Babysitter portrait

[Allan Rahbek]

Hi Joan,

Here is my opinion.

I also like the standing one, because of the fine dress and the colors of the light on it.

But I think that the hair on her left shoulder makes her look like she is hiding herself, it should be back. Her hands form a too closed figure, maybe try with other positions of the hands. And her upper body should be seen more frontal like in the one with the chair ( my other favorite )

Finally I think that the yellow light on her face should be less hard.

Allan

Ps. Would it be possible to do something with the dress to make her bosom look more natural? I am a foreigner, so maybe this request should have had another form ? Please remove it if i said something wrong.

[Jean Kelly]

Hi Joan,

I have a very simple photo program called "Pixelenance" that I use to modify some of my photos. I removed some yellow and red in your photos, I hope you don't mind. The second one I also took out some of the blue reflection also. They look much more natural now, what do you think? If you don't have a way to manipulate your photos and would like me to enhance them, send me a high res image and I'll try it out.

I like the grey dress, and the poses are very nice, good job. The extra work is well worth it. I took me two years to get it, you are on your way now.

Jean

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Hi Allan

Thank you for your suggestions. I see what you mean about the chest and I think it's the dress, not her. I'll fix that shape when I paint it.

I had taken some photos from a more frontal point of view but the model and her mother seem to prefer the more 'sideways' shots. I think it makes her look more slender and elongated. Thank you for your observations, it's always good to hear different points of view. It helps me to understand how important it is to shoot many, many poses.

Joan

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Hi Jean,

Wow, what an improvement! I love what you did with your program to the colors. I think it's about time I join the 21st Century and buy some kind of program where I can manipulate my photos. I plan to buy photoshop as soon as I can get a minute to get over to the computer store. (Then I'll have to learn how to use it . . .).

But thank you so much (!!!!!!) for offering to enhance the photos for me. If I can't get it figured out I will take you up on that offer. I'm not familiar with "Pixelenance".

The extra work was worth it. And I haven't even started painting yet!

Thanks again for your comments and the changes you made,

Joan

[Jean Kelly]

I think "Pixelenhance" is a Mac program, I downloaded it free from the internet. Free is always good. I have "Photoshop Elements" but still haven't learned how to use it, I need "Photoshop for Dummies"!

Jean

[Joan Breckwoldt]

I thought I would pass on how this process of taking photos of our babysitter has evolved. Our babysitter and her mom reviewed the photographs from the two photo sessions and they have made their decision about which photo is their favorite. They like the very first one posted, she's in the white dress and she is almost perpendicular to my camera sight line. They like the facial expression on the fourth one, the close-up one, and I said I could put that face on the pose they like. They were both taken in the same place in my house within a few minutes of each other, for lighting purposes.

They felt that with the babysitter in the long grey dress she didn't look like herself, she looked like she was 'dressing up'. They felt with her in the white dress, that was more like her. They felt the one where she is in the grey dress with her hands on the chair looked like a corporate portrait.

Hmm. Everybody has a different notion of what a portrait of themselves or their loved one should look like. Very interesting! I know there are people who dress up their kids in their 'Sunday best' for a photograph, probably same for a painted portrait? Then there are those who want their kids photographed in jeans (that, by the way, would be me).

This is not a commission so I can paint whichever one I want for my portfolio. Even though it's not a commission I really wanted their opinions and it was great practice for when I have a commission.

Joan

[Michele Rushworth]

One of the poses in the gown will get you more commissions from wealthy clients, I think. Besides, that would be a really fun dress to paint!

[Mike McCarty]

Joan,

I only show a client those poses that I would want to paint. Out of a hundred photos I may only show 5 to a client. If they ask where are all the other photos, I say they were unworthy and they were thrown away.

I believe that if you give up artistic control to a client they will lead you down the path of ruination.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Michele,

I'm with you. I think the photo of her in the grey dress would make a stunning portrait. It'll be a stretch for me to paint something that grand in size but what the heck, that won't stop me from trying. And that dress would be wonderful to paint, I was already in love with it when I held it up in the dingy light of the resale shop where I found it.

Mike,

Your point is well taken. I showed them 5 from the first photo shoot and 5 from the second photo shoot. I felt they would all make nice portraits. The model was very focused on her expression, more than anything else.

I think it must be a fine line between pleasing the client and still producing a piece of work that one feels is artistically pleasing.

I guess I felt like I had quite a bit of control since I directed her poses and chose the lighting, not to mention buying the grey dress. That is, until her MOTHER started telling me where to put the light.

Do you think I gave too much of the artistic control to the client on this one? I value your opinion. Thanks!

Joan

[Mike McCarty]

I believe that you can "manage" the will and desires of the client by allowing them to be in on decisions that have basically already been made. In order to successfully perform this management you must first know your own mind. That is why this exercise that you are going through is vital training. I say place yourself into these circumstances as often as you can. You will be so glad that you did. Your style and tolerances will emerge while not under the gun of a commission.

As far as whether others should be a part of the photo shoot, my preference is that it only be myself and the subject. I do, however, appreciate and use assistants. This assistant works best as an unattached party. It could be a mother, right up to the point that she becomes a liability to the end result.

I think it works best when all parties except the subject start out in the other room. This is less awkward than asking someone to leave half way through. If I find that I really need help I can then call them back.

Did you give up too much control? If you allow the client the opportunity to fall in love with something which is unacceptable then I believe you have erred.