Trisha, her violin, and more ... - Page 3

Michele Rushworth · 10-22-2003, 10:18 PM

Scott, it sounds like you've been reading "The DaVinci Code" lately.

Mike McCarty · 10-22-2003, 11:40 PM

Patricia,

Those are interesting points about how pose 4 and 5 show a different emotional relationship with the instrument.

Most times I will have about an 80% complete idea of what I want to accomplish and then I just try and feed off of what I'm getting back from the subject to complete the vision. If you have a good chemistry with the subject their input, body language, can be a very big part of the process. I try and encourage the subject to move, within the small confines that I have set up, and then just say hold on ... lets put your head back in that position and try that.

Lynn,

I like it when I can get people dissenting about which one of my poses is their favorite. I too feel a strong pull to number four. Numbers 4 and 5 were both natural light only. The others were only possible with help from over head lighting and have a different feel. We began shooting about 9:00 am and I didn't have a whole lot of ambient light in the house.

Scott,

Thanks for the input, I will study your comments as I work towards a final image. And, I look forward to seeing your next fiddle project. With what we have so far we're on our way to a stringed section. I'd like to have a portfolio like that, "here are my strings, and of course the obligatory woodwinds."

Steven Sweeney · 10-23-2003, 08:32 AM

Apropos the matter of composition in #5, and merely as a point of interest and not persuasion, it appears, Mike, that you

Mike McCarty · 10-23-2003, 08:59 AM

Steven,

And sadly, this Vermeer still languishes at a Flemish garage sale (do they have garages in Flem?).

I think these matters can be very tricky and I don't have any formula for what might work and what might just be considered bad design. Personally, I rather like the off center design for #5, and to me it has everything to do with the full extended bow on our right. Scott's advice is sound and I would advise anyone listening to give it a lot of weight, but sometimes you just want to throw something different against the wall and see if it sticks. Many of my designs are now sticking to the walls of my garage.

In looking back over my images I found this one. The hair is up which I like, and, notice the single digit on her left hand. A bit of transcontinental telepathy no doubt. This one doesn't finish as well on the bottom but that part would be much easier to manage.

Mike McCarty · 10-23-2003, 09:01 AM

This is the raw footage of number 4 which shows much more of the reflection. My own thinking is that you would show just enough up from the bottom to allow the light of the sweater to fully define the violin with a little more for the rabbit and then quit.

Michele Rushworth · 10-23-2003, 09:55 AM

Gorgeous photos, Mike. I see some more prize winners for you!

I also like the off-center composition and here's how you could give a bit more balance to it if you so choose. The light area to the right of her hair helps move the viewer's focus to the right. Her hair, being up in that style, also helps point the viewer in that direction too.

Michele Rushworth · 10-23-2003, 09:56 AM

I'd crop the one with the reflection somewhere between what you first showed and the full frame image. Maybe something like this cropping?

I also deleted the tiny shapes of the chair that were showing behind her. I thought they were a bit confusing.

Mike McCarty · 10-23-2003, 10:15 AM

Michele,

Thanks, the background would be an important part of the design and I like your suggestion.

Arriving at a composition is a rather organic matter for me. After chucking what didn't work I sit down with my cropping guide and lay it over my 4x6 prints. I move it around until something looks right. Number five was that way, giving only a slight thought (or no thought) to its left-leaning balance.

Regarding #4, I think you are on the money, my previous post was a bit too tight at the bottom. The crime would be to pinch it off too short.

Lynn T. McCallum · 10-23-2003, 02:40 PM

I like the head room in the original size of the #4 image. Michele got rid of the part of the chair I found to be messing up the composition and it looks so much better.

"Don't box me in"!

Stanka Kordic · 10-23-2003, 02:42 PM

Mike,

Another fine batch of photos. I love the above one in a horizontal format off center with her hair up. Beautiful.