new -- color & b&w 'Alina and Rita'

This is Alina and Rita, not just beauties but exceedingly bright too.

Your ratings, critiques and observations are invited and most

welcome. If you rate harshly, very critically, or with to make a

remark, please submit a helpful and constructive comment; please share

your photographic knowledge to help improve my photography. Thanks!

Enjoy! john

This photograph is submitted under the 'nude' category, although the nudity is as much implied as in fact and almost everything is mostly covered up.

john

John (Crosley)

Thank you for the comment.

john

John (Crosley)

These are two very lovely models.  There is as noted a focusing problem with the left model.  Also there is an exposure issue.  The blonde's hair is washed out.  Am unsure about the pose.  The models seem tense. The photograph implies they are lovers.  Yet, whatever the case, they seem uncomfortable.  Perhaps that is a good thing.  I really am not sure.

Alex, no focusing problem just at 1/10th sec. a slow shutter and some movement, and any movement at that speed is too much.

This is a scene converted into high key and Rita's hair, right, is deliberately let to wash out - it's platinum and there's not much to do with that in a high key capture without looking phony when against a very light wall.

I hope that answers your comment.

This was not posed with any expectation of anyone ever seeing it, but as a test shot; they were VERY comfortable with each other, merely moving around a little bit posing ad libidem.  They had just walked in the door as prospective models and this was a test shot -- the 'high key' treatment saved it from obscurity as the lighting colors were more than mixed, they were awful.

john

John (Crosley)

Well John, as someone else recently noted, it's often the "snap" we take on the fly that turns out to be the best image.  And what goes through our minds is why didn't I take a little more time with it.  And often, if we had, we would not have captured the moment that made the image so likable in the first place!

Hindsight is a perfect science.  The most important element of an image is the image itself... catching that perfect moment.  And with that, you have done well.  The lesson learned here is to have your shutter speed set faster next time - even in your test shots.  But, we can also "would have, could have, should have" ourselves to death too.  The image is not a loss, just a good learning experience.  Nice job!

I recall walking along a sidewalk, and two gorgeous young women were walking behind me towards where I was staying and thinking to myself 'I wish they were going to see me'.

They were! 

They were right behind me when I got to my door and followed me inside.

I thought I had died and gone to heaven!

They were prospective models, had come for a test shoot, and this was their proof.  They weren't going to show me anything 'serious', but they did know how to pose, with a bare wall for background and no lights/no flash.

I didn't know how to convert to high key then, and the color tones were awful, so this sat unworked on and unshown for over half a decade.

Recently I tackled it because the pose was pretty good.  But with yesterday's (6-year-old camera) with poor sensitivity, I was stuck at 1/10th of a second, window light with window far away, aperture wide open or mostly wide open and not that wonderful a lens.  But the lighting was good reduced to b & w and high key -- a tribute to their beauty and makeup skills.

It seemed worth saving and showing, even for defects. Like you noted Michael, this is a fun, sharing place, and one for learning.  I learned a lesson then, and continue now.

Nice comment, and I acknowledge it as such.

john

John (Crosley)

And then did they drug you and take all your money.

That may have been your prostitute models.

My model, Rita, right, captured here on first meeting, went on to get two degrees, one of them a Masters in English.

She used to stop by for a cup of tea or a bit to eat just for company and a little chat; Alina, also, left, subsequently modeled for me.  Alina never spoke English to me, but obviously understood all I said and I called her 'the quiet, bright one'.

I regarded them as friends, especially Rita, who if I saw her today I would regard as a friend, and I think vice versa.

john

John (Crosley)

In my comment to Meir above, I referred to 'prostitute models'.

Meir, who commented above, made a point in  prior comments over time of noting his models often were prostitutes, that they often were drug addicted and that from time to time, I recall he recounted helping them procure for their habits.

I do not use words such as 'prostitute models' loosely, but in a very strict sense, and know that Meir does not necessarily regard those terms derogatorily . . . . but he just cannot assume behaviors (lightly or not) on behalf of those with whom I associated or have associated.

So, the term I used has a precise history based on statements made by Meir in these commentaries, and was not used loosely or necessarily in derogation, but was a factual comment.

john

John (Crosley)