Cris_L's 52 - Update - Week 23 and 24

Thnks for the Congrats guys! and thanks for the crit of the photo, I feel this 52 is really helping me to improve my studio shots...I could just do with some more models!
 
Cris_L said:
Thnks for the Congrats guys! and thanks for the crit of the photo, I feel this 52 is really helping me to improve my studio shots...I could just do with some more models!
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3 Models waiting in ludlow for you whenever you want them matey.....;)

I could even get some more and make a day of it for you . Just let me know.;)


Hustle 5mins matey:naughty:
 
..MD.. said:
3 Models waiting in ludlow for you whenever you want them matey.....;)

I could even get some more and make a day of it for you . Just let me know.;)

Hustle 5mins matey:naughty:
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I'm actually watching it dude!! It's not bad actually....different!

As yo know dave I'm free any Sunday so say the word and im there.

Cheers neil, yes I might try to make an appearance one week on my own....maybe!
 
First of all, huge congratulations to you both!

I'm going to be slightly controversial here and say that as a photo to capture a very happy moment, perfect! As a photo for Open... I found it a bit cheesy and a bit contrived. Perhaps it's because I'm looking on my phone, but the way the hand holding the back of the box is positioned... It looks strange and just not natural.

I can see portraits is obviously your area of expertise, but it would be great to see a non portrait from you one of the weeks!

Look forward to seeing what you come up with next week!
 
Cheers andy!

And thanks Laura, all opinions are welcome and valued. I may try an alternative theme to portraits but then again i Started the 52 with the intention of doing 52 portraits...so I'd kind of be going against my own brief. We'll see, I my get so stuck one week that I have no choice!
 
Cris_L said:
Cheers andy!

And thanks Laura, all opinions are welcome and valued. I may try an alternative theme to portraits but then again i Started the 52 with the intention of doing 52 portraits...so I'd kind of be going against my own brief. We'll see, I my get so stuck one week that I have no choice!
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Just to say if I dont count 52 portraits on this thread at the end ........:nono:


Lose my number :eek:



Dave :wave:
 
Well if this was a competition I'd say you win on emotional content alone. Congratulations, and I like both shots. The one on the eye - did you make her cry? Mean git :D

I like the way in the 1st she's still looking really, and genuinely happy. You rarely see that in photographs :)
 
..MD.. said:
Just to say if I dont count 52 portraits on this thread at the end ........:nono:

Lose my number :eek:

Dave :wave:
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You will count 52 shirley don't you worry ;-) and i'll count 52 in yours.

Bluesmachine said:
Well if this was a competition I'd say you win on emotional content alone. Congratulations, and I like both shots. The one on the eye - did you make her cry? Mean git :D

I like the way in the 1st she's still looking really, and genuinely happy. You rarely see that in photographs :)
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Cheers! Yeah I made her cry, and she struggled to breath....happiness and shock or so she says, no one ever expected me to get engaged, just to live in sin forever!
 
Brilliant Cris good shot as well congrats to yourself an fiance:thumbs:
 
Tricky theme this week for me...but hard could relate to this image two ways...hard work out or hard ass girl!

i wanted to try different lighting other than the studio flash so this was lit with a single 430exii attached to a lencarta beauty dish triggered remotely (manual mode). I wanted harsh shadows etc for the gym type theme.

there was a reflector on the floor providing a bit of fill but my reflector stand hasnt arrived yet so i couldnt position it where I wanted.

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Both versions are good but i think the b&w version steals the show. Keep up the good work, your shots are inspiring.
 
both versions are brilliant, Its almost too hard to decide which I like the best, but I would go with the black and white conversion. It would be interesting to see other versions if you do decide to add some noise in there, but it would be very hard to improve on it. Keep up the good work! :thumbs:
 
fido18 said:
Both versions are good but i think the b&w version steals the show. Keep up the good work, your shots are inspiring.
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Thanks for taking the time. I agree, the bw adds to the feel of it. I'm touched by your kind compliment of being inspiring. Thank you.

michael23 said:
both versions are brilliant, Its almost too hard to decide which I like the best, but I would go with the black and white conversion. It would be interesting to see other versions if you do decide to add some noise in there, but it would be very hard to improve on it. Keep up the good work! :thumbs:
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Cheers Michael! Much appreciated. I may have a play tomorrow and try and make this even grittyer and add bait of grain, maybe a dodge and a burn here and there thanks again. :)
 
Great photos Cris and great take on the theme! I too prefer the B&W photo. To me it looks a bit like a screen shot from Sin City.

Keep the good work!

Rayna
 
Brilliant week5 Cris :) fantastic image and love the lighting, although i'm going to go against the grain at the minute and say I prefer the colour version, it just seems to drag me into the image a bit more and holds more interest for me :)
 
SilentGoddess said:
Great photos Cris and great take on the theme! I too prefer the B&W photo. To me it looks a bit like a screen shot from Sin City.

Keep the good work!

Rayna
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Thanks Rayna :)

antihero said:
Brilliant week5 Cris :) fantastic image and love the lighting, although i'm going to go against the grain at the minute and say I prefer the colour version, it just seems to drag me into the image a bit more and holds more interest for me :)
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Cheers Paul, I prefer your edit. Makes it look rougher. Can I ask what you dud so I can have a bash at that myself?
 
No worries mate, all I did was desaturate the colour image in ps then run it through a HDR program. Worked pretty well IMO!
 
:exit:Wow, you have a very commited and helpful wife...:p

I really like this one, and the edited b&w really adds to it. It's quite gritty and really works well.

The sweat on her arms and the kick bag really gives it some punch....(I'll get my coat...:exit:)

One very minor point, I'd prefer to see all her fingers extended onto the bag....

Cheers.
 
Thanks Andy.....yes my Misses is being a real big help to me with these themes...think she's secretly enjoying it too!

Paul I really like your edit. Gonna have a fiddle tonight after the gym to see what o can come up with. i don't have HDR programs but might be able to do something!
 
:thumbs:

Nice work Cris;)

Once you sort out the b+w it will be a winner;)


Dave:wave:
 
Hiya Cris,

Your view count has probs increased drastically over the past few days and I apologise if I have contributed to such as I have been back and forth to these images. Not because I think they are bad, quite the contrary, I think they are amazing!!!

But my knowledge and experience of profile photography is limited and as such it takes me a lot longer to view an image to offer any critique. With such profile shots I like to look at the image through my own eyes first, evaluate them and then read what other more experienced portrait togs have posted (and in some cases say my say before I read the professional interpretation)

I always approach your project with a very different and unique interpretation, especially as you have defined your parameters at the beginning. So as such treat it with a certain respect.

Right, now to the nitty-gritty:

Well what can I say ... except that both images, i.e., the colour and b&w portray such a unique feel.

The colour has a certain softness about it, even though it oozes 'hardness', I think the softness is in the skin tone and eyes.

On the other hand, the b&w is 'HARD' and the edit bu 'antihero' emphasisis that even more. The edit give a more rugged, hard wearing look and the look in Katie's eyes appears more 'menacing', and the sweat drops more condusive to a good work out.

Coming to think of it ....you have your work cut out for you mate :D Katie is one ACE gal and you have some major competition there ..... say no more :exit: :lol:

If I had the IT creative ability I would design an icon such as 'go Katie go! ' :lol:

Cheers

Dawn :)
 
I absolutely love the take on this weeks theme and prefer the b & w conversions myself, just gives it an edge that was missing in the colour shot :)
 
Dawn thanks for the in-depth and lengthy critique, I really do appreciate you taking the time. I'm finding it quite difficult the keep following the themes but it's definitely helping me develop my creativity...not to mention my photography.

Katies doing great and also helping to come up with some ideas, not sure about me having competition though lol, we do have our work cut out but that's with arranging the wedding next year, there is so much to do!!

I know some people would like to see a photo other than a portrait from me but the whole point of this 52 for me is to take people shots, be creative, direct the model and try different lighting and editing. I do intend on using some different models but so far as heavily themed ones go it's easier to use me girl.

I agree with yourself and luckless that the bw convsion just takes the edge, it's good to see the bright colours in the colour sht but Pauls edit really makes it look like it was shot it a gritty gym. It was actually shot in my out buildings and the space was tiny, hence me opting to use a speed light rather than studio flash.

Cheers guys
 
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luckless said:
I absolutely love the take on this weeks theme and prefer the b & w conversions myself, just gives it an edge that was missing in the colour shot :)
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Cheers luckless. I need to work on my bw one, Pauls looks so much better!
 
Another excellent portrait. Perfect for the theme "hard". I really like the contrast between the model's lovely skin and hair tones/colour and the edginess of the setting and theme.

Great lighting - the hard shadows work well for this pic. Brilliant catchlights. Focus looks spot on to me.

You've got some wonderful detail and contrast in the colour version. That gets lost in the 1st B+W, but is regained in Paul's mono conversion.

I not sure which version I prefer. I'm torn between the colour and the second mono. Overall I'd go with the colour version - mainly because there are some great colours and skin tones.
 
Had a real busy week looking at wedding venues and I'm not really feeling the "clutter" theme this week so I'm going to play a wildcard this week and post up a general portrait with a view to getting back to the theme next week.

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cheers
 
Thats a very non cluttered b/g there buddy;)


MD:thumbs:
 
Hiya Cris,

Both gorgeous photos for this week and Katie looks stunning as ever with such a natural pose.

Even though I like both images, my fav has to be the second image, perhaps because it has a bit of 'cheekyness' to it.

I still have a lot to learn about portrait photography, so when you say the lighting in the second is a tad too harsh, could you please expain to me why you think that is? I would love to learn from the portrait images I see here on your thread and other who are doing portraits too.

Is it the higlights on the forehead, cheeks and side of face near the neck that you are referring to harsh light?

Even though I don't have the experience to crit portrait pics, the one thing that was quite noticable on the second image is the skin tone of wrist to face. Naturally the wrist will have a different tone to skin tone of the face .... is that acceptable in portrait photography, or would it be preferable to try to get the two tones as close to each other as possible? :thinking: See I have so much to learn .... I think I could benefit from perhaps doing some self study on this subject and spend more time looking through TP threads relating to portrait photography.

Anyway, enough of my rattling on .... sorry.

Job well done and I look forward to seeing more of your work.

Cheers

Dawn :)
 
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