A Vain Client
Jul 17, 2012 13:14:21 #
My client wanted true to life unprocessed images. His "wife" thought they were unflattering so I told him I'd " do a little touch-up" Do you think his wife will like ?
Original
Processed
Jul 17, 2012 13:30:42 #
Edmund Dworakowski wrote:
My client wanted true to life unprocessed images. His "wife" thought they were unflattering so I told him I'd " do a little touch-up" Do you think his wife will like ?
I think the touched up image looks great. The wife should be pleased.
Jul 17, 2012 13:33:52 #
The top one looks natural, but does show his facial imperfections, if you will. The bottom one looks like a Glamour Shot from the 80's. But, it's all up to the client. show them both and let them decide. By the way, nice shot.
Jul 17, 2012 14:54:44 #
sands wrote:
I think the touched up image looks great. The wife should be pleased.
I think the touched up image looks great. The wife should be pleased.
So should he.
Just joking.
Jul 17, 2012 14:58:26 #
The first shot looks like it's slightly "Topazed" or HDR'd....it's got a halo around his head.
The second one is just too soft overall. It now looks like you missed focus.
Just do this if you have PS or PSE: Duplicate the layer and add a blur to it...
Now start turning down the opacity of the blend layer until his natural wrinkles show but they aren't like the grand canyon.
Then erase everything on the blur layer but his skin.
The second one is just too soft overall. It now looks like you missed focus.
Just do this if you have PS or PSE: Duplicate the layer and add a blur to it...
Now start turning down the opacity of the blend layer until his natural wrinkles show but they aren't like the grand canyon.
Then erase everything on the blur layer but his skin.
Jul 17, 2012 16:11:13 #
There is a halo in both and both have soft focus. When shooting like this you should be focusing on the persons eyes. That is where life is represented. The DOF is too deep and he has some kind of crap on his shirt. The angle of his head accents the turkey skin under his neck and the post or whatever it is in the right foreground is very distracting. Please understand that I am trying to give you an honest criticism so you can better your art and please do not take it as an attack on yourself. I do not mean to hurt your feelings or put you down in any way. You could do some work on it in Photoshop to improve it but if you can retaking the photo is the best option if that is possible. Maybe Captain C will be along to blow what I have said out of the water but this is my honest opinion.
Jul 17, 2012 18:03:28 #
jimni2001 wrote:
There is a halo in both and both have soft focus. ... (show quote)
It's not wrong (what you said). The things you bring up are the difference between someone who knows what they are doing (how to pose for different body / facial types) and someone who doesn't.
Everyone wants to get better but learning on clients is the wrong way to go about it (in my opinion)
Before I would take on a paying client, I'd make sure that I could rattle off every technical aspect of my equipment without even thinking....every f/stop, every setting, what the effects are....etc.
I'd know at least the basic principles of posing certain body types and why.
I'd be confident in light...how to use it effectively, etc...
Jul 18, 2012 00:50:34 #
Jul 18, 2012 07:54:49 #
Thank you all for your C&C. My use of the term client must have given the wrong impression. Although I was paid, in lunch and a few beers, I am not a professional like most of you more seasoned photographers. I shoot mostly landscapes and am fairly new to photography. The photos wer candid and not posed. I tried to remove the spots on his shirt but was not successful and we had no wardrobe change. I agree with many of your comments and will encorporate them in my next go 'round.
Jul 18, 2012 07:59:24 #
Edmund Dworakowski wrote:
Thank you all for your C&C. My use of the term client must have given the wrong impression. Although I was paid, in lunch and a few beers, I am not a professional like most of you more seasoned photographers. I shoot mostly landscapes and am fairly new to photography. The photos wer candid and not posed. I tried to remove the spots on his shirt but was not successful and we had no wardrobe change. I agree with many of your comments and will encorporate them in my next go 'round.
Ok...fair enough...but might I suggest the following? Even if these will be "candid" you really should think about what he's wearing and the background.
If you don't, then he might as well get a point and shoot disposable camera because the result will look that way.
It's not hard to tell him to wear a dark shirt with sleeves and get him to sit where there aren't posts sticking out of his head.
Those small things will help a lot and really, they aren't hard to do nor time consuming.
Jul 18, 2012 08:08:28 #
I would PP an image so that it looks somewhere in between the first shot and the second shot and then show the client all 3 images.
The first shot is too hard and shows too many wrinkles - he looks rather weatherbeaten. And whilst it may be a true likeness, it is not really flattering.
The second shot is too soft and needs more contrast - he looks too faded and much older (like a ghost of his true self).
But whatever the case, the client gets what the client likes I suppose. After all they're the ones requesting the photo.
PS. I'd remove the black ashtrays on the tables too - they're distracting.
The first shot is too hard and shows too many wrinkles - he looks rather weatherbeaten. And whilst it may be a true likeness, it is not really flattering.
The second shot is too soft and needs more contrast - he looks too faded and much older (like a ghost of his true self).
But whatever the case, the client gets what the client likes I suppose. After all they're the ones requesting the photo.
PS. I'd remove the black ashtrays on the tables too - they're distracting.
Jul 18, 2012 08:48:07 #
If what he wants are candid then you need to follow him, from a distance (think stalker) and he needs to forget he is there. You used the rule of thirds well in this shot but with a portrait you want to fill the frame more with the subject. You might try orienting the camera to a vertical or portrait position and zoom in closer. Try to focus on his eyes. If he and you play golf maybe the golf course would be a good place to shoot. (You don't want to do this if he is playing with someone else unless you know the other person too.) Someplace or something where he has to be distracted for a minute so for that minute he is not aware of you. I suggested a golf course because it would be easier to get a good background. Be aware of the background before you take the shot. You don't want poles sticking out of his head or somebody in the background doing something stupid. When you start processing do as little as possible. When you shoot him again let us see the new shots. I'll bet they will be great.
Jul 18, 2012 09:15:10 #
We don't play golf but we are both avid tightrope walkers...
that way, I don't have to worry about anyone getting in the scene, and the pole will be in his hands instead of sticking out of his head.
that way, I don't have to worry about anyone getting in the scene, and the pole will be in his hands instead of sticking out of his head.
Jul 18, 2012 09:20:03 #
In that case you should string two ropes next to each other (can you balance walking backwards while not paying attention to what you are doing?) ................
Jul 18, 2012 09:22:28 #
If this scenerio happens, let us know so we can take pictures, before - because nobody would believe us, during - so we can see where things went wrong and after - for insurance reasons.
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