Challenge:Nude II (Advanced Editing II) Camera:Olympus C-750UZ Location: Bed by Window Date: Aug 20, 2004 Aperture: 4.0 ISO: 50 Shutter: 1/6 Galleries:Nude Date Uploaded: Aug 20, 2004
Self-portrait. Natural morning light coming from the window I was peeking out, mostly diffused by the sheer curtain. A small amount of light comes from a second window behind the camera that had a dark shade covering it.
Cropped. Converted to B&W (walls are a weird green color that distracts the eye -- plus I think light is often better examined in a B&W format). Small amount of cloning (little body flaws that nobody probably would've noticed but me) and dodging on the hair to bring out a little detail. (I wish it was longer and lighter blonde like it used to be just for this photo. I cut and colored it red about a week before this photo, so the dark still looks very strange to me.) Adjusted levels. I like this photo a little darker than it appears on my monitor, but it seems having your photo be a shade or two lighter than you think it should be is beneficial for votes. I'm sure there's more than could be done with PS, but it's beyond my abilities at this time. I'm learning slowly.
As I have never shot or displayed a photo like this of myself I kept the hair in front of my face partially to make me a little more comfortable with submitting the entry. I'm not particularly modest or unhappy with my body... but it's weird, you know? I expect comments about the hidden face though. I have a second version that has better hair (still tossled but less fuzzy), and shows a bit more suggestion of face but the body pose doesn't look as natural. I keep going back and forth on which to submit and probably will continue to do so right up until the deadline. If anyone is interested, I can upload the second version later.
There's a few things I would've changed had I used a model that I could direct. As it was, it was pretty impossible to get everything exactly perfect when I couldn't see through the camera as I posed. I got in and out of that bed about 40 times and took many, many shots to get one I liked at all, each time trying to remember everything I disliked from the previous shots: "sit about a foot behind window" "right hand just higher than shoulder" "make sure elbow is bent" "keep fingers spread a bit" "wrinkle the sheets" "make sure navel shows" "hide remote in left hand" "sit up straight so stomach isn't all creased" "rotate chest slightly towards camera" "let left arm hang naturally" "turn towards the light" "ow, ow leg cramp from weird position" "click" "tilt head a bit" "click" "sit up straighter" "click" "oops, remote is showing" "click"... etc
Good experience overall. I love the play of light on skin, and would like to do more studies of nudes. More fun than I thought it would be. :)
Outtake shot that I didn't use --
Statistics
Place: 10 out of 87 Avg (all users): 6.7983 Avg (commenters): 8.0000 Avg (participants): 6.3951 Avg (non-participants): 6.9211 Views since voting: 23712 Views during voting: 1153 Votes: 347 Comments: 56 Favorites: 33 (view)
Meant to comment on this a while back when I added it to my favourites. Great shot, both this and the out take.
Overall I prefer this one of the two, mostly due to the lighting. I do like the other for the fact it shows a little of your face though. However, I disagree with your comment on this shot about the hidden face being a potential problem though, as to me it looks very natural as that is the way your head would point were you looking out of the window, so all very natural. The hidden face to me is only an issue if it looks deliberately and unaturally hidden.
Lovely shots, and it certainly paid off being brave :) Hopefully you'll pluck up the courage to do some more in the future as I love both os these.
nice job balancing the light from the window with the other ambient lighting. would like to see more of a hint of the face.. looking a bit cousin IT ish.
This is my favouritest picture of the bunch. I like the way you used the window as a light source and the choice of b&w. Excellent job! Bumped you up from a 9 on my first round of voting to a perfect 10.
very nice, very subtle, and a beautiful image
I think this would work just as well with the bottom cropped off in line with the bottom of the curtain
Tastefully done and beautiful work 9
I like the added element of a story being told. Her action add heaps to the shot. The lighting is soft and peaceful. I might have cropped a little bit from the bottom as I find it doesn't add to the photo. Good shot! 8
II had a definite reason for all my top picks this time except this one. I'm still not sure what moves me here, maybe the untold story of why she is looking out the window. In any case it gets a 9 from me.
A classic, with nice soft window light matching her beatiful body. I think you could have gone a bit closer and avoid the view of the wood and the corner of the room.
Wonderful shot with a great mood. Your model has a great figure, and looks comfortable in front of the camera. Great exploration of light and shadow, I love how the light plays with the crumpled sheets.
soft and innocent is what i get from this photograph - a closer crop wouldn't hinder this photo by any means, and a touch of contrast would certainly help it.
That aside there are many positives to be taken from this - well done and I look forward to seeing whom created this.
Very nice pose and set-up for teh shots, the breasts seem to effortlessly sit high and in the light. THe hair could be darkened abit because the light makes the hair look thin at one angle and it is distracting even as an illusion.
This image tells more of a story than many. Who is she looking for? Has she been sleeping alone? is she waiting for someone. Is she looking forward to their arrival or not. Or perhaps someone has just left her? The composition works well for me - I like the vertical white of the curtain against the dark vertical of the background. I like the very directional gentle diffused light. I like the texture and shapes of the crumpled sheet. A great image!
Beautiful shot. This image positively radiates energy, emotion, and sensuality. Very compelling too, with the glance out the window. Suggests a lot of thought and work in the composition. A top entry into this challenge.
This has almost a vintage feel to it - very cool. I like the spontaneous feel to it (although I know it was anything but spontanteous! A lot of work I am sure went into this.)
I like how she's looking out the window, and how it is the only light source. I like how you can't see her face so you don't know what she is thinking. And I like how you did the composition of the body, bed, and window. 10
Great lighting makes this really work well. Try covering (or cropping out) the bright window - it makes the image stronger yet. If the title would be something like "Is he home yet?" implying that she's peeking out in anticipation, it adds some mystery and emotion. Nonetheless - it's an excellent submission.
The lighting in this image is fantastic. I like the pose as well. The only thing I might change would be cloning out the bedpost in the background as it doesn't rea;;y add to the image. Might even try taking the image a second time with a different angle the gets it out of the frame. Excellent work!
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