Hope evreyone had a good and SAFE Holiday season.

My last shoot for the year was indoors with Karen. I start 2012 with a 7 model/6 photographer cruise to Cozumel and Costa Maya so, hopefully, I'll have a lot to show to start 2012 (but NO guarantees LOL)

anyway, here we go.



2.


3.


4.


5. Karen makes a sexy cook BUT


6. You'd BETTER eat Your Dinner


and, of course, the headshot


My thanks to all for their help in 2011. PLEASE continue to make me better in 2012.

John, not to be rough but I don't feeml that this is your traditional work. It seems the lighting is everywhere and not centered on the model. When you parouse a Playboy shot everything has a light on it but if not the model those lights are to a much lesser degree.

Hack you know better than to think you're being "rough".

This isn't my traditional work mainly because it's indoors. I know in theory that full control of the light should be easier than outside with ambient, but I do everything backwards (just ask my wife LOL ).

Anyway, this winter will be a time of experimenting with indoor setups. One of my friends has a full set of studio strobes for us to play with. Other times I want to just use my three speedlights. I plan on a lot of trial and error which invariably means a fair number of beatings (well mannered and well intentioned) on this board. However, if they are half as valuable to me as the early season beatings were last summer, I'll consider the winter a success.

You know I'm always willing to post my trials here, if only to be used as an example of what not to do.

With all that said, I'm gonna fight you on #s 3 & 6 cause I like those.

Thanks for the comments.

Posting only makes you better. When I compete for some reason I don't see the flaws until the print is up on the stand and the lights are hitting it then I say to myself "My God What Was I Thinking". Now why could't I see it before then?

Try turning 3 & 6 upside down and see where your eye goes. Those bright areas just scream for attention and she is way to pretty to compete with that. Try keeping a record of what you used and how you used it and tape it to the back of a print. Helps to go back and read it.

I'm with you on experimenting this winter. I'm asking many folks to come in and lets play with everything I own and see how to really use it. Have a great winter.

You too Hack.

By the way, I notice you're in MD (can't get anything by me - LOL).

My original instructor (and this weeks' cruise organizer) is a pro who works out of Annapolis. You anywhere near that cause maybe we can meet for coffee when I come down to do some work.

Would love to. I"m about an hour from Annapolis and am up that way quite abit as both my daughters live near there. Give me a shout out. 443-359-6312. Who is you friend. I might meet him or her at some of the MD meetings.

John, have to agree these aren't your best. Charles has already mentioned the problems with the lighting (the shadows behind the sofa in particular jumped out at me), but I think these backgrounds take "distracting" to a new level - it makes the shots look snapshot-ish despite the intention of being provocative and setting the scene into a context.

5/6 demonstrate this the best, I think. I expect your intention was pinup and playful, but what I see:

- lavender curtain + blue flowered wallpaper + pink counter + brown dishtowel + red dress = huh?
- 5 - Clorox wipes on counter + broken piece of toekick under the dishwasher (ETA: Sorry, under the cabinet next to the dishwasher)
- 6 - dishes in sink and also in drainer (purple really catches my eye)

This isn't a case of bokeh or not, but of actually creating a kind of "set" for these kinds of shots. I think if we use domestic settings we have to be VERY conscious of what's there that shouldn't be - I'll be honest, I didn't even LOOK at the subject initially since my brain focused on all of those other things first (and not because I was trying to nitpick, just because those things were so prominent they drew my attention). Setting the scene is great, but I think the best of these kinds of shots are very carefully contrived to enhance the subject rather than distract from them.

Btw (since I'm playing catchup) I liked your Clockwork Orange & Cabaret sets (some great stuff in those, and in the CW ones WOW did your mua nail it and really pull the whole look together!). Also liked blonde Jena - agree with Zoomer that the black band of missing background with her wasn't a good idea (pull paper down and use it as seamless floor + bg?), but nice, useable 3/4 shots.

Originally Posted by Hackbone Would love to. I"m about an hour from Annapolis and am up that way quite abit as both my daughters live near there. Give me a shout out. 443-359-6312. Who is you friend. I might meet him or her at some of the MD meetings.

His name is Dave Blecman. He organizes these 5 day cruises to the Caribbean teaching the open shade techniques.

I got my start in outdoor, no flash, no reflector work on one of his cruises back in 2009. Here are a couple from those cruises - nothing but a camera and a light meter:

GAIL


LINDSEY


ENGELIA


and my friend DUSTY

We agree these aren't my best Diva. They aren't going to be as long as it's cold out and I'm indoors. My goal for this winter is to become at least incrementally better by taking my beatings here, just like I did last spring with my outdoor work.

Meanwhile, I'll be back in the great outdoors next week shooting in Mexico so I should have some decent stuff to show during the next month or so. Watch out SI, I'm coming for you guys.

I think a consistent note (sorry - theatrical background terminology being transferred ) is to look at DETAILS. I think you get really involved in posing and mood (both of which have improved exponentially this year IMO) and don't "see" the stuff all around while you're shooting. Just like the brain can better process harsh contrast than the camera, I think the brain mentally airbrushes things like stray hairs, background "stuff" that isn't entirely relevant etc etc. I do it too - the number of "could have been great" shots I've taken where I hadn't noticed a collar was flipped up, or a necklace turned around.... I now have to MAKE myself look for those things - it's so easy to miss them when we're focused on interacting, plus of course basic things like the exposure triangle and making sure we nail the focus!!

Have fun - sounds like an awesome, awesome trip for the winter!