Jamie in a tux

Kimberly Dow · 04-18-2004, 01:41 AM

I took these today of my 12-year-old son - not for a portrait, but now I am thinking about it. They are pretty formal for my taste, but I am so pleased with them.

I have the hardest time with my own children because I see them always smiling and it is strange to see them so serious.

As a side note he was in a tux for a formal ball and the medal was because he just won first in tennis...and...and we just found out he placed in the top 4 (not sure yet which) for a county-wide creative writing competition.

I am not proud or anything.

Garth Herrick · 04-18-2004, 02:18 AM

Kimberly,

These are very striking images. I am not sure if it is absolutely necessary to have the background as black as the tux suit, although that adds a little mystery to the images. I wonder if you might find more painting reference potential with perhaps a dark gray background to better separate the outline of the suit and figure?

Geary Wootten · 04-18-2004, 03:30 AM

Wow, Kimberly! Such a handsome boy. And smart, too, eh?

Hey, quick question....if you don't mind. What's on your photo equipment list? I'm still shopping.

The lighting, focus, tones and proportions are just perfect!

Btw, I like the top one and the bottom one.

Best to you,
Gear

Kimberly Dow · 04-18-2004, 07:48 PM

Thanks gentlemen. I didn't expect the background to look so black.

It's a black piece of drapy cloth temporarily stapled to my diningroom wall. It has photographed gray before, but this time it is obviously really black looking.

The windows are to the left (looking at the photos) - right beyond a corner of the room. So, no lighting except that. About 5 pm I think. And my camera is a cheapie Fuji finepix with only 2.5 mp's. I have my new one all picked out, but haven't been able to get it yet. I had it on a tripod, but I kept picking it up - so no shutter-release. Lots of them are blurry, but if I am careful I can get them clear.

Geary Wootten · 04-18-2004, 07:58 PM

....."cheapie Fuji finepix" she says.

Wow, again. OK.....may I buy it from you when you get your new one?

Pretty incredible looking on this side of it I tell you.

The trouble I'm having lately with my film camera isn't really the film or the camera. It's that my favorite (quickie) shop guy sold out and the new owners bought brand new equipment and they just push one button and whatever spits out .....that's what you get. Milky pictures, yellowish, or bluish tints...etc., etc. blah....

Anywho.....nice going.

-G

Mike McCarty · 04-18-2004, 08:43 PM

Kim,

How about doing that last one down to the fourth button on his shirt, button his jacket (creating a V), and loose that additional fancy black apparatus that comes down in a V. Create that dark grayed background that Garth talked about and put all this in the center of a 20x16 and vignette out the bottom.

I bet you could knock this one out. It might be just what the doctor ordered after your brothel series.

This would be easy to test in photo shop.

Kimberly Dow · 04-18-2004, 09:35 PM

Geary - no lie - you dont want my camera. I dropped it soon after I got it and it has had duck tape on it ever since!

Mike - is this sort of what you had in mind? You are right about one thing - I could use something doctor prescribed after the bodello...

Mike McCarty · 04-18-2004, 10:57 PM

What's not to like?

Michele Rushworth · 04-18-2004, 11:35 PM

I like the first one, painted exactly as shown. Reminds me of a Sargent painting in the museum here in Seattle.

Kimberly Dow · 04-19-2004, 01:34 AM

If I did any of these it would have to be for my portfolio. It would take too much explaination to have this in my home. We are not tuxedo people most days - we are shirtless around the pool people. (well, the boys at least). And if it were for my portolio - wouldnt it be better to have something more people would be interested in doing with their own children? How many people really want their children painted in a tuxedo? Then again - maybe that IS the types I need to target.

If I were going to paint one of my family for just myself - exactly what I wanted ....it would be all of us dressed similiarly casual and piled all over each other like a bunch of monkeys. We can't sit down to watch tv without the kids all piling on us. There are other couches...other chairs, but that want to be on our laps - squished all together. So that is how I'd paint us. I've wanted to do this for years - my youngest is getting older and I want to do it before he gets any bigger. I just want to come up with a pleasing natural composition. I may go scope out the zoo for ideas.