Stephan.

[CodyWeber]

A lot of people make the remarks that I have a lot of dedicated models.
Well, here is the reason.
I give them photos whenever they want them.
And after we finished shooting the "13th Step" photoset, Stephan wanted a few portraits.
So, these don't have any conceptual relevance, he just wanted some shots before he washed everything off. And since we have that unwritten, unsaid agreement, I shot them gladly.
Let me know what you think!

http://i2.tinypic.com/2m4x7x1.jpg

http://i12.tinypic.com/2z7hrgp.jpg

http://i9.tinypic.com/4g49xuh.jpg

[TylerW]

Second one is fantastic!

Do you do any post processing to make the eyes in your models pop, or do you just know a lot of models with phenomenal and unique eyes?

[CodyWeber]

It's actually a REALLYYYY simple photoshop technique.
Just use the Highlight Dodge tool (A soft brush, preferbly) and just highlight it to your liking.
It's incredibly simple and I learned how to do it from someone I did senior photos for who asked me if I could brighten out her eyes. I tried a couple techniques, but that one stuck.

[Owen]

^ I do the same. Sometimes it's easy to overdo, unless that is the effect you are going for. I have taken to only brightening catchlights now for the most part. If they already have bright eyes, you can use the Burn tool on Shadows around the edge of the eye, to similar effect.. it looks a bit cheesier though.

[Jeffro]

The eyes don't appear sharp in 2 and 3, probably has to do with the dof (It makes the images appear oof to me). The dof bothers me in the first one, the nose is out, and the ear is out, leaving only the closed eye sharp.

It may have been what you were going for, but unsharp eyes hurt mine.

[kres]

Number 2 is fantastic - it breaks juuuuuuuuust enough rules to be very intresting, but stays true to the 3 column rule so your eyes are drawn right to the iris. :thumb

[James C]

Number 2 is fantastic - it breaks juuuuuuuuust enough rules to be very intresting, but stays true to the 3 column rule so your eyes are drawn right to the iris. :thumb

Pardon my ignorance but what's the three colomn rule? :dunno

[kres]

Pardon my ignorance but what's the three colomn rule? :dunno
[Hi-Jack]
You might also know it by the term "Rule of Thirds"

Draw 2 vertical lines equidistant in your viewfinder, and then 2 lines horizontally. Giving you 3 colums and 3 rows.

The mind tends to slice or scan in this manner, so if you place subjects/area's of intrest in the path of these lines often (not always) you get a postive result.

Also placing the center of interest is closer to one of the corners of a photo also jazzes up the compsition. In landscapes placing the horizon in the top or bottom 3rd helps composition as well.

It's kinda a Photo 101 rule / tendency, but it is a good way to attempt to frame a shot. Slice up a photo you like in this manner, and you might find that the pattern works.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Rivertree_thirds_md.gif

Wikipedia link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds)

[/Hi-jack]