# BW photo session, C&C



## dzfoto (Jul 8, 2010)

Hello, there are some BW photos from my recent photo session in Lithuania. Yes, these BW has a higher contrast, the way I wanted it to be  IMHO it looks more attractive. Let me know, which is your favorite? 

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## Robin Usagani (Jul 8, 2010)

Seriously Donatas?  Every single picture you put always attractive people.  If I was single, I will save my money to go to Lithuania.  Come on.... put up some not so attractive people as well..  be realistic!!


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## eric-holmes (Jul 8, 2010)

God I love your pictures! All of them, all of the time. You rule at black and white. What gear do you use?


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## Morpheuss (Jul 8, 2010)

It is so hard to say what one I like the best they are all so great.


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## !rene (Jul 8, 2010)

#17.. All of them are amazing!


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## dzfoto (Jul 8, 2010)

Schwettylens said:


> Seriously Donatas?  Every single picture you put always attractive people.  If I was single, I will save my money to go to Lithuania.  Come on.... put up some not so attractive people as well..  be realistic!!



Thank you! You are welcome 



eric-holmes said:


> God I love your pictures! All of them, all of the time. You rule at black and white. What gear do you use?



Thanks! I work on seperate color channels (RGB) by adjusting every single of them and then blending together.



Morpheuss said:


> It is so hard to say what one I like the best they are all so great.



Thank you!



!rene said:


> #17.. All of them are amazing!



Hey, thanks!


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## eric-holmes (Jul 8, 2010)

I mean are you a Canon or Nikon guy? Lens?


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## bkristopher (Jul 8, 2010)

dzfoto said:


> Yes, these BW has a higher contrast, the way I wanted it to be  IMHO it looks more attractive.



I share your HO.  These are amazing!


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## tirediron (Jul 8, 2010)

Wonderful!


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## dzfoto (Jul 8, 2010)

eric-holmes said:


> I mean are you a Canon or Nikon guy? Lens?



Oh, sorry for my english... I am a Canon guy. I use only L class optics and still more loving fixed focal lenght ones.



bkristopher said:


> dzfoto said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, these BW has a higher contrast, the way I wanted it to be  IMHO it looks more attractive.
> ...



Thank you


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## Missdaisy (Jul 8, 2010)

Gorgeous set, #12 is my personal favorite. I like the posing and the dark background, it really helps the model pop.


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## Robin Usagani (Jul 8, 2010)

Donatas, do you smoothen the skin with PP?  You told me once you dont manipulate your photos.


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## PerfectlyFlawed (Jul 8, 2010)

very VERY nice! well done!


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## dzfoto (Jul 8, 2010)

Missdaisy said:


> Gorgeous set, #12 is my personal favorite. I like the posing and the dark background, it really helps the model pop.



Thanks!!!



Schwettylens said:


> Donatas, do you smoothen the skin with PP?  You told me once you dont manipulate your photos.



The skin is NOT retouched, I did nothing to it. All I did is just conversion to BW. I always try not to retouch or smoothen skin, because in a result, original looks better, and I hate plastic look.  In this case overall photo contrast and levels adjustments also affected brightness of the skin tones only. But on purpose smoothening or blurring skin...no way! In some photos bokeh does its work too.



PerfectlyFlawed said:


> very VERY nice! well done!



Thank you!


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## Robin Usagani (Jul 8, 2010)

Im in love with your photography AND your model!  She didnt mind getting dirty sitting in the tire?


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## dzfoto (Jul 8, 2010)

Schwettylens said:


> Im in love with your photography AND your model!  She didnt mind getting dirty sitting in the tire?



No, model was more into photography result rather than in a whole process  Me too.. after some wedding I come back at home in a dirty clothes. Beauty  demands victims


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## c.cloudwalker (Jul 8, 2010)

dzfoto said:


> Beauty  demands victims



Ain't that the truth?

Now, everybody is going to hate me because I am not in love with those at all.

From an artistic standpoint you can call them a style and that is fine. To each his own.

From a technical standpoint, there are way too many blown areas. At least from what I'm seeing on my computer.

To me, they are not up to your usual quality.


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## Petraio Prime (Jul 8, 2010)

Pretty girl!

WOW!

In several of them I notice some vignetting. Is that intentional? Also, in some of them there is a very bight background area right behind her, competing with her for the eye's attention.

Several of them are simply too light. 

Several are crooked for no apparent reason.


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## Alpha (Jul 9, 2010)

I don't care for the way you "wanted it to be." The contrast level has the effect of removing all the highlight detail, which makes her look like a Real Doll. In fact, if she turned out to actually be a Real Doll, I wouldn't be surprised.


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## edouble (Jul 9, 2010)

16, 17 and 19 are AMAZING!


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## eric-holmes (Jul 9, 2010)

Be my mentor!


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## GeneralBenson (Jul 9, 2010)

bkristopher said:


> I share your HO.



Hey man, you gotta be careful doing that.


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## GeneralBenson (Jul 9, 2010)

Great shots, Donatas!  Were these all natural light on an overcast day?  The light quality is fabulous.  Very, very beautiful model, with great looks.  #4 is almost my favorite.  I love the pose, there is so much dynamic energy with the long leg line and arm line to match, and with the energy her head and look creates back towards the center of the frame.  But the chain running through her leg kills it.  If you were to recreate that pose without that there, it would be my favorite for sure.


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## boomer mitra (Jul 9, 2010)

wow! great collection sir..I like the 2nd one


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## Early (Jul 9, 2010)

dzfoto said:


> Hello, there are some BW photos from my recent photo session in Lithuania. *Yes, these BW has a higher contrast, the way I wanted it to be  IMHO it looks more attractive.* Let me know, which is your favorite?


End of discussion then, right?:gah:


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## dzfoto (Jul 9, 2010)

Wow, guys I realy did not expect such amount of comments and critiques, thank you! Just came back at home from the all day wedding (its 24pm now). And I'll try to reply to you.



c.cloudwalker said:


> dzfoto said:
> 
> 
> > Beauty  demands victims
> ...



Thanks! I absolutely respect your opinion. There are always (and will be) people who does not like mine or yours or others works. As you said to each his own. Oh technique.. What is good technique and what is bad technique? I think it for everyones taste. Why there cant be any blown areas? There are lots of professional photographers who does BLACK and WHITE (not BLACK and GREY, or GREY & GREY). Or if the photo is blurred, so technically that means it is bad? But how many art are blurred... So there are no any technical rules or whatever. As Ansel Adam said: There are no rules for good photographs,  there are only good photographs.



Petraio Prime said:


> Pretty girl!
> 
> WOW!
> 
> ...



Thanks for your notice! First I would like to say that I am not pro, I am just an amateur, holding camera in my hands maybe around 3 years. Yeah, there is some bright areas, some vigneting or whatever..But show me yours or someones PERFECT photography?  everyone does mistakes. I never keep rules doing photography I just make it the way I like it. If you like what I do, then I am happy  Any critique is much better than the comment "good" or "amazing". Once again thanks.



Alpha said:


> I don't care for the way you "wanted it to be." The contrast level has the effect of removing all the highlight detail, which makes her look like a Real Doll. In fact, if she turned out to actually be a Real Doll, I wouldn't be surprised.



What if she in real life looks like a Doll? lol And why do I need highlight details? There is anyway one tone. Thanks for you comment 



edouble said:


> 16, 17 and 19 are AMAZING!



Thank you!



eric-holmes said:


> Be my mentor!



Youre welcome 



GeneralBenson said:


> bkristopher said:
> 
> 
> > I share your HO.
> ...





GeneralBenson said:


> Great shots, Donatas!  Were these all natural light on an overcast day?  The light quality is fabulous.  Very, very beautiful model, with great looks.  #4 is almost my favorite.  I love the pose, there is so much dynamic energy with the long leg line and arm line to match, and with the energy her head and look creates back towards the center of the frame.  But the chain running through her leg kills it.  If you were to recreate that pose without that there, it would be my favorite for sure.



Thanks! Shooting outside I use ONLY natural lighting. This was shoot early in the morning, when the sun wasnt such bright. Also I was lucky to have a cloudy day, what makes soft shadows.



boomer mitra said:


> wow! great collection sir..I like the 2nd one



Thank you 



Early said:


> dzfoto said:
> 
> 
> > Hello, there are some BW photos from my recent photo session in Lithuania. *Yes, these BW has a higher contrast, the way I wanted it to be  IMHO it looks more attractive.* Let me know, which is your favorite?
> ...



Nope


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## camz (Jul 9, 2010)

I like the thin DOF theme that you used for this shoot.  Your model is just beautiful and seems like she's willing to work the camera. I too hate to skin smoothening..it looks too plastic and unnatural.

However I do agree though, some of the highlights are a bit blown to me which makes it hard to focus on the subject.  My eyes tend to wander even though the foreground and background are blurred.  The finish doesn't magnetize me to gaze at the model(as beautiful as she is).

Overall I enjoyed these alot...love the work that you put out there. Keep it up!


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## dzfoto (Jul 9, 2010)

P.S. Just for fun  
I have checked overexposed and underexposed areas. And.. I can say there is no overexposed areas on skin tones (only some has but its minimalistic ones [on edges] and only minor ones on the clothes). Comparing... there are more underexposed areas, lol But this is normal as these are BLACK and WHITE photographs. Ok, gonna go to bed now..


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