Rachel

[Rodeo Oz]

I would like your opinion on these B/W
Thanx as all you are telling me seams to be helping I think...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/featherfoot/25-29.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/featherfoot/25-30.jpg

[Graham]

I'm not one for B&W, but my observations here are:

The dappled light is tricky. I don't think it's a good thing, and if it had to be there, I'd settle for the first version of it.
I'd crop just a tiny bit from the bottom of the shot - the small part of the right forearm just looks odd to me.

Gee, I hope I'm not being too critical, or its at least helpful, but as I keep looking at the shot, I've got more to say.

Are her eyes pale or green? It looks like there was a reflection of clouds or something in her eyes, giving less impact IMO. The whites are nice and clear and bright though.
Lastly, (yes, I'll shut up soon:) ) composition: The tiny portion of the garden chair doesn't do anything and the detail of her hair is lost in the background of the vine (monsteria?) on the fence.

She is a good, photogenic subject though, and the weather (down here) is perfect for the bikini shots.

Cheers! Graham.

[Rodeo Oz]

Is this what you were talking about & she has hazel eyes..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/featherfoot/25-31.jpg

[SSSchwing]

I think having her look at the camera would work more in B&W.

Whatever the result, I can see in every shot you take that you are thinking. Thinking about comp, light and subject. And IMO, if I can see that, as a novice myself, I think your doing great.

There is clearly some room for improvement in regards to background, pose and some lighting, but I don't think its too drastic.

For the lighting, maybe try making a reflector? Push some of the sun back on to her to get rid of the dapple as Graham put it?

Have her look into the camera and see if that changes the eyes?

Put her against a plain or 'open' background...maybe in a field or paddock? Get that country bikini look happneing?

Like I said, i'm a novice too, so others may have some mroe experienced tips :)

[Rodeo Oz]

I have tried this one as it has a lighter background...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v632/featherfoot/25-32.jpg

[Janedoe67]

Well, I have to be honest. Both girls are gorgeous and your comps are great. The 'only' thing that bothered me about the first one, is that the light bit shines right on her breast - hence - you look at her face after that, which detracts from her.

More light on her face would have evened that out. But they're great, even the colour ones too.

[littlealbert]

Quite nice shots!

With the 2nd one, I think her face is too shadowy. A reflector would fix that - just make your own :)

[Graham]

With the 2nd one, I think her face is too shadowy. A reflector would fix that - just make your own :)

I used a large sheet of white paper (A1 size?) as a reflector once, it worked a treat!


RodeoOZ, I hope you don't mind, but I cropped the image and ran a defog or unsharp mask which I learned from this site. It helped differentiate the girls hair from the background. If you want me to remove the image, just say so and it's gone. It's currently hosted in this sites gallery, so its all within APF still.
http://www.photo.net.au/members/d/8446-1/RodeoOz-GA3.jpg

Cheers, Graham.

bleh, I just looked at it and realised that I'm all talk. :)

[Rodeo Oz]

Na that`s fine Graham...no prob as I learnt heaps from this site as well...

[snowygal]

bane of my life shadows, made my own relfector with cardboard once and worked a treat