I second the GoPro option. It's a nice alternative to a DSLR and with the Hero 5 coming out soon you should be able to find a deal on a Hero4 or a really good deal on a used 3.
Absolutely. Previsualization should be a part of your photography process no matter what your shooting preference, color or black and white. Otherwise you are just taking snapshots. Adams was an absolute control freak if you will. That's why he primarily worked in black and white. Color processing in his time was severely limited and black and white gave him the control he needed to make his photographs what they are.
I think the spirit of the question, though, and most of the responses, was whether or not to simply shoot in black and white or shoot in color and convert. In this day and age why anyone would not shoot raw, taking all of your thoughts in mind as they should, and have an option for color or black and white seems actually short sited. Who knows what you might think of an image after capture and once in post. If you simply shoot black and white in camera and let the camera process you have taken all other options away.
Back to your thought on Adams, while nobody can say for sure, I really doubt that if he had todays technology, knowing what a darkroom workhorse, perfectionist and master he was, that he would simply choose to shoot in black and white and discard all color information from his workflow. Just my thoughts.
thank you! Great to meet you as well! Hoping for some great conversations!
I find that these arguments are never ending. I remember when I first began using digital, everyone used to ask if I shot with digital or film. If it was a digital image there was almost a palpable disappointment. Why? Because it must be photoshopped!!! But no one ever asked me if I took my film or negatives into a darkroom and manipulated the processing there to get the most out of a negative. Push or pull the film, double exposure, sandwiching negatives, dodge here, burn there, darken the sky, lighten the foreground, mask this part, selenium, sepia, dye, metal replacement toning, etc.
It's as if digital invented the world of manipulation and so it must be a recent phenomena.
Here is a great video tutorial on how to use the channel mixer to create and control black and white conversions. I think it's one of the best ways to go about it if you don't mind doing some post processing. I prefer anything that gives me control versus the software. Then I always have the raw file should I want a color version.
http://photoshopcafe.com/tutorials/convert-photos-black-white-photoshop-best-way/
There's been enough said on the background and her dress so I'll leave that alone.
2 things that stand out to me most: 1. Where here left foot is, it's so tight to the frame that it is a source of tension for me. It is the most tightly cropped part of the image and my eye keeps going to it. So much so that I didn't really even notice the nipple at first. Easy fix to drop the camera a bit and let the bottom have a bit more room. Right now it looks like she is standing on the bottom of the frame.
2. The pose, it looks to me more like she is getting ready to wind up, reach back and throw something. Just the visual I get. I agree that her torso is to square to the camera. Her left arm seems super tense…not relaxed giving more to the feeling of some kind of motion starting. You've heard the rest about the veins and what not.
As far as lighting, next time you are shooting there, if you have, or can get, a 6 foot piece of white foam core or some type of reflector you could try to send a little back into the shadow and it would help the exposure a bit. Right now it looks like the her left side is a bit hot/over exposed. (Might be the post processing but just my thought as it sits now). Also, not sure how the basement is set up, but maybe there is a way to block some of the light from hitting the background so it is mostly focused on her?? (Scrims) That would also help with some of the distraction I should think.
Knowing how hard it can be to work with people, and given it's early in your process of learning, not a bad effort. You're lucky to have friends to practice on!!!