Alana

Nikolai · May 28, 2008

A few from last Saturday:

1:

2:

3:

4:

The rest of the small selection: http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/5040448_Aui4q

evoryware · May 28, 2008

Interesting shots Nik. I would say #2 is my favorite. I the others as well. #4 she looks a bit stiff.

Nikolai · May 29, 2008

evoryware wrote:

Interesting shots Nik. I would say #2 is my favorite. I the others as well. #4 she looks a bit stiff.

Thank you!

#4 is called "Danaya" :-) She's waiting for Zeus, of course she's nervous..:-)

Frog Lady · May 29, 2008

photography wise - I like the lighting and how it emphasizes your model but also helps bring out the color of the fabric. I also like how you've gotten really creative with the use of these long flowing pieces of material - well done. But really, who's idea was it to color her finger/toe nails the same as the peacock green accent piece in the back

C.

Nikolai · May 29, 2008

Frog Lady wrote:

photography wise - I like the lighting and how it emphasizes your model but also helps bring out the color of the fabric. I also like how you've gotten really creative with the use of these long flowing pieces of material - well done. But really, who's idea was it to color her finger/toe nails the same as the peacock green accent piece in the back

C.

Colleen,
thank you!

She arrived with these nails, I just happened to have the same fabric

evoryware · May 29, 2008

ah okay it makes sense then!

Sam · May 29, 2008

Your lighting is really getting good. I do however find the red fabric distracting.

Sam

Nikolai · May 29, 2008

Sam wrote:

Your lighting is really getting good. I do however find the red fabric distracting.

Sam

Thanks, Sam!

Are you saying I should've removed it completely?

ChatKat · May 29, 2008

Model expressions and styling
Nik,

Photographically, I have really watched your skills in studio climb. I can really see some good potential.

Something to work on is posing and getting the models comfortable. I think you can do better. Maybe you need to spend more time conversing with the girls to get them relaxed and comfortable and maybe with their being partially clothed they just aren't there with you. They just aren't feeling it. If these are for their portfolios, they really aren't portraying quality in the modelling here and that is your job. Their inexperience is really showing and IMHO that is something for you to take care of.

When you put out a model call I think you owe it to the models to use a stylist. These are good for practice, but not for either your portfolio or theirs. A suggestion is that you get some costumes. Go to Salvation Army or Goodwill. The fabric just doesn't do it. Again, the colorations don't match and they don't match these girls either. if I had a model show up in green nail polish, I just would tell her it doesn't fit the style of the shoot.

Nikolai · May 29, 2008

ChatKat wrote:

Nik,

Photographically, I have really watched your skills in studio climb. I can really see some good potential.

Something to work on is posing and getting the models comfortable. I think you can do better. Maybe you need to spend more time conversing with the girls to get them relaxed and comfortable and maybe with their being partially clothed they just aren't there with you. They just aren't feeling it. If these are for their portfolios, they really aren't portraying quality in the modelling here and that is your job. Their inexperience is really showing and IMHO that is something for you to take care of.

When you put out a model call I think you owe it to the models to use a stylist. These are good for practice, but not for either your portfolio or theirs. A suggestion is that you get some costumes. Go to Salvation Army or Goodwill. The fabric just doesn't do it. Again, the colorations don't match and they don't match these girls either. if I had a model show up in green nail polish, I just would tell her it doesn't fit the style of the shoot.

Kathy,
I concur with pretty much everything you're saying... But let me shed a bit of light on this particular shoot...

There were supposed to be 3 models, not 2. The third one was an actual originator of this whole gathering. She suggested to have a "Maria-Antoinette period shoot", and promised to bring all the costumes, backdrops, special makeup, etc. I organized all the MUAs, other models, etc. She stayed in a very close contact by email/phone during all the time since the inception. Last call was as close as 30 minutes before the shoot start (she lives in North Hollywood) when she advised me that everything's OK but she's going to be 10-15 minutes late (which was perfectly fine cause MUAs were 20 minutes late, too)...

Well, guess what: that was the last time I ever heard from her.

So I have 2 MUAs + 2 models - and absolutely no wardrobe and no shoot plan...

So I simply had to improvise. I changed the whole lighting/backdrop layout (which I spent two+ hours setting/tuning up), and used the only thing that was availalbe - the chiffon (plus couple of dresses a frinedly designer loaned me)..

Bottom line: it was a salvage work, nobody planned for any of this.. Many things "just happened". Definitely not the best work of my life.
I still think we did OK considering the circumstances...

Alana

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