Tag: sedona
Art Nudes in Sedona – Final Images of Z
by Lee on Feb.06, 2016, under Articles, Lightroom, Monday Morning Tips, Photo Editing, Photos
An Irrepressible Soul
When Z was first proposed as a model, I was asked if an “older” model would be of interest. My first question was, “Is she photogenic?” followed by, “How old is old?” When I saw Z’s photos, I immediately knew she was perfect for the shoot. I won’t divulge her age but let’s just say she’s closer to me in age than she is to the other 20-something models but Z proves that age is just a number and her attitude is that of a young woman, ready to try anything.
If anything, I had to work to tone down Z’s big, wide grin as she wholeheartedly tried anything I proposed. I haven’t had that much fun working with a model in ages. Z is an irrepressible free spirit who knows who she is and doesn’t try to pretend otherwise.
The first three are my favorites. In the first, the viewer needs to look carefully to tell if Z is facing left or right. The second and third are classic.
The fourth and last two are examples of Z’s constant grin. I often say of an experience, “It’s the most fun you can have with your clothes on.” In this case, Z was having a lot of fun with her clothes off! I appreciated how she completely trusted me and, without hesitation, threw herself into every idea I presented.
Other than a few age spots, I didn’t edit Z’s photos in any way except what I would have done in a chemical dark room. I Cropped, adjusted Levels & Contrast, softened focus, and sharpened selective areas. I could tell Z was comfortable in her skin and wouldn’t want me to make her look like a 20-something with Barbie skin.
I hope I captured the true essence of “an older model” whose mind, attitude and outlook are as young as any 20 year old. I’m looking forward for the opportunity to work with Z again in the future.
Art Nudes in Sedona – Final Images of M
by Lee on Feb.03, 2016, under Lightroom, Monday Morning Tips, Photo Editing, Photos, Photoshop CS2/4
A Wonderful New Model
In an earlier post, I embedded photos of M, a young lady with a great talent for modeling. I finally finished post-processing her photos and ended up with 13 final images. That’s 28% of the 46 photos I made during our shoot, much more than I generally get from new models. In fact, most of the culls were due to errors on my part. I should have used a second light on her beautiful hair and, possibly, even a third light for her deep, expressive eyes. I hesitate to label her an amateur and hope I can shoot with her again in the future to rectify some of my mistakes. BTW, I have permission to use her name but I avoid doing so with new models until she’s sure she wants to be known as a nude model. That’s why I only use initial.
The first three are my favorites. I love the way her hand languidly caresses her hip. The second is a classic study in lines, curves, angles, light, shadows and textures. In the third one, I really thought hard about clipping her elbow. In the end, I decided I wanted that stark separation between the left and right sides.
Number 6 is the only one I retouched in Photoshop. I forgot to ask her to pull back her shoulders and lift her chin to tighten her tummy. So, a little bit of Liquify magic and M has her taut tummy restored.
Numbers 5 & 7 are where I should have used a kicker for better catchlights. The only excuse I have is that I was entranced, mesmerized and flustered at the opportunity to photograph such a beautiful model.
Number 11 is an example of where I should have used a hair light to add a glow to her beautiful hair.
Over the next few weeks I’ll post finals for models A and Z. All comments, both pro and con, are always appreciated.
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