage this but then there would have been no specular highlights on her lips. She was also requested to have her brows professionally shaped but didn't have time for this... Although I would have covered the expense. It's simply not an option to tweeze brows on the day of the shoot since the skin will redden in that critical eye area.

Had there been a commercial client in the mix everything changes, hope this makes sense...

Again thanks all for taking the time to comment, it is greatly appreciated...

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

and thanks for the details!

10MPlayer Loc: California

I appreciate the detailed commentary on your work. I realize this is a critique section but like most everyone else here, I'm a hobbyist photographer and there's nothing I could add as constructive criticism.

Heather Iles Loc: UK, Somerset

Wow Thomas, A man that knows his shortcomings and accepts when it is pointed out. You have actually critiqued your own photo.

I would not have noticed her eyebrows as they are quite natural. You are obviously a perfectionist. Thanks for sharing your lovely portrait.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

raymondh and 10MPlayer glad you found merit in the detailed commentary...
Thinking maybe I should have provided a lighting diagram but it is really straightforward... over/under at 45 degrees

Heather yes I truly value being made aware of my many shortcomings and I deeply appreciate when they are pointed out explicitly.
So much so that after sleeping on Rab-Eye keen observations on this talent's lips I actually went back in and graphically rendering them. Since we are not allowed to post more than one image in each thread here is a link to the retouched lips...
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4537/37868518405_63714e8346_b.jpg

Actually I'm totally amazed that so few people post in Photo Critique Section...
Peer review is so absolutely essential for personal growth as well as professional development in this craft...
As such it is to be cherished!

Again, thanks to all for your time/effort here...

Heather Iles Loc: UK, Somerset

Thanks for the link Tomas. What can I say? Perfect!

You are quite right about the Critique Section and it one of the sections that I visit in the hope of picking up tips to help me improve my photography, but I am usually disappointed in the amount of entries.

Most members can't accept critique and others think that they know it all. What members don't realise is that there are other members like myself who I call novices that are looking and learning and I for one have learnt a lot from members like yourself and the regular members who participate in the section "For Your Consideration". Those members have thought me a lot and I am forever grateful to them as I am improving, so keep posting Thomas. I am sure that you have several "silent" followers.

Heather

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Thomas,

This form of commercial imagery is far out of my realms of experience and ken, so I’m afraid I’ve naught to contribute as a meaningful critique...but I feel compelled to mention a touch of prep that I think was crucial to the overall effect of this gorgeous image....it is the totally natural manner in which the model’s hair falls, caressing the left side of her face and jaw line before naturally flowing back over her shoulder. How that was accomplished in such a natural manner I cannot guess...but to my eye it contributes...and contributes incredibly strongly ...to the image.

Withal, to an admittedly unpracticed eye...a masterly accomplishment.

Dave

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

"...the totally natural manner in which the model’s hair falls, caressing the left side of her face and jaw line before naturally flowing back over her shoulder. How that was accomplished in such a natural manner I cannot guess..."

Dave thank you so much for your very kind words... Any and all perception of beauty latent within the image is to be credited to this ideal beauty model... She is able to emote quite effectively on this narrative...

As for managing hair on this session, I rely heavily on product here... More specifically Kenra Platinum Silkening Mist (a shine spray)
http://www.ulta.com/platinum-silkening-mist?productId=xlsImpprod6370191
While certainly a tad pricey it is totally worth it's cost in my humble estimation...
After years of working with a myriad of commercial hair stylist I've found nothing that even comes close...
btw we flat ironed her hair at the onset and I constantly ran back and forth to comb her tresses smooth...
Not a fan of "fixing" flyway hair in post :)

Additionally I have a huge mirror directly behind camera so the model(s) can see/know/correct his/her "image" as we move through a session.
Having assisted many commercial shooters in my market I've gleaned much wisdom from their workflow which I carefully integrate into mine. While assisting can be a rather exhausting (and oft low paying job) it's benefits are virtually priceless...

Hope this helps, or is at least food for thought...
I wish your a wonderful New Year and much success ahead in 2018 Dave...

jonsommer Loc: Usually, somewhere on the U.S. west coast.

Thomas, as well as many others in this forum, I am learning from your posts and appreciate your extensive attention to detail and I benefit from your comments, although, by no means do I agree with all your observations. As such I have several questions regarding this photo, some are perhaps technical in nature while others are perhaps more philosophical in nature, while all come from a lack of familiarity with this photographic genre at the elevated levels you have.

I immediately downloaded the photo and looked at the models eyes and actually said an audible “wow” at your MUA’s skill. Beautiful work. Then I noticed the whites of her eyes, looking to me as though they might be just a little too white and that the spherical shape of the eyeball itself is a little too flattened to look real. Is this the optimal look for this genre or might, say a 10% reduction in opacity, work just as well.

Also, I am viewing your work on an iPad, which might explain my next question, but I noticed, upon enlarging the image, what appears to be an area of blackheads above her camera right eye on her forehead. It also looked to me like the skin on her forehead could use a little more smoothing in post than it received, so, again, my question is what is the typical expectation of clients in regards to ‘perfection’ with this genre. Using the analogy of gems, is absolute perfection demanded (as in gem quality), or is ‘vvsi’ (very, very small imperfections) acceptable, or perhaps a ‘vsi’ (very small imperfections) an acceptable standard?

Just a couple more questions if I may, it looks to me like the model has the beginnings of a 5 o’clock shadow on some lower parts of her chin, should (or could) this have been addressed by your MUA, or am I being way to picky? It also looks like her eyebrows are over-tweezed and more penciled on than real brows. Again, my question has to do with acceptable standards for the genre and is not intended to be critical of the model’s obvious beauty.

On first look, to me, the models hair looked like it was way too oily, way too heavy and flat. You mentioned flat ironing her hair and using expensive products to obtain this look, so I’m sure the look you got was the look you wanted. Is this strictly a personal taste of the photographer look, or is this a highly desired and desirable genre look?

My last question (phew!) has to do with this beautiful woman’s expression revealing again my lack of understanding and appreciation of the genre, but her expression is more one of ‘superiority, arrogance, stay away, I’m better than you, don’t bug me’ than it is ‘come and buy this fantastic product’. Is this a ‘power in beauty’ kind of look or is the look what the genre is currently requiring?

Thanks in advance for any answers you kindly choose to provide.
Jon