# Recent shoot



## Big Mike (Apr 28, 2008)

Did a shoot this weekend, I think I got some decent results.  What do you think? C&C Welcome

#1






#2





#3





#4





#5


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## NJMAN (Apr 28, 2008)

Hey Mike! Great to see you posting again. 

Nice focus and sharp eyes on #1 and #2. The skin texture on those looks good. I like the BW tones a lot on the second one. Looks like you manually burned the edges. 

Cute pose on #3, but looks like the focus is on the hands in front instead of the face. 

Did you dodge his face in #4? Something about that doesn't quite look right. 

#5 is excellent! Love the foot in mouth, and his expression is awesome. Great catchlight in the eyes as well.

Very nice Mike! Thanks for sharing.

NJ


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## Big Mike (Apr 28, 2008)

Thanks.

Yes, I did burn the edges in a few of them.

Yes, the focus in #3 is on the hands, rather than the face.  I would have liked it to be the face/eyes...but this is what I got.  I don't want to lay blame...but I'm not happy with my Sigma 30mm F1.4 and it's focus accuracy.

Yes, I did dodge the face is #4.  I thought it would add to the photo if he was looking into the light, rather than his face being so dark.  Did I over do it?


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## NJMAN (Apr 28, 2008)

Big Mike said:


> Yes, I did dodge the face is #4. I thought it would add to the photo if he was looking into the light, rather than his face being so dark. Did I over do it?


 
Not really sure.  But his face looks a bit more grainy than the rest of his body.  I think it might have looked better with a natural light source, maybe coming from a snoot or some other specular light source.  Even a reflector on that side could have helped make it look a bit more natural.   However, I'm not a lighting expert, its just what I see, and IMHO, what I think I would have done differently if it was my situation.


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## Big Mike (Apr 28, 2008)

That one (actually, all of these) were lit with natural (window) light.  I did have a reflector on that side of him, for many of the shots (that one too, I think) but I just thought his face was too dark.

The sepia treatment seems to add some grain.  I'll have a look at that one in color or plain B&W and see if it's any better.


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## Big Mike (Apr 28, 2008)

How's this?


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## NJMAN (Apr 28, 2008)

Big Mike said:


> How's this?


 
Better IMO.  I like the color version a lot.  The highlights on the face are not as dimensional as on his backside, but its definitely an improvement.  Again, just my opinion.


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## Big Mike (Apr 29, 2008)

Thanks, I appreciate the comments.


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## Christie Photo (Apr 29, 2008)

Nice stuff, Mike!

I really like the second.  I know you'll clone out Mom's arm.

I wish he was a bit lower in the last one.  The main light is so low, and the shadows going upward...  just a bit troubling to me.

Good goin'!

-Pete


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## elsaspet (Apr 29, 2008)

Hi Mike.  I love everything after the first one.  I've been staring at the first one for a while, and I can't figure out what I'm thrown off by.  Prolly just me.
But everything after that is top shelf stuff.  What a cutie.


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## Big Mike (Apr 29, 2008)

Thanks Pete.



> I really like the second. I know you'll clone out Mom's arm.


I thought about it...it doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would.  I think it could also be cropped out without loosing too much.



> I wish he was a bit lower in the last one. The main light is so low, and the shadows going upward... just a bit troubling to me.


That wasn't on purpose.  I had his feet toward the light (window) and I was trying to get a close up of his feet.  He, of course, was not cooperating.  I was snapping away as best I could...and I just followed his foot up to his mouth and this turned out pretty well.  It started as a horizontal but I found that I really liked it when I rotated it up.  Sure, the 'monster' lighting on his face is odd...and the catch lights are low in his eyes...but I just love the light on his fingers & hands.


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## Big Mike (Apr 29, 2008)

Thanks Cindy.

Ya, the first one isn't my favorite of this bunch.  The shirt isn't helping anything, the unclothed shots are better.

Also, in the first one, he's looking past the camera, rather than at it...I think that is the main reason why it's not as strong as the others.


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## elsaspet (Apr 29, 2008)

Ah, you nailed it.  It's the eyes, but it's so slight I really didn't notice it.


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## Big Mike (May 7, 2008)




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## Deadeye008 (May 7, 2008)

Nice job Mike. I did notice that there is someones arm or something on the background in #2. I would maybe clone or burn that out if possible... Other than that they look great. I really like the moment you captured in the last one!


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## SpeedTrap (May 7, 2008)

Nice work Mike, I do like all but the first one, There are a few hot spots that are a bit distracting. One sugestion I have for you is to go to the fabric store and pick up 2m of black velvet, I did this a few months ago and it is much easier to work with than standard fabric, it absorbs so much light as seen in the below picture, it only required a slight RAW adjustment and no photoshop.


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## Big Mike (May 7, 2008)

I've been wondering about velvet...thanks for the tip.


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## THORHAMMER (May 14, 2008)

didnt see this before, had to comment. 
I think #3 is cool, but #5 takes the cake !
such a great catch !!!


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## bellacat (May 15, 2008)

I love the last one Mike. They are all really good but the last one by far is my favorite


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## RowmyF (May 15, 2008)

Hey Big Mike! I like #2 but would suggest a different crop on the first 2 shots..there is too much black space on top of each of those pictures (in my humble opinion)...
Nice job!


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## PuppY_K1ck3R (May 19, 2008)

Nice work big mike!!


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