tips needed for portrait
jd142
best to pose someone. She has a weak chin and a tendency to tilt her
head down, which gives her a double chin, which she definitely doesn't
have. I've tried telling her to tilt her chin up, but it just doesn't
help. Can anyone please give me some suggestions? Also, how do you
deal with people who consistently close their eyes? Another model
manages to always blink, so her eyes are half closed and it looks like
she's so drunk she's about to pass out. These are just friends of mine
who are just helping me out, so I also have to be very tactful.
Does any one have any suggestions or good web sites that give tips?
I've tried some searches, but so many of the results were just porn
sites, that I gave up. I would have even settled for site that had
suggestions about how to take pornographic pictures; I just would have
skipped step 1. (You know: Step 1: get model to undress. So much
for humor this morning.)
Thanks a lot for any tips.
J.
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McGrady
jd142 wrote in message +ADw-0a0133f8.3c1e51ee+AEA-usw-ex0102-014.remarq.com+AD4-...
+AD4-Another model
+AD4-manages to always blink, so her eyes are half closed and it looks like
+AD4-she's so drunk she's about to pass out. These are just friends of mine
+AD4-who are just helping me out, so I also have to be very tactful.
I have a friend who models for me at times that blinks often also. I've
learned to shoot three pics in succession whenever I shoot her to catch her
in between blinks. It uses up more film but I get more usable images. We
had previously tried everything to get her not to blink but nothing we could
come up with worked. She said it's been a problem all her life. BTW-I have
better luck with her outdoors (even with a fill flash) than indoors with a
light kit. Hope that helps--
mcgrady
MC
<jd142N...@hotmail.com.invalid> wrote:
«««I'm just starting out as a hobby, and I have some questions about how
best to pose someone. She has a weak chin and a tendency to tilt her
head down, which gives her a double chin, which she definitely doesn't
have. I've tried telling her to tilt her chin up, but it just doesn't
help. Can anyone please give me some suggestions? <SNIP>»»»
Dunno if this would make the problem even worse, but how about showing
them the results?
If they hate what they look like they might never sit for you again, of
course, but OTOH, maybe you can ask them for their suggestions and subtly
steer them toward suggesting what you're suggesting... if they have the
sense that they are not just sitting there like props, but actually
participating in a shared, joint project, you might well end up with much
more satisfactory results.
I'm not sure what you mean by this, however:
«I've tried telling her to tilt her chin up, but it just doesn't
help.»
Does it mean she does it, and the shots aren't any better, or does it mean
she doesn't do it?
David Grabowski
<jd142N...@hotmail.com.invalid> wrote:
>I'm just starting out as a hobby, and I have some questions about how
>best to pose someone. She has a weak chin and a tendency to tilt her
>head down, which gives her a double chin, which she definitely doesn't
>have. I've tried telling her to tilt her chin up, but it just doesn't
>help. Can anyone please give me some suggestions? Also, how do you
>deal with people who consistently close their eyes? Another model
>manages to always blink, so her eyes are half closed and it looks like
>she's so drunk she's about to pass out. These are just friends of mine
>who are just helping me out, so I also have to be very tactful.
>
>Does any one have any suggestions or good web sites that give tips?
>I've tried some searches, but so many of the results were just porn
>sites, that I gave up. I would have even settled for site that had
>suggestions about how to take pornographic pictures; I just would have
>skipped step 1. (You know: Step 1: get model to undress. So much
>for humor this morning.)
>
>Thanks a lot for any tips.
>
>J.
For help online look at Monte Zucker, Galaxy Studios web sites as well
as Rangefinder Magazine( look in the archives at this site , there are
many portrait articles) and New York Institute of Photography web
sites. Sorry I don't have the URLs off hand but you will find them on
a search just with those names.
For blinking , occupy your subject , interact with her even with your
own facial expressions. Be sure to take a couple of shots of each in
close succession. Some times it helps to use a cable release and move
around while you talk to her rather than have your head stuffed in
the camera. Then again it can help to walk in and out with the camera
handheld taking the shots as she is off guard . If nothing else your
more likely to see the blink and know to shoot a retake with the cable
realease and tripod. Posed sittings are an aquired art form, a long
learning experience, it's not instant return. The best I can say is
don't make an issue of the blinking, find your own way to work around
this and whatever you do throw the blinker proofs in the trash before
anyone else sees them, your model will lose interest in your shots .
50% of portraiture is setup( camera, lights, lenses the general
mechanics of it all) and knowing light real well, the other 50% is a
big head game with your subject, the trick is they shouldn't catch on
to the game but you gotta get them to play along real well.
David Grabowski
Pat Jerina
slightly. Get on a step stool and force them to look up at you to take care
of the 2x chin. For the "drunk" ones, Tell them that every time they see a
red flash (the light of the strobes, passing through their eyelids) have
them tell you that they see red. They will feel self-conscious on their
part and try to keep from keeping their eyes closed. Or count down to let
them know that you are about to take their photo.
> I'm just starting out as a hobby, and I have some questions about how
> best to pose someone. She has a weak chin and a tendency to tilt her
> head down, which gives her a double chin, which she definitely doesn't
> have. I've tried telling her to tilt her chin up, but it just doesn't
> help. Can anyone please give me some suggestions? Also, how do you
> deal with people who consistently close their eyes? Another model
> manages to always blink, so her eyes are half closed and it looks like
> she's so drunk she's about to pass out. These are just friends of mine
> who are just helping me out, so I also have to be very tactful.
>
pat jerina photography
214.893.0458 phone
214.696.1758 fax
http://www.patjerina.com
zeitgeist
look terrible in pictures" seem to work very hard to prove
it. If ever they actually start break a sincere smile, as
opposed the social grimace, they will quickly turn their
head or put their hand in front of their mouth.
then you have the blinkers, there are those who blink
frequently, and then there are those whom I call the pychic
blinkers, they know when you about to shoot and none of your
tricks can prevent it. I had such a one for a girlfriend.
two thirds of a whole would capture blinks. However, in my
previous career as a high volume family portrait shooter I
would have to shoot one single of each family member and if
I blew one, well, they were't going to buy that five way or
six way composite panel and I wouldn't get that bonus so I
got good at looking at the eyes and getting the shot. Some
of the tricks I did were:
wait for a blink, then shoot. (note, some folks are double
blinkers.)
have them close their eyes, or look at the floor, I would
ask them to follow my hand as I raised it up, so some reason
concentrating on this instruction would make them forget
blinking for a second.
Hide your trigger finger, some sense the tension and blink,
if you use a cable release, use a long one and hide your
hand behind your back, stand next to the camera, not behind
it and let your arm or shoulder hide the shutter (but not
the lens.)
AS for the weak chin, do the hand on the chin thing. Heavy
make up by someone who knows what they are doing can help,
glamour lighting that throws the shadow straight down. try
a Theda Bara pocahontas pose, one hand on the forehead, the
other across the mouth/chin palms out, a ski mask so only
the eyes show, a motorcycle helmet, I know that sounds silly
to rude, but, one of the great cliche's of photo portrait
competitions is the pretty face wrapped in some
monochromatic cloth, feathers, fur, etc so only the eyes and
mouth show.
For shy folks, I have found that polaroids (and I suppose
digital would be even better) offer instant feed back, get
the subject involved in the creative process, in deed you
can make them responcible for it as a partner. In the old
days, some photog's would prop a mirror next to the camera,
I've seen some guys with a video camera and monitor mounted
on the same tripod. I prefer the polaroids as there is a
step, a pause to look at the result, another step, another
pause, etc and you are by that time locked in sync on the
journy to the final image. After a couple you can pretty
much know that the subject can/will trust you with their
image or its a hopeless case.
a good site to try is Zuga.net, that's Monte and Gary
Bernstein's site, Monte's tutorials are the best though
heavily wedding oriented.
jd142 wrote:
>
> I'm just starting out as a hobby, and I have some questions about how
> best to pose someone. She has a weak chin and a tendency to tilt her
> head down, which gives her a double chin, which she definitely doesn't
> have. I've tried telling her to tilt her chin up, but it just doesn't
> help. Can anyone please give me some suggestions? Also, how do you
> deal with people who consistently close their eyes? Another model
> manages to always blink, so her eyes are half closed and it looks like
> she's so drunk she's about to pass out. These are just friends of mine
> who are just helping me out, so I also have to be very tactful.
>
> Does any one have any suggestions or good web sites that give tips?
> I've tried some searches, but so many of the results were just porn
> sites, that I gave up. I would have even settled for site that had
> suggestions about how to take pornographic pictures; I just would have
> skipped step 1. (You know: Step 1: get model to undress. So much
> for humor this morning.)
Somebody just recently spammed the group with an ad for a
book on How to do nude photography, I've always wondered if
you ask, Excuse me Ma'm or Excuse me 'Miss" would you please
take your clothes off?"
>
> Thanks a lot for any tips.
>
> J.
>
DAK
knowing when I was going to tirp the shutter. I even had a cable release
long enough to go behind my back so he couldn't see me getting ready to
shoot. Cheesy solution: I put my Sunpak strobe on a tripod and triggered
it with my flash meter, which forced him to blink, and then I would trip my
shutter right after. A couple of the shots had a slightly dazed look on his
face, but it seemed to work OK. Watch out for "double blinkers", though!
"jd142" <jd142N...@hotmail.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:0a0133f8...@usw-ex0102-014.remarq.com...
> *SNIP*...Another model
> manages to always blink, so her eyes are half closed and it looks like
> she's so drunk she's about to pass out. These are just friends of mine
> who are just helping me out, so I also have to be very tactful.
>
> Does any one have any suggestions or good web sites that give tips?
> I've tried some searches, but so many of the results were just porn
> sites, that I gave up. I would have even settled for site that had
> suggestions about how to take pornographic pictures; I just would have
> skipped step 1. (You know: Step 1: get model to undress. So much
> for humor this morning.)
>
CLYDE
together and squared just under her chin.Its a standard
pose and there will be no chin problem because it will be
held on the hands and you will not be able to see anymore
of it.Your model should want to look her best and should be
able to help you shoot.There are times when you shoot with
a problem subject that require you to find an angle to
shoot at.So just keep looking for that angle and use it
when you find it.
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jd142
them this weekend.
Steve
>I'm just starting out as a hobby, and I have some questions about how
>best to pose someone. She has a weak chin and a tendency to tilt her
>head down, which gives her a double chin, which she definitely doesn't
>have. I've tried telling her to tilt her chin up, but it just doesn't
>help. Can anyone please give me some suggestions?
Try this, when you'r ready to shoot, hold your hand above your head and have
her look at your hand. She should then raise her head up to look at your
hand. When she does this, instruct her not to move her head, but look at the
camera with her eyes. When she makes eye contact, get the shot ......
Also, how do you
> deal with people who consistently close their eyes? Another model
>manages to always blink, so her eyes are half closed and it looks like
>she's so drunk she's about to pass out. These are just friends of mine
>who are just helping me out, so I also have to be very tactful.
>
Connect your camera to a cable. After you get everything focused, you can
step away from the camera and take the picture with just a press of a
button. Keep an eye on the expression you are looking for and then take the
shot. She won't know when your ready to shoot until after the shot, so you
should be able to catch her with her eyes open. You can get a lot of natural
expressions like this also when using models, or subjects, who are a bit
nervous or unexperienced.