Hoity Toity: Actress Sarah Buxton

a very stunning picture. the model's look is great and so are her skin tones. I think this photo appeals to the voyeur in all of us. But, and there's always a but, something about the brick backround is bothering me. Maybe its that the texture is distracting or maybe its the bland gray of the wall. That's it. Great pic.

I really like this portrait, a cool toilet picture. Nice darkroom work and a good capture of the model.

This is a nice picture. I wish you scanned it so we can view it larger.

 

Thanks

-the 'voyeur in all of us'?

what does that mean? I don't see any positive comments from females here. are females voyeurs

the way SOME males are?

Ok, I'm a female: here is my comment. Its a technically well executed photo, and the brick wall doesn't bother me. She looks lovely and her facial expression is perfect, esp with the cigarette.

My only problem, and its a slight one, is that it looks very posed. Maybe thats why it doesn't appeal to the voyuer in me (And yes, there is one.) I mean, unless she is wearing crotchless pantyhose or something, she isn't really using the toilet, she's just sitting on it, which, of course, is mildly shocking and amusing - but this photo doesn't truly reveal anything, either skin, or anything intimate about the model.

That being said, its a very good picture for what it is, technically better than lots of stuff I've done.

Yes, there's some voyeur in many of us - including women.

 

Technically this is really a beautiful photograph. I'd agree with Amy, though, in her comments about the pose. It looks like something out of Vanity Fair. Then, maybe that's exactly what you were trying to do.

Thanks everyone for your views and comments. This was a shot that I asked the actress to do for my book [portfolio] at the end of an editorial shoot --which did not include the toilet!

 

The magazine was doing a profile on Sarah [who is currently on The Bold And The Beautiful] so the Vanity Fair reference is accurate. One always has to balance their artistic vision [i agree, I wanted her nylons down around her ankles] with the wants and wishes of the celebrity and ever attendant publicist [in this case, a working actress who has to watch out for her public image, and while I would never break my word on keeping these out of the tabloids, I'm sure that there exists other photographers that would], so her fears are real.

 

My personal critique on this is that knowing the behind the scenes back story of what it takes to get anyone in Hollywood to play along now-a-days [unless your last name is Ritts, Leibovitz, or Seliger] makes it one of my favorite images. Are there compromises, sure, there are compromises on every shoot. But I have come to understand that getting the shot, and obtaining 75% to 80% of your vision, is a success. If I wanted to hire a model and produce the shot from scratch, thus maintaining complete control down to the nth degree, I dont think it would have the same impact [at least for me] as having Sarah play out the roll even though it is watered down.

 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and now you know the rest of the story.

 

Very well done and thought out. I gave it a 9/8. I looked at some of the ratings on this one and some were very low. I don't understand that at all

Trash is trash even if you use a Hasselblad. I don't get it. Is it supposed to evoke some sort of scatological eroticism? What will you do next? Put the camera inside the toilet? Beyond the fact that the shot is in bad taste, the model looks posed and the lighting is overdone and looks staged. Very artificial looking. I personally hate photos that make me aware of the photographer and the lighting. All in all a piece of trash, but as PT Barnum once said "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public". Sorry to be so harsh but you asked for the photo to be rated.

Zap, I took a look at your portfolio. Accept for one nice portrait, and a half assed lighting situation on the second, they all look like "happy go lucky with 35mm" to me. I challange you to produce something as creative and abstract as Robert has. When you get your head out of those photography magazines and your hand off the mouse, you'll only then begin to do what your mind is built to do vs. trying to keep up with the Jones's on your pictures. From money, to public relations to simply production, images like this take every recource to the photographer/artist. Much more than simply going on vacation and bringing your camera.

VERY well put Jeff. I agree 100%. Being involved in film and video as well as photography, I know what it takes to execute these kind of shots. It is A LOT of work, and as you said, not as simple as taking your 35 on vacation with you.

 

And I dont understand why people would really interpret that it is 'posed'. Isnt all photography posed to a degree? Its not like you close your eyes and shot whatever happens to be in front of your lens.

 

This kind of photography is like painting a portrait. You build it and assemble it carefully to acheive your vision (to the best of your ability, such as was mentioned with the publicist and fear of tabloids etc).

 

I applaud well executed photos such as this. Job well done!

Robert, way to go. You've finally got one of your images on the front of photo.net. I didn't realize this the first time, but your print work is wonderfuly contrast controlled for such an indoor shot. Keep it up boss.