Newlyweds

I love photographing my wife, but she hates it because I'm so picky about the composition and I take up too much of her time. I was able to snatch 3 frames of her in this pose, but when I wanted to put a black cast iron skillet up against the wall, she got impatient (as evident by the fact that she's drumming her toes against the floor...)

Anyone have any suggestions for the picture, as well as suggestions for enticing models to sit for a picture and explaining that it won't be fast, but they'll be happy with the outcome?

If you're developing this image yourself, I'd suggest a +2.5 or +3 monochromatic filter to up the contrast a few levels. Seems rather lifeless and monotone, but maybe it's just a bad scan. Your wife looks like she's a very patient woman.

While I find the portrait intersting, I wonder if there was something more that could have been done with both the lighting and the position of the model.

Jonothan, I have the same problem with my wife. She has said that she wants to get her picture taken but that I always catch her at the wrong times. Eventually I gave up on her. I've getting friends to model for me but that proved quite difficult as well. The best thing you can do is go to a local modeling agency and let them know you're a photographer interested in doing Time-For-Print shoots with models and see if they have anyone who might be interested in that. Basically a model comes to you so you can practise but you give them a couple of prints in exchange that they can use for whatever needs they have. This way you don't have to spend too much money to actually hire a model (generally $65 per hour or higher).

 

I hope that helps.

David Wilson is going to lose his wife. Jonathon will too if he continues to show his pretty wife looking like a pissed off dwarf, or hires a model to replace her. Try poses like http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=766932

(and please give it a better rating).

You have used a formal composition for a very informal subject. This reinforces the "pissed off" look of your wife. An informal composition, without all the left-right symmetry would yield a much better look. As far as using a model, ask your wife to critique the shoot. Chances are she will volunteer to be your model in the future rather than your taking pictures of others.

I appreciate all of the comments. If you think she looks pissed off now, you should see her when I'm banging the stainless canister in our spare bathroom and she's trying to talk on the phone. No, really, if you think she looks like an angry dwarf, then I've succeeded because she was definitely not in the mood to sit for the picture. However, after she saw it, she asked me to make a bunch of prints to give to our family, so I guess it was a success both ways.

thanks alot,

Jon

The photo makes her look like she is 3' tall.