# Alexa P. | My favorite model EVER.



## e.rose (Feb 14, 2013)

Seriously.  I have been dying to work with this girl forever and then one day, out of the blue, she expressed how disappointed she was that I didn't live closer because she wanted to shoot with me.

She was 3 hours away in D.C.

I picked my ass up and drove 3 hours to D.C.

I love this girl.  :lmao:

::Sigh::  ANYWAY...

Alexa.







I've been playing around with processing for the past 72 hours and it has been driving me a little crazy.  I'm not a Photoshop wizard, so I get something in my head and then I spend SOOOOOO much time attempting to achieve and then by the time I'm done... I'm not even really sure if I did it.  

So anyway... C&C on this image welcome, if you feel moved to do so.


----------



## Overread (Feb 14, 2013)

*woefully under equipped to really comment -- but*

If I were to be critical the two things that stand out to me most would be that her face looks a little too far over to the plastic side of smoothing (unless that was the effect you wanted) and the tops of her hands both look a little too hot/overexposed.


----------



## e.rose (Feb 14, 2013)

Thanks for your feedback :sillysmi:



Overread said:


> *woefully under equipped to really comment*



  Why is that?


----------



## Overread (Feb 14, 2013)

Well your model is very pretty, but she hasn't got the fur/scales/feathers/tiny size that I'm used to critiquing when it comes to photos


----------



## e.rose (Feb 14, 2013)

Overread said:


> Well your model is very pretty, but she hasn't got the fur/scales/feathers/tiny size that I'm used to critiquing when it comes to photos



Oh I see!  :lmao:


----------



## PinkDoor (Feb 14, 2013)

Love the back lights - really nicely done!


----------



## e.rose (Feb 14, 2013)

PinkDoor said:


> Love the back lights - really nicely done!



Thank you :sillysmi:


----------



## tagan (Feb 14, 2013)

Very nice photograph.  I also like the lights in the back. I think it makes the photo that much better!  Well done


----------



## e.rose (Feb 14, 2013)

tagan said:


> Very nice photograph.  I also like the lights in the back. I think it makes the photo that much better!  Well done



Thank you!


----------



## tirediron (Feb 14, 2013)

Good job Rose!


----------



## Lmphotos (Feb 14, 2013)

Omg she is stunning!!! I would love to hear how you set up this shot and gear you used love this picture!


----------



## e.rose (Feb 14, 2013)

tirediron said:


> Good job Rose!



Thank you! :sillysmi:



Lmphotos said:


> Omg she is stunning!!! I would love to hear how you set up this shot and gear you used love this picture!



Umm... let me see...

Well, it's a lot of natural light with a kick of flash.

We were in front of a bike/walking tunnel (You can see the location here: http://www.emilymcgonigle.com/2013/02/13/model-photography-alexa-poletti-sneak-peak/ ), which is what those lights behind her is.

In the beginning of the shoot, I had her stand... where I wanted her to stand...  in front of the tunnel.  I set my camera to expose for the ambient light that I wanted and then I set up my 430EXII camera right in a soft box above Alexa about a 45 degree angle.  And then I played the trial and error with the flash power until I had just enough kick, but wasn't, in my opinion, super overpowering.

I shot with my 70-200mm f/2.8 so that really helped with the blurring of the background and the lights behind her.  I dont' remember exactly what aperture I was shooting at, but I'm willing to bet it was pretty close to f/2.8, knowing me.  

If you *really* want to know, after I make dinner (yes... at 11:15pm :lmao I can go into Lightroom and check. :sillysmi:


----------



## Lmphotos (Feb 14, 2013)

e.rose said:


> tirediron said:
> 
> 
> > Good job Rose!
> ...


No no no eat! Just wanting to know general set ups flash placement etc


----------



## e.rose (Feb 15, 2013)

Bumping for sh*ts and giggles.  C&C welcome.


----------



## Michael79 (Feb 15, 2013)

Its a great picture! Beautiful lady.


----------



## jwbryson1 (Feb 15, 2013)

On my crappy work monitor, at the point where her hair stops and down from there her body blends a bit too much with the background.  Perhaps more backlighting would have helped?  I dunno.

Otherwise, I like it.


----------



## Mully (Feb 15, 2013)

Very nice I like the white smooth skin.... this reminds me of a style that a photographer by the name of Sara Moon used to do in the 1970's ...look her up she may be an inspiration.


----------



## runnah (Feb 15, 2013)

Some minor tweaks.


----------



## ghache (Feb 15, 2013)

I love that shot! really well done. the post processing is fine they way it is, the lighting is superb and the models is HOT!


----------



## e.rose (Feb 15, 2013)

Michael79 said:


> Its a great picture! Beautiful lady.



thank you :sillysmi:



jwbryson1 said:


> On my crappy work monitor, at the point where her hair stops and down from there her body blends a bit too much with the background.  Perhaps more backlighting would have helped?  I dunno.
> 
> Otherwise, I like it.



thanks for your feedback 



Mully said:


> Very nice I like the white smooth skin.... this reminds me of a style that a photographer by the name of Sara Moon used to do in the 1970's ...look her up she may be an inspiration.



I will definitely look her up! Thanks for the compliment, and thanks for the tip! :sillysmi:



runnah said:


> View attachment 36140
> 
> Some minor tweaks.



So, basically, you think it was too cool, not enough contrast, and not sharp enough? (I'm just interpreting your re-edit  )  Thanks for your feedback. :sillysmi:



ghache said:


> I love that shot! really well done. the post processing is fine they way it is, the lighting is superb and the models is HOT!



  Thank you.

--

It's really interesting to see everyone's differing views on this!  :sillysmi:


----------



## runnah (Feb 15, 2013)

e.rose said:


> So, basically, you think it was too cool, not enough contrast, and not sharp enough? (I'm just interpreting your re-edit  )  Thanks for your feedback. :sillysmi:



More or less. I also fixed her cheek area cause it was sticking out too much.


----------



## e.rose (Feb 15, 2013)

runnah said:


> e.rose said:
> 
> 
> > So, basically, you think it was too cool, not enough contrast, and not sharp enough? (I'm just interpreting your re-edit  )  Thanks for your feedback. :sillysmi:
> ...



Oh, I see that. 

Yeah, see, I generally don't like reshaping people's faces.  That's just a personal preference.  Part of the reason I love her so much is for her unique facial features, so to change any of that would be going against the original reason I wanted to work with her.  

Your interpretation is interesting.  I showed it to a friend who prefers the warmth over my edit, but then again her style of shooting is always very warm, so that makes sense.  I tend to like this one cooler, but that's where personal preference comes into play, I suppose.  

Thanks for taking the time to post that though.  Like I said, it's interesting to see everyone's view on it! :sillysmi:


----------



## runnah (Feb 15, 2013)

e.rose said:


> Thanks for taking the time to post that though.  Like I said, it's interesting to see everyone's view on it! :sillysmi:



I know it's a rare glimpse into my work. Its like watching Picasso paint or Da Vinci invent.


----------



## e.rose (Feb 15, 2013)

runnah said:


> e.rose said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for taking the time to post that though.  Like I said, it's interesting to see everyone's view on it! :sillysmi:
> ...



LMAO! :lmao:


----------



## Tony S (Feb 15, 2013)

You drive 3 hrs, spend a while with this lovely gal, show us one wonderful picture?  And we only get to see the one wonderful picture?

  You are such a tease.


----------



## e.rose (Feb 15, 2013)

Tony S said:


> You drive 3 hrs, spend a while with this lovely gal, show us one wonderful picture?  And we only get to see the one wonderful picture?
> 
> You are such a tease.



Oh, no no... there will definitely be more, I promise!  This is just the only one I have done so far!


----------



## runnah (Feb 15, 2013)

Cooler


----------



## e.rose (Feb 15, 2013)

runnah said:


> View attachment 36153
> 
> Cooler



That is *indeed* much, much cooler temperature wise.  

What is it exactly that you dont' like about my post that you are trying to change?  Or are you just having fun with re-editing it?    (And if that sounded aggressive, I didn't mean it to be... I'm genuinely curious as to what is off-putting to you).


----------



## runnah (Feb 15, 2013)

e.rose said:


> Or are you just having fun with re-editing it?



Just having fun really. 



Even "cooler"


----------



## bunny99123 (Feb 15, 2013)

I really like it.  Well done for night. She is beautiful.


----------



## e.rose (Feb 15, 2013)

runnah said:


> e.rose said:
> 
> 
> > Or are you just having fun with re-editing it?
> ...



:lmao: 



bunny99123 said:


> I really like it.  Well done for night. She is beautiful.



Thank you! :sillysmi:


----------



## jake337 (Feb 15, 2013)

Does she have an abnormally large left cheek bone?  Or is it the lighting and camera angle creating the illusion of it?

Otherwise stunning!


----------



## jake337 (Feb 15, 2013)

e.rose said:


> runnah said:
> 
> 
> > e.rose said:
> ...



Disregard my previous post on the cheek.  

Now how might you have posed or lit her to take the attention away from her cheek?  Unless your intent was to emphasize it?

I think if you lit her exactly the opposite way you did it would take the attention away from her cheek.


----------



## e.rose (Feb 15, 2013)

bunny99123 said:


> I really like it.  Well done for night. She is beautiful.



It actually wasn't night time, it was during the day.   There was just a dark tunnel behind her.  (You can see it here:  Blog « Emily McGonigle Photography Emily McGonigle Photography)

Thank you! :sillysmi:



jake337 said:


> e.rose said:
> 
> 
> > runnah said:
> ...



I actually think that her bone structure is *amazing*!  I wouldn't want to minimize it. :sillysmi:


----------



## jake337 (Feb 15, 2013)

e.rose said:


> bunny99123 said:
> 
> 
> > I really like it.  Well done for night. She is beautiful.
> ...



Ok.  It does look like she shoved a handful of redman in her cheek though.


----------



## e.rose (Feb 15, 2013)

jake337 said:


> e.rose said:
> 
> 
> > bunny99123 said:
> ...



Ok. :greenpbl:


----------



## jake337 (Feb 15, 2013)

e.rose said:


> jake337 said:
> 
> 
> > e.rose said:
> ...



I still love it either way!  To each our own, right!


----------



## thebasedsloth (Feb 15, 2013)

The love the picture, I feel like the lights in the back would look better if they were a wee bit lower, but thats just being picky.
The only thing bothering me is her left jaw looks kinda swollen or something? It looks odd and was the first thing I noticed


----------



## thebasedsloth (Feb 15, 2013)

jake337 said:


> Does she have an abnormally large left cheek bone?  Or is it the lighting and camera angle creating the illusion of it?
> 
> Otherwise stunning!


Didn't see this when I posted that^


----------



## e.rose (Feb 16, 2013)

thebasedsloth said:


> The love the picture, I feel like the lights in the back would look better if they were a wee bit lower, but thats just being picky.



Cool, thanks for your feedback :sillysmi:


----------



## samhaddixphotography (Feb 16, 2013)

It's so good that I feel ok getting super-ultra picky. There's a very small piece of one of her bangs that is a little too long on the left side of her face (my left, not hers). My eye just won't stop going to it. 
Love the pose, model, bokeh, and for a 430ex the lighting is really nice! I'd love to see what you could do with a strobe and beauty dish setup. One other thing that would really make a photo like this pop would be using a backlight to create a rim around the hair and dark clothing, helping separate her from the background even more. Great job!
-Sam
www.samhaddixphotography.com


----------



## e.rose (Feb 16, 2013)

samhaddixphotography said:


> It's so good that I feel ok getting super-ultra picky. There's a very small piece of one of her bangs that is a little too long on the left side of her face (my left, not hers). My eye just won't stop going to it.
> Love the pose, model, bokeh, and for a 430ex the lighting is really nice! I'd love to see what you could do with a strobe and beauty dish setup. One other thing that would really make a photo like this pop would be using a backlight to create a rim around the hair and dark clothing, helping separate her from the background even more. Great job!
> -Sam
> www.samhaddixphotography.com



Thank you! :sillysmi:

Yeah, a beauty dish is the next light modifier on my "must buy" list.  The only issue is that I need to get a strobe before that's of any use to me, unless I modified it somehow to fit my flash, haha!  Thanks for the tips


----------

