mostly models Colleen # 3883

We found this fence with the huge background and started shooting.

Eventually, Colleen found this pose. I asked her to use the whole fence

because the composition was horizontal. Do you think she could have

effectively moved her hands even further along the rails, to make a wider

composition? Or is this ok? I think it's ok. Maybe, even tighten them up

for a square? (this is 4x5 format) I didn't see any reason to offset her

from the center, (rule of 3rds) because the background was all pretty

much the same without anything else to include, like a significant tree,

or house.

Doug, to your question, I've seen great pictures with arms fully stretched, almost all were shot from an angle when this close. Colleen is taller than the fence so a further stretch might have been uncomfortable and may have appeared awkward. As it is, her pose is confident, casual and relaxed, as though she's saying:"Hey, I look good. Take a picture!".

 

I might have tugged on her dress a bit to smooth out the bunched up areas. I guess reflectors and diffusers were at work here also? She's beautifully lit and looks so natural.

Oh, and the composition looks great with her centered, given her arms are about evenly spread.

Thanks Mike. Yep, scrim on the right to fight the sun, reflector on the left to fight the shadow. I like this, but it's not one of my favorites and I agree with your comments about the pose.