james_mogul

reminds me of a Kieslowski film. Beautiful...

James

> do you have a clearer copy with more detail?

Would that not spoil the mystery of the image? suffice it to say your assumptions are correct, and they are (were) not models but lovers.

at last, someone understands ;)

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1287506 (nudity)

Thank you for your comments.

one harsh strobe through a snoot - feathered into the corner. Does

it work for you?

a large SB on a boom above and slightly in front of the model, 10 degrees right of lens axis. Second head with barn doors narrowed to a vertical slit shot through large diffusion panel to the model's right. Grid spot on the BG. I think I was exposing at around f5.6.

Thanks, and hope this helps!

James

PS, here's one with clothes on.

comments critiques welcome

Thank you

Thanks. It was done with one head with barn doors about 5.5 feet off the floor to the right and slightly behind the model, shot throught a 30x72 inch diffusion panel just outside the frame. A black panel to model left to absorb light. A second head shot though a narrow grid on the BG.

In hindsight, maybe the light could have been softer, maybe with a softbox or another layer of diffusion.

Hi Gregg, thanks. On the background was one head shot out of a 60 inch umbrella set high and behind the model. To camera right close to her face and a little higher than eye level, a head shot through a 40 degree grid. To camera left, closer to the axis of the lens, a head with barn doors set about 5 feet off the floor shot through a 30 x 72 inch diffusion panel. I don't remember the ratios, except that he BG light was hot enough to blow out the seamless. She was about 8 feet from the BG.

A 42 inch round silver reflector right under the hard light to camera right helped kick highlights into the latex.

Hi Tom -

It is always interesting to read people's interpretations of the work. No one knows what is actually happening in the model's head when that shutter snaps - sometimes not even the bondager. I think that is one of the beautiful aspects of this subject matter. It forces the viewer to consider the moment.

I marked you as an interesting photog long ago - and here I am not surprised by this folder. It fits perfectly with your nude landscapes. I would like to try the landscape approach sometime, and your work inspires.

I do however personally identify with some of the comments regarding a disconnection with the subject - the lack of her face. I think it would be very nice if at least one photo from the group allowed the viewer to connect there. Rope is merely a tool, anyways. Why not show the goods? The emotional appeal? Sometimes I tie a person up and shoot portraits strictly for the emotion the bondage solicits. However I see this as a style difference and I respect that, of course.

Some folks bitch about sloppy rope work. While I don't put nearly as much weight on symmetry and 'neatness' as I once did, I do think that if the photos are focusing on the landscape of the body, that the ropes could be used more to sculpt. I recall you mentioning somewhere that this was your and her first foray. With time, tighter. Rope can sculpt the body in beautiful ways. Especially around a woman's hips and torso. (not the abdomen). It can get pretty damn tight there with little discomfort. Jay W. would call it 'baybe bear tight'. Indeed, some people really like it that way :) I also agree with your assessment that the rope is a little too thick in proportion to her body.

Some folks mentioned Japanese style rope bondage. It looks to me like you already checked that out - you are doing Japanese rope bondage. It's not hemp or jute ropes, but the style is very Japanese and artistic.

I look forward to more of this stuff!

Regards,

James

I really like checking in with your postings - this one caught my eye right away. Very eerie for me.

Between the perspective lines, the angle of the frame, and the subject matter, I'm compelled.

Thanks for posting it,

James

I'd love some feedback on composition and emotional impact, if there

is any for you.

Thanks -

James

Hi Darren, I'm glad you like the skin tones. You asked:

Was she wearing a nice formal gown? Was she leaning on a baby grand piano, or playing pool?

She was wearing hemp rope, tied in a japanese style karada, and she's tied to a stair well's ballister.

Barry you asked: What is on the far right; the noose?

It's the ropes holding her to the straiwell. I thought they were blurred enough to dissapear, but looking at it again I can see your view.

William ased: What color (Mfgr? #?) orange gel did you use

I dont know the numbers, but it's a full correction gel for warming flash to tungsten. It's very orange, and the gelled flash is kind of far away, so it's subtle enough I think.

'...white balance on the D30 to... '

To get custom WB for this shot, I shot a gey card with ungelled flash, then gelled the fill flash. I don't gell the lens (yet), I'm having too much fun mixing color temps and dragging the shutter to burn in ambiant lighting along with the flash. Still in experiment mode.

Thanks for the feedback, and I'm glad you liked the shot overall

Gwen indulging in her fetish.

Mixed color temps with flashes, one was gelled to orange. Thoughts

on skin tones?

That girl is sassy, and you caught it. Great job, and rapport with the model.

Love the feel of this folder, b/w grainy images really do it for me.

Best,

James

is it too bulls-eye, or do you think the symetry works here?

Shot on Gwen's birthday during a walk through the halls of the Camlin

hotel.

yeah yeah, Matt, we've heard it all before. For a moment assume this -

As a digital photographer I just don't respect film. I'm sorry I just don't think that darkroom workers know what it's like to labor for hours in photoshop, execute digital workflow, or achieve and maintain a semblance of color management, or wrestle with screen to print match.

Now don't I sound like an artist?

-end sarcasm-

James

I'm never disapointed in some folk's sex negative views of porn. If the image is pornographic (which by the way is not illegal according to the US supreme court and is protected as such...whether it is immoral is a personal choice) ...so what?

An image that stirs is a good one. Put your labels aside and experience it.

James

PS to Amy - congrats, lovely.

love the feeling of motion, excitment I get from this image. Thanks -

thoughts on composition and density always welcome, and it might be

interesteing to get some folks' interpretation of the image?

Gwen nude - comments on the image's composition / cropping and

contrast would be very helpful -

thanks