Ruby again

[peter]

I had another shoot with Ruby this evening . You may remember her from this photo.


Well this time it was outdoors so here are two from this evening. I will not post more then two as I do not want to bore anyone but a few more can be seen on my flickr

[Josh Bear]

Re: Ruby again

Hi

I would worry about boring people, it's great to see lots of photos on this forum.

Love the eye contact in the first and third. keep posting.

Best Regards

Josh

[Ian]

Re: Ruby again

Interesting! The mono Ruby (if that's possible ) looks like a very different girl. I think it's down to her smile - I think she looks nicer with a toothy smile, if you get my drift.

Ian

[peter]

Re: Ruby again

Interesting! The mono Ruby (if that's possible ) looks like a very different girl. I think it's down to her smile - I think she looks nicer with a toothy smile, if you get my drift.

Ian

Hi Josh

Sometimes I think I post to many of the same person but I will post a few more. Those first two are taken with no flash. The next ones all had flash but it was fired in to a soft box first to help defuse the light.

Hi Ian

Yes I think I get your drift so so here are a few more with smiles

[Patrick]

Re: Ruby again

I had another shoot with Ruby this evening . You may remember her from this photo.


Well this time it was outdoors so here are two from this evening. I will not post more then two as I do not want to bore anyone but a few more can be seen on my flickr

The Mono picture in my opinion is lovely and the best by a street, shots 2&3 she looks positively bored.

The high angles you have used on some shots are not flattering and does the girl no favors. High angles can be made to work but its very difficult.

I don't know how many shots you took but when I have done portrait work I get two or three really good ones out of a session I'm happy. You certainly got a really good one with the first, the rest are well OK.

Sorry If I sound harsh but traditional portrait work is one of my favorite mediums so I get very critical, though I haven't done any for some time now


Patrick

[peter]

Re: Ruby again

The Mono picture in my opinion is lovely and the best by a street, shots 2&3 she looks positively bored.

The high angles you have used on some shots are not flattering and does the girl no favors. High angles can be made to work but its very difficult.

I don't know how many shots you took but when I have done portrait work I get two or three really good ones out of a session I'm happy. You certainly got a really good one with the first, the rest are well OK.

Sorry If I sound harsh but traditional portrait work is one of my favorite mediums so I get very critical, though I haven't done any for some time now


Patrick

Hi Patrick
No you be as harsh as you want this is after all how we learn. The first one was taken a while ago and was taken indoors. The next two you reposted were some of the first ones I took. As for the high angles this is something I never really do and just wanted to try the angle to see how it would work out. She has seen these photos so they are not posted without her knowing as that is something I would never do. She is happy with them and did not seem to be unhappy with the high angles. I will post one more from this set which I do like but sorry to say you may not .

[Josh Bear]

Re: Ruby again

The second set are very good imho. I have never been good at portraits and would be thrilled to get this quality. She has amazing eyes, just love the colour.

Josh

[Patrick]

Re: Ruby again

Hi Patrick
No you be as harsh as you want this is after all how we learn. The first one was taken a while ago and was taken indoors. The next two you reposted were some of the first ones I took. As for the high angles this is something I never really do and just wanted to try the angle to see how it would work out. She has seen these photos so they are not posted without her knowing as that is something I would never do. She is happy with them and did not seem to be unhappy with the high angles. I will post one more from this set which I do like but sorry to say you may not .

Now that puts me on the spot, not as it is I don't, but it could be improved I think with a little cropping, that out of focus area at the bottom and left side is very distracting.
I have done a crop and a little trick I know for the skin.

More important than my opinion is your own and Ruby's, if you both like them that's all that really matters, regardless of what I and others may say.

Patrick

[peter]

Re: Ruby again

Now that puts me on the spot, not as it is I don't, but it could be improved I think with a little cropping, that out of focus area at the bottom and left side is very distracting.
I have done a crop and a little trick I know for the skin.

More important than my opinion is your own and Ruby's, if you both like them that's all that really matters, regardless of what I and others may say.

Patrick

I did not mean to put you on the spot. I did do a little bit of work on the skin but no where near as much as you have. I do find it hard at times and it really is a fine line as to where you stop after all the person knows the them. Also if it was some mega star and it was going on the cover of some mag then yes I can see how it would be air brush to within and inch of its life. I also see what you mean about the crop and yes maybe the jeans could have been cropped out but as far as the top bit goes it is enough out of focus not to draw the eye away from the main subject.

As for the last comment, yes it does matter to me what people think. I may think they are the best thing since sliced bread but if they are not and can be improved then I need to know again how else would I learn. oh and no I not not think they are the best thing since sliced bread lol.

[Patrick]

Re: Ruby again

I did not mean to put you on the spot. I did do a little bit of work on the skin but no where near as much as you have. I do find it hard at times and it really is a fine line as to where you stop after all the person knows the them. Also if it was some mega star and it was going on the cover of some mag then yes I can see how it would be air brush to within and inch of its life. I also see what you mean about the crop and yes maybe the jeans could have been cropped out but as far as the top bit goes it is enough out of focus not to draw the eye away from the main subject.

As for the last comment, yes it does matter to me what people think. I may think they are the best thing since sliced bread but if they are not and can be improved then I need to know again how else would I learn. oh and no I not not think they are the best thing since sliced bread lol.

My little trick does not involve digital air brushing, it quit simple and extremely controllable.
Duplicate the original image cropped to your satisfaction, Gaussian blur it (experiment to find how much) then reduce the opacity of the blurred layer so the skin of the sharp layer is softened without losing detail. Now with the erase tool on the blurred layers erase hair, eyes, lips and anything else deemed appropriate to reveal the sharp elements below.
How intense or delicate this process is entirely up to the individual.

Patrick



Patrick

[peter]

Re: Ruby again

My little trick does not involve digital air brushing, it quit simple and extremely controllable.
Duplicate the original image cropped to your satisfaction, Gaussian blur it (experiment to find how much) then reduce the opacity of the blurred layer so the skin of the sharp layer is softened without losing detail. Now with the erase tool on the blurred layers erase hair, eyes, lips and anything else deemed appropriate to reveal the sharp elements below.
How intense or delicate this process is entirely up to the individual.

Patrick



Patrick

Thanks for that Patrick always nice to pick up tips. I will give that a go for sure. Just one thing do you blur the whole layer or say just the face ? Doing the whole layer would be the easy way I would guess

[Patrick]

Re: Ruby again

Thanks for that Patrick always nice to pick up tips. I will give that a go for sure. Just one thing do you blur the whole layer or say just the face ? Doing the whole layer would be the easy way I would guess

Yes the whole layer, as you are erasing the blurred bits to show sharp bits.

Patrick