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calendar girl, take two · 10:16 PM

Another shot from the calendar shoots. It's not as sexy as it could be, but this girl doesn't really do sexy, she is more cute.

This was the K10D, Tamron 28-75 f2.8, Vivitar 283 into silver umbrella to camera right fired with radio slave, lowering sun as fill. Exposure was 1/180 @ f4.

Branimir · 09-21-2007, 12:31 AM

Hmm,

There is a smile missing. Also, the contrast between tough bike girl and her shoes is too much for me.
Hope this helps.
Branimir

Viridian · 09-21-2007, 06:35 AM

I like the contrast but I agree with Branimir, her enthusiasm doesn't seem to be very engaged. Less of the tough girl and more of the 'cute'. Too serious. Just my take.

carpents · 09-21-2007, 07:06 AM

I like the dichotomy of the racing gloves and high heels. IMO that makes the picture.

I probably would have liked her looking at the camera, her look as-is makes her eyes look a little lazy, but she is pretty enough to overcome that.

davemdsn · 09-21-2007, 08:11 AM

I've never understood why people need to be looking at the camera. I like shots where the interaction with camera is not direct. I only like smiles as long as they don't look forced, and this girl had problems with that. I shot her last year and had the same problem.

As for her overall mood in the photo, it does look a little tired. Good thing I have others where the mood is better. In a lot of the shots she is even looking at the camera and has a hint of a smile.

little laker · 09-21-2007, 08:24 AM

If everyone looked at the camera for every shot we'd be bored of that, the same is true if everyone looked away form the camera for the shot.

I like the pic in general Dave. She looks both cute, and a little sad at the same time.

I wish that I could do belly dancer part 2 today

jshurak · 09-21-2007, 08:40 AM

I've got one question. Where's the bike? I feel that the model (and picture) is totally out of context. Did you get any shots with the model, gloves, helmet and bike? I'd like to see those. I'd like to see more background too. Is she dirt biking? Let's see some jumps in the background!

As far as eye contact goes. The eyes are the windows to our souls. Sure the model has a sad look to her, but I think it would be a more powerful look, if she was in fact looking into the camera. Eye contact in photos isn't simply eye contact with the camera, its eye contact with everyone looking at the picture.

I'm not a professional photographer, nor are my shots very good. This is simply my take on it.

really awesome pictures on your flickr page BTW, you're April 10 self portrait came out great!

Last edited by jshurak; 09-21-2007 at 08:49 AM.

carpents · 09-21-2007, 08:46 AM

Originally posted by davemdsn

I've never understood why people need to be looking at the camera.

I've never understood why people need to make sweeping generalizations based on one data point.

davemdsn · 09-21-2007, 12:27 PM

Originally posted by carpents

I've never understood why people need to make sweeping generalizations based on one data point.

Sorry, just meant to say that I purposely don't always have my subjects look at the camera. A lot of people don't like it.

davemdsn · 09-21-2007, 12:35 PM

Originally posted by Branimir

Hmm,

There is a smile missing. Also, the contrast between tough bike girl and her shoes is too much for me.
Hope this helps.
Branimir

This is a valid point. The photos are for a radio station's web site and they wanted sexy shots. The theme ended up being sports, since the station is sports talk, so I wanted to do sports shots that had a feminine contrast to them. The tennis shot looked pretty good with high heels so I decided to run it as a common thread in all the shots. It may not work with all of them.

The reason for not having her look at the camera in some shots is that I photographed a lot of these same girls last year for their print calendar and they are looking at the camera in every shot. This year I wanted to add a little bit of variety. Again, doesn't work every time.

Thank you for the comments, and to all who commented, as it helps me see things differently than when I shot it.

and · 09-21-2007, 12:46 PM

Nice to see some shots from Pentax users that are using off camera flash

I wonder how it would look if there was a second flash fired at a lower setting, oposite the main light, hitting her back as a rim light.

little laker · 09-21-2007, 04:00 PM

Chris, just a thought but if you somehow get the chance to re-do this photo how about having her bare footed, and with a set of motorcycle boots laying beside her.
Some jewelery on her foot or ankle would also add a little sex appeal as well.

and · 09-21-2007, 04:12 PM

Good point, the shoes dont really match the outfit, gloves and helmet.

Originally posted by little laker

Chris, just a thought but if you somehow get the chance to re-do this photo how about having her bare footed, and with a set of motorcycle boots laying beside her.
Some jewelery on her foot or ankle would also add a little sex appeal as well.

SpecialK · 09-21-2007, 05:12 PM

Originally posted by davemdsn

I've never understood why people need to be looking at the camera. .

They don't, except for calendars where you want to engage the viewer :-)

carpents · 09-21-2007, 05:31 PM

Originally posted by davemdsn

Sorry, just meant to say that I purposely don't always have my subjects look at the camera. A lot of people don't like it.

I gotcha. [Edit] Yuck. She's ugly.[/Edit]

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09-21-2007, 05:31 PM	#15
carpents Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: West Chester, PA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,420	Originally posted by davemdsn Sorry, just meant to say that I purposely don't always have my subjects look at the camera. A lot of people don't like it. I gotcha. [Edit] Yuck. She's ugly.[/Edit] Last edited by carpents; 09-22-2007 at 03:21 AM. Reason: Girlfriend made me do it.

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09-21-2007, 12:31 AM	#2
Branimir Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Zagreb, Croatia Photos: Gallery Posts: 145	Hmm, There is a smile missing. Also, the contrast between tough bike girl and her shoes is too much for me. Hope this helps. Branimir

09-21-2007, 06:35 AM	#3
Viridian Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Willamette Valley Posts: 54	I like the contrast but I agree with Branimir, her enthusiasm doesn't seem to be very engaged. Less of the tough girl and more of the 'cute'. Too serious. Just my take.

09-21-2007, 07:06 AM	#4
carpents Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: West Chester, PA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,420	I like the dichotomy of the racing gloves and high heels. IMO that makes the picture. I probably would have liked her looking at the camera, her look as-is makes her eyes look a little lazy, but she is pretty enough to overcome that.

09-21-2007, 08:11 AM	#5
davemdsn Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,413 Original Poster	I've never understood why people need to be looking at the camera. I like shots where the interaction with camera is not direct. I only like smiles as long as they don't look forced, and this girl had problems with that. I shot her last year and had the same problem. As for her overall mood in the photo, it does look a little tired. Good thing I have others where the mood is better. In a lot of the shots she is even looking at the camera and has a hint of a smile.

09-21-2007, 08:24 AM	#6
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	If everyone looked at the camera for every shot we'd be bored of that, the same is true if everyone looked away form the camera for the shot. I like the pic in general Dave. She looks both cute, and a little sad at the same time. I wish that I could do belly dancer part 2 today

09-21-2007, 08:40 AM	#7
jshurak Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: philadelphia Posts: 626	I've got one question. Where's the bike? I feel that the model (and picture) is totally out of context. Did you get any shots with the model, gloves, helmet and bike? I'd like to see those. I'd like to see more background too. Is she dirt biking? Let's see some jumps in the background! As far as eye contact goes. The eyes are the windows to our souls. Sure the model has a sad look to her, but I think it would be a more powerful look, if she was in fact looking into the camera. Eye contact in photos isn't simply eye contact with the camera, its eye contact with everyone looking at the picture. I'm not a professional photographer, nor are my shots very good. This is simply my take on it. really awesome pictures on your flickr page BTW, you're April 10 self portrait came out great! Last edited by jshurak; 09-21-2007 at 08:49 AM.

09-21-2007, 08:46 AM	#8
carpents Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: West Chester, PA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,420	Originally posted by davemdsn I've never understood why people need to be looking at the camera. I've never understood why people need to make sweeping generalizations based on one data point.

09-21-2007, 12:27 PM	#9
davemdsn Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,413 Original Poster	Originally posted by carpents I've never understood why people need to make sweeping generalizations based on one data point. Sorry, just meant to say that I purposely don't always have my subjects look at the camera. A lot of people don't like it.

09-21-2007, 12:35 PM	#10
davemdsn Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,413 Original Poster	Originally posted by Branimir Hmm, There is a smile missing. Also, the contrast between tough bike girl and her shoes is too much for me. Hope this helps. Branimir This is a valid point. The photos are for a radio station's web site and they wanted sexy shots. The theme ended up being sports, since the station is sports talk, so I wanted to do sports shots that had a feminine contrast to them. The tennis shot looked pretty good with high heels so I decided to run it as a common thread in all the shots. It may not work with all of them. The reason for not having her look at the camera in some shots is that I photographed a lot of these same girls last year for their print calendar and they are looking at the camera in every shot. This year I wanted to add a little bit of variety. Again, doesn't work every time. Thank you for the comments, and to all who commented, as it helps me see things differently than when I shot it.

09-21-2007, 12:46 PM	#11
and Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,476	Nice to see some shots from Pentax users that are using off camera flash I wonder how it would look if there was a second flash fired at a lower setting, oposite the main light, hitting her back as a rim light.

09-21-2007, 04:00 PM	#12
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	Chris, just a thought but if you somehow get the chance to re-do this photo how about having her bare footed, and with a set of motorcycle boots laying beside her. Some jewelery on her foot or ankle would also add a little sex appeal as well.

09-21-2007, 04:12 PM	#13
and Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,476	Good point, the shoes dont really match the outfit, gloves and helmet. Originally posted by little laker Chris, just a thought but if you somehow get the chance to re-do this photo how about having her bare footed, and with a set of motorcycle boots laying beside her. Some jewelery on her foot or ankle would also add a little sex appeal as well.

09-21-2007, 05:12 PM	#14
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,482	Originally posted by davemdsn I've never understood why people need to be looking at the camera. . They don't, except for calendars where you want to engage the viewer :-)

calendar girl, take two

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