The Before and After series focuses on the two or three key creative choices, in terms of composition and processing, that go into creating an image. Specific technical details about the shot have been left out — you won’t hear me talking about tone curve adjustments and whatnot unless it was a key component of the end result.
Leslie sits in the window on an overcast day.
Exposure
- Shutter: 1/250
- Aperture: f/1.4
- ISO: 400
- Camera: Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
- Lens: Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II IS USM
Composition
- This shot is a mistake. It normally wouldn’t make the cut due to the off center frame. But I liked the expression, so I thought I’d see what I could do. I considered cropping all the way in to clip the top part of the head and the right side (Leslie’s left). That would have made everything balanced, and Leslie’s arm wouldn’t have looked chopped. But Leslie’s upward gaze would have pushed the viewer against the top edge. So I brought it in as tight as I felt comfortable while still leaving some breathing room for where she’s looking (the upper right). The chopped arm still feels odd, but given it’s “support” pose, it kind of matched the “supporting” aspect of the left edge of the frame. At least, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
Original:
March 07 2010 | Photography | No Comments »
The Daily Photo series focuses on the two or three key creative choices, in terms of composition and processing, that go into creating an image. Specific technical details about the shot have been left out — you won’t hear me talking about tone curve adjustments and whatnot unless it was a key component of the end result.
I’m back after a brief hiatus: my apartment flooded about a week ago. Nothing of note was damaged (read: camera equipment and photographs), but I was displaced for several days, and it took some time to get computers and whatnot hooked back up.
This shot: Leslie poses in front of the east wall of Lambert’s in downtown Austin.
Exposure
- Shutter: 1/250
- Aperture: f/2
- ISO: 200
- Camera: Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
- Lens: Canon EF 50mm F/1.2L USM
Composition and Processing
- This was supposed to be part of a composite shot using an out-of-focus background subject against the wall with Leslie in the foreground. I wanted Leslie facing the camera, but with an awareness of the other subject. To achieve that, I asked her to give me a more whimsical, light smile and to act like she knew the other person was there but was ignoring them (which led to the head tilt and shoulder posture). There wasn’t anyone there, of course, either in the original take or the final result. I wasn’t happy with the distance of the second subject, so I ditched the composite. I did like Leslie’s pose though, and since the background texture was interesting enough I thought the single shot worked by itself. Since a composite shot requires each shot to turn out well, it’s not unusual for the individual components to be good photographs in their own right.
- The slight tilt to the right in post made the shot more dynamic and even added a hint of implied motion to Leslie (she was perfectly still for this shot). It also helped enhance the the bend in the neck and hips relative to the original. Tilting right made the most sense since her head is leaning left, balancing the shot.
Original:
June 14 2009 | Photography | No Comments »
The Daily Photo series focuses on the two or three key creative choices, in terms of composition and processing, that go into creating an image. Specific technical details about the shot have been left out — you won’t hear me talking about tone curve adjustments and whatnot unless it was a key component of the end result.
A square crop of Leslie on a light tan drop cloth.
Exposure
- Shutter: 1/125
- Aperture: f/2
- ISO: 800
- Camera: Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
- Lens: Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM
Composition and Processing
- I favored bleach bypass when processing this shot. The tans and reds match the yellow-ish processing style, as does the texture of the jeans (much the same way texture seems to stand out better in black and white).
- I tend to clean up skin blemishes on most models, almost unnecessarily so. This shot had a more natural feel (as far as wardrobe and posture), so I left in the various freckles on Leslie’s arm.
- I suppose the rule of thirds still applies to some degree, but I think square crops lend themselves better to centered subjects. Perhaps it’s the equal pressure from all sides of the frame, or that symmetry demands a certain degree of symmetry in the way the subject fills the scene. Anyone else have a reason why that might be the case?
Original:
May 15 2009 | Photography | 2 Comments »