# Sarah and Tifa C&C



## e.rose (Feb 17, 2012)

I've had these posted to other places for a while, and it just occurred to me I never put them here.

I'm slipping.  Sorry.  

These were done a little while ago...

Have at it.

1.








2.






3.






4.






5.


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## e.rose (Feb 17, 2012)

Man.

I'm gonna go back to posting in the Beginner's section.

Not even C&C from the usual suspects.


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## Overread (Feb 17, 2012)

Hey I'm not normally in here - people are not my thing 
Buuuuut isn't that skin smoothing a little strong? It's sort of at that halfway point (to my eyes) where its too much for a natural look and not enough for a "human doll" type effect.


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## Majeed Badizadegan (Feb 17, 2012)

Skin smoothing is definitely over the top on #1,

The rest are suspect and just on the very borderline of being over the top. I can see the look you're going for, which is why it works in some of the images. But it's definitely pushing it a little.


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## cgipson1 (Feb 17, 2012)

Hey Miz E! 

So did you do a lot of skin smoothing? If not, she has some unusually nice skin (or too much makeup!). I normally love your work.. and it breaks my heart to say I don't care for these! The pink hair.. just looks wrong. And she is a bit bright on the face... don't you think so? She looks like she has a lovely color.. but the highlights hide it!


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## Bossy (Feb 17, 2012)

I agree with the skin smoothing/painted eyes. #4 also has a odd blue shadow under her nose, and the shape around her mouth looks distorted/rounded when compared to #3.​


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## Overread (Feb 17, 2012)

On the subject of pink hair - in the first photo the shadowed parts look wrong. Like you've selectively recoloured the hair alone, but not changed it on the shadows - so they look far too dark.


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## bazooka (Feb 17, 2012)

Tough crowd eh?  

Just a quick note, on #2 I'm instantly drawn to the defined line on her collar bone... it looks like it was drawn in by hand.


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## e.rose (Feb 17, 2012)

That's MUCH better.  



Overread said:


> Buuuuut isn't that skin smoothing a little strong?



Could be.  Anything is possible.  



Rotanimod said:


> Skin smoothing is definitely over the top on #1,
> 
> The rest are suspect and just on the very borderline of being over the top. I can see the look you're going for, which is why it works in some of the images. But it's definitely pushing it a little.



Thanks for your feedback 



cgipson1 said:


> Hey Miz E!
> 
> So did you do a lot of skin smoothing? If not, she has some unusually nice skin (or too much makeup!). I normally love your work.. and it breaks my heart to say I don't care for these! The pink hair.. just looks wrong. And she is a bit bright on the face... don't you think so? She looks like she has a lovely color.. but the highlights hide it!



I did skin smoothing, yes. :sillysmi:

As far as the lighting is concerned, I may have pushed it a little because one of the first things she told me is that, for some reason, a lot of the photographers she works with always make her *darker* than she is in post and she hates that... so I made it a point to be conscious of that and and *not* do that... do I may have pushed it too far in the opposite direction, with lighting and post.  



Bossy said:


> I agree with the skin smoothing/painted eyes. #4 also has a odd blue shadow under her nose, and the shape around her mouth looks distorted/rounded when compared to #3.



I'm not sure what you mean about painted eyes?  Can you explain further?  I'm also not sure what you mean about the shape of her mouth in #4?  I never reshaped any part of her, so if it looks different, it wasn't anything I did in post.

I'm not trying to be difficult, I'm just confused...  So if you could clarify so that I can understand what you mean, that'd be appreciated! :sillysmi:



Overread said:


> On the subject of pink hair - in the first photo the shadowed parts look wrong. Like you've selectively recoloured the hair alone, but not changed it on the shadows - so they look far too dark.



Nope.

No selective coloring.  They're both wigs modeled after two of her favorite Final Fantasy Characters.

If the issue is with shadows in the hair looking too dark, it could be a curves/dodge & burn thing, but I definitely did no selective coloring to any of these, haha.


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## e.rose (Feb 17, 2012)

bazooka said:


> Tough crowd eh?



  It's good.  I like it.  



bazooka said:


> Just a quick note, on #2 I'm instantly drawn to the defined line on her collar bone... it looks like it was drawn in by hand.



I swear I didn't draw it in! 

That again, might just be a matter of not smoothing out that particular line enough, or failing to lighten that shadow?  I fought with myself on that for a while.  Smoothing it out and/or lightening it made it look weird to me, but at the same time I can definitely see what you're saying.  I think I just wasn't able to find a happy medium... which is entirely my bad.  :lmao:


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## Overread (Feb 17, 2012)

Hmm might well be a burn dodge thing then - it just looks far darker in the shadows as if the colour shade of the hair itself has changed (at least to my eyes on this screen). 

I take it then you were aiming for that CGI type look on the skin from the FF series? If so maybe push it further? 

PS this reminds me that I've still not played the newest FF (darn you PS3 for costing so much!)


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## Robin Usagani (Feb 17, 2012)

I dont mind the skin smoothing for this kind of shot.  Good job!  2 different girls?  They all look alike!


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## DiskoJoe (Feb 17, 2012)

Is there any reason you framed every shot of the the right some? This leaves an inch of dead space of the left of every photo except the first.


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## e.rose (Feb 17, 2012)

Overread said:


> If so maybe push it further?



Okay thanks for your feedback! :sillysmi:



Schwettylens said:


> I dont mind the skin smoothing for this kind of shot.  Good job!  2 different girls?  They all look alike!



  No... same girl... two different wigs/colored contacts  :lmao:



DiskoJoe said:


> Is there any reason you framed every shot of the the right some? This leaves an inch of dead space of the left of every photo except the first.



No?  Yes?   Uh... I dunno, it just felt better to me.  I guess it felt like her face needed room to breath since she's facing more left than front?


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## Derrel (Feb 17, 2012)

Pretty girls!!!! Looks like they're keeping the manufacturers of purple eye shadow happy and wealthy. I think the skin smoothing is a bit too much (a real surprise, right?). I like shot #1 and #2. The sideways pose in most of the others leaves a big gutter of dead space all along the left side of the picture area. The "lighting" looks acceptable....maybe even good...but the posing in the last couple just doesn't do much to showcase her, or her clothes.


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## e.rose (Feb 17, 2012)

Derrel said:


> Pretty girls!!!! Looks like they're keeping the manufacturers of purple eye shadow happy and wealthy. I think the skin smoothing is a bit too much (a real surprise, right?). I like shot #1 and #2. The sideways pose in most of the others leaves a big gutter of dead space all along the left side of the picture area. The "lighting" looks acceptable....maybe even good...but the posing in the last couple just doesn't do much to showcase her, or her clothes.



Thanks for your feedback! :sillysmi:


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## Bossy (Feb 17, 2012)

Hah I thought they were 2 different girls!

Like, on #2 specifically, there isn't any catchlight on her eye, nor is there any shadowing from where the eyeball curves. I had a similar issue with an image I posted recently so it def could just be the lighting if you didn't do anything to it. 
As for her mouth on 4, there doesn't seem to be that little... crease? the dent under your nose? its just rounded. Like she had her tongue under her top lip (which she obvs didn't). But you can see the crease on 3. 
Her thumb-line looks super wonky on #2 also. 


​


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## rexbobcat (Feb 17, 2012)

Wait...I'm just curious...are these based off of video game characters? Specifically characters created by Squaresoft/Square-Enix? There is an UNCANNY resemblance.

If this is true then the pink hair works. Love it. A very different take on the related subject matter


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## Bossy (Feb 17, 2012)

BTW, I don't feel these are beginners work at all  Just my .02 cents ​


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## Robin Usagani (Feb 17, 2012)

To be fair, she does have purple hair.  I doubt Emily was trying to make it look as natural as possible.  The skin smoothing doesnt bother me at all.


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## Bossy (Feb 17, 2012)

You mean you don't see people with purple hair all the time? LOL. I don't mind most of the skin smoothing, just certain parts like on the hand, the eyes, around the mouth. ​


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## e.rose (Feb 17, 2012)

Bossy said:


> Hah I thought they were 2 different girls!
> 
> Like, on #2 specifically, there isn't any catchlight on her eye, nor is there any shadowing from where the eyeball curves. I had a similar issue with an image I posted recently so it def could just be the lighting if you didn't do anything to it.
> As for her mouth on 4, there doesn't seem to be that little... crease? the dent under your nose? its just rounded. Like she had her tongue under her top lip (which she obvs didn't). But you can see the crease on 3.
> Her thumb-line looks super wonky on #2 also.



OOOOOOH, okay, I see now.  

Yeah, I think that was just the way the light caught her... what do you call that part?  Mouth to nose connector?  

I generally try not to smooth out that part, because you're right, it looks super weird when you do, but I do recall that image not having that area very defined to begin with SOOC... so I think that was a curse of the lighting.  

But yeah, I definitely see what you're saying now.

Thanks for explaining that, haha.



rexbobcat said:


> Wait...I'm just curious...are these based off of video game characters? Specifically characters created by Squaresoft/Square-Enix? There is an UNCANNY resemblance.
> 
> If this is true then the pink hair works. Love it. A very different take on the related subject matter



Yes, Sara and Tifa...   I think it's FFVII?  I'm not too familiar with the games other than that my husband sits and yells at the TV when he plays XII.  :lmao:



Bossy said:


> BTW, I don't feel these are beginners work at all  Just my .02 cents



  Thank you :sillysmi:

My reason for wanting to post them in the beginner's section isn't because I think it's beginner's work... it's because, like everyone else who keeps fighting for that thinks, it gets more traffic.

I've posted other threads at 4am before and come back to it at 3 in the afternoon and it's had responses... but the second I do the same thing anywhere OTHER than the beginner's forum... I have to bump the thread, or no one sees it.  



Schwettylens said:


> To be fair, she does have purple hair.  I doubt Emily was trying to make it look as natural as possible.  The skin smoothing doesnt bother me at all.



Haha, thanks Schwetty.

Yeah if this was a straight up portrait session... of a girl with dyed pink hair... I wouldn't have pushed the skin smoothing as far. :lmao:

Everyone is welcome to their opinion though.  I appreciate the feedback.  :sillysmi:


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## e.rose (Feb 17, 2012)

Bossy said:


> You mean you don't see people with purple hair all the time? LOL. I don't mind most of the skin smoothing, just certain parts like on the hand, the eyes, around the mouth.



Skin smoothing on hands is admittedly something I struggle with.  I have a hard time finding the right settings to make it look cohesive to the rest of the body, but not weird.  If that makes sense.  

I'm having a hard time with words today too, apparently.


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## Bossy (Feb 17, 2012)

Mee too.  I think its probably one of the harder things to nail in post processing. I usually only do enough to soften/ remove blemishes, I haven't been "brave" enough to do some serious smoothing. There's a fine line too I think, because Glamour Shots are kinda famous for the over-softening and then you risk looking like a newb trying to imitate it. Buttt I think you've successfully NOT looked newbish here... That came out in a nice way right? I need a button "I'm saying this in a conversational tone".​


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## e.rose (Feb 17, 2012)

Bossy said:


> Mee too.  I think its probably one of the harder things to nail in post processing. I usually only do enough to soften/ remove blemishes, I haven't been "brave" enough to do some serious smoothing. There's a fine line too I think, because Glamour Shots are kinda famous for the over-softening and then you risk looking like a newb trying to imitate it. Buttt I think you've successfully NOT looked newbish here... That came out in a nice way right? I need a button "I'm saying this in a conversational tone".



  Thanks.


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## The_Traveler (Feb 17, 2012)

cgipson1 said:


> Hey Miz E!
> 
> So did you do a lot of skin smoothing? If not, she has some unusually nice skin (or too much makeup!). I normally love your work.. and it breaks my heart to say I don't care for these! The pink hair.. just looks wrong. And she is a bit bright on the face... don't you think so? She looks like she has a lovely color.. but the highlights hide it!



what he said.
Pink hair, ugh
too bright imo.
First pose, the white no-interest shirt flat to the camera?

both women look smooth and sleek and sultry and the look of the images does carry that out.


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## DiskoJoe (Feb 17, 2012)

[/QUOTE]

No?  Yes?   Uh... I dunno, it just felt better to me.  I guess it felt like her face needed room to breath since she's facing more left than front?  [/QUOTE]

hey darrel concurred! I really am learning something from this site!


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## cgipson1 (Feb 17, 2012)

The_Traveler said:


> cgipson1 said:
> 
> 
> > Hey Miz E!
> ...



Much nicer.. she IS lovely!


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## Chann (Feb 17, 2012)

Great work!  To me, this is not intended as general portrait work so the skin smoothing fits. These could easily be used for advertisement, just add a watch/necklace/beer for an instant ad.


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## e.rose (Feb 17, 2012)

The_Traveler said:


> cgipson1 said:
> 
> 
> > Hey Miz E!
> ...



I'm sorry you don't like the pink hair, but again, it was to portray an actual character, from a video game, that actually has pink hair.  

HOWEVER... I do like your edit.  Thanks for taking the time to do that.  :sillysmi:

This is probably gonna sound *really* bad... and I don't intend it to be whatsoever... but I was speaking with a photographer once who was speaking about the differences between shooting someone with light skin vs. shooting someone with dark skin, and Jazzmin is the first model that I've shot with darker skin, so I think I kept finding myself thinking the shots were slightly underexposed, when clearly they weren't, and my post processing pushed them to be *too* bright.

I'm actually doing another shoot with her when I get back from tour in April, so I will try to work on this and be more conscious of my lighting and processing on her images.  :sillysmi:

Thanks again!



Chann said:


> Great work!  To me, this is not intended as general portrait work so the skin smoothing fits. These could easily be used for advertisement, just add a watch/necklace/beer for an instant ad.



  Thanks.


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## luvmyfamily (Feb 17, 2012)

I personally love super smooth skin, especially for younger people with blemishes. Annnd, older people...it makes them look younger.  I do super smooth skin on all my people photos.


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## Bossy (Feb 17, 2012)

I don't think it sounds bad e.rose. I did a shoot with a guy with dark skin, and it was really difficult to shoot (midday on the beach!) and to color balance, I didn't have a clue. He was either yellow or blue, what a mess hah.  But I sure did learn from it!​


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## najigger41 (Feb 18, 2012)

Awesome pics! It amazes me how everyone has issues wit the small things like pink hair eye color etc. I'm sure there's a reason to why she has pink hair... skin smoothing was my the only thing I thought was overdone but it still looked good. Most people that don't take pictures like we do, wouldn't even notice the little things everyone is picking at. One again good job.


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## The_Traveler (Feb 18, 2012)

najigger41 said:


> It amazes me how everyone has issues wit the small things like pink hair eye color etc. I'm sure there's a reason to why she has pink hair... skin smoothing was my the only thing I thought was overdone but it still looked good. Most people that don't take pictures like we do, wouldn't even notice the little things everyone is picking at.



Now think this through.
If other photographers don't notice the little things, who would?
By bringing up issues that occur to us, the OP gets to consider how her work impacts other people and look at her own decisions before it gets to teh public who might be less satisfied but would not know why.

If you only want positive strokes, you might reconsider posting images here.


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## cgipson1 (Feb 18, 2012)

najigger41 said:


> Awesome pics! It amazes me how everyone has issues wit the small things like pink hair eye color etc. I'm sure there's a reason to why she has pink hair... skin smoothing was my the only thing I thought was overdone but it still looked good. Most people that don't take pictures like we do, wouldn't even notice the little things everyone is picking at. One again good job.



What do you think C&C is? lol!


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