[Rupert]

This is a sad story....and embarrassing for me. Where I eat every day, have for years, there are many lovely young ladies I love to shoot for practice. They all know me well and will pose on request. We are more like family than friends, and it is a very relaxed and casual atmosphere...lots of fun and laughs.

There is this fairly new little girl that cooks and sometimes works the register, and she is quiet, shy, and the most mousy and unattractive of the group....thick glasses, hair always pulled back tight around her head and though pleasant, not a place to rest your eyes for long. The other girls are all scheduled to shoot in my new "Studio" soon, but I never considered this one.......

Yesterday before her shift started she sat in front of me and I asked her to smile for a shot....I noticed her hair was down for the first time I had seen and she looked a little different.....she smiled graciously, and I snapped a couple.....never even checking my settings, what for, it was just a "courtesy snap" anyhow, and then I asked her to take off the glasses....she did and I snapped a few more. When I downloaded yesterday, I realized I have me a First Rate Model here, and I had not done a good job of shooting her at all......my thoughts were still on the little "mousy girl" and I had not been the least serious in my shooting. I will correct this and make it right, I guarantee, but it does say something about how we sometimes think...and shoot.....not serious enough, when it might ought to be?

Anyhow, sorry for the long story, but it seemed needed to justify these shots......
Diamond in the Rough?

A quick snap......of Shelby.

File Date

View Picture EXIF

Here I did what I could with a poor shot and lots of processing......what do you think?
Attachment 72162

My apologies Shelby! I will definitely do a better job next week!
Best Regards

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Last edited by Rupert; 05-30-2015 at 12:06 PM.

[JeffJS]

I think you have a potential portfolio star there Rupert. I have to start eating out more often

Looking forward to seeing the studio shots of these models.

[Rupert]

Thanks Jeff, looks like we are alone here today? LOL! I am serious about my lack of attention to this little mousy girl, it is a sort of character flaw on my part, and I don't like to come up short on judging people by their looks....but I do think it is a human thing we do without always noticing it. My Squirrels call me the "Big Ugly", and I am used to it, but you know, it does cut a little at times........Mama Festus, she has a tender heart and just refers to me as being "handsome impaired"....I appreciate that!
I could suffer from it all, but then I have Mrs Rupert........something must be right?
Best Regards!

[Rupert]

A shame I shot these at ISO 3200....what was I "not thinking"? You ever make such mistakes......? I bet you do! Bummer, isn't it! At least I get a chance to correct it this week!
Best Regards!

[JeffJS]

I'm sure you can do better with current equipment but it will be interesting to see what the K5 does with a shot like that. In this case, the conversion works better (obviously). Mousy or not, behind those glasses (a look I happen to like btw), a very pretty girl. The glasses shot just doesn't do her justice. Like I said, I have to start eating out more often

[kryss]

A shame I shot these at ISO 3200....what was I "not thinking"? You ever make such mistakes......? I bet you do! Bummer, isn't it! At least I get a chance to correct it this week!
Best Regards!
Attachment 72248

Hi,I have been shooting Female portraiture and glamour for close to 50years now and in all honesty I have yet to have one client who has not been more than pleased with the results,in fact the majority usually can't believe it is really them.I take particular care and TIME to ensure the client is more than happy with the experience and have not met a woman yet who is not photogenic,especially with all the available editing software as opposed to hours spent in the darkroom.My advice, meet the challenge and prove your skill,remember not every woman is a professional model or movie star and believe me I have shot a number of these and you would be surprised how they look in the flesh without all the gizmos they have at there disposal.

[Rupert]

Interesting comments there Kryss....and some worthy advice from an experienced shooter. I relate easily to most women, I am not at all "flirty" and never appear as any kind of overbearing lurker waiting to pounce.......being very happily married to Mrs Rupert, a most lovely lady, for most of my life. This seems to make it much easier to gain relaxed poses and a more natural capture in most cases. I am very new to shooting people, most of my efforts are with Squirrels, my first love!
I have set up a small "Studio" at my Downtown Gallery/Learning Center and hope to learn from those here that have been very helpful in getting me started, and maybe from you too? I have a lot to learn, but I enjoy every minute of it, and the young ladies are so much fun and excited to pose, so it should be a little easier than it might otherwise be.
Again, thanks, I appreciate all you can offer!
Best Regards!


Jeff- That is an interesting thought? I am just willing to bet that the K5 would blow this one away? I had plenty of room for an ISO 400 shot, so it was not necessary, but with the K5, I think we will be opening new doors to shoot through!
Regards!

[kryss]

Interesting comments there Kryss....and some worthy advice from an experienced shooter. I relate easily to most women, I am not at all "flirty" and never appear as any kind of overbearing lurker waiting to pounce.......being very happily married to Mrs Rupert, a most lovely lady, for most of my life. This seems to make it much easier to gain relaxed poses and a more natural capture in most cases. I am very new to shooting people, most of my efforts are with Squirrels, my first love!
I have set up a small "Studio" at my Downtown Gallery/Learning Center and hope to learn from those here that have been very helpful in getting me started, and maybe from you too? I have a lot to learn, but I enjoy every minute of it, and the young ladies are so much fun and excited to pose, so it should be a little easier than it might otherwise be.
Again, thanks, I appreciate all you can offer!
Best Regards!


Jeff- That is an interesting thought? I am just willing to bet that the K5 would blow this one away? I had plenty of room for an ISO 400 shot, so it was not necessary, but with the K5, I think we will be opening new doors to shoot through!
Regards!

Thanks Rupert,after all this forum should be a place where we ALL learn instead of complaining about Pentax equipment because it doesn't do this or that,I started at 14years old with a Kodak box camera & felt lucky it had a shutter instead of opening and closing by covering aperture with a dark slide and with practice was able to achieve acceptable results although many many trashed.You are on the right track in your approach as the ladies are very self critical of there own assumed faults(I have never had a male in any situation asking if he looked fat in the clothes he was wearing) Once your subject feels comfortable she starts to enjoy herself and relax more,continue to talk and praise while your shooting and you will get better and better response,technical aspects are up to you,Oh and by the way we all goof up still by forgetting the obvious no matter how much experience we have.Keep shooting and ENJOY.regards Kryss.

[Ash]

Unfortunate, Rupert. Not too much that can be salvaged from the original.
This serves as an opportunity to invite her back for a second try.

[Rupert]

Unfortunately Ash, unfortunate is a work I am all too familiar with! But I will get another chance! If it wasn't for "another chance" I would have to give this all up.....
Best Regards!