Shoot 3 Evaluation

This shoot was a major success, and I feel that the images produced are of a high quality. I was able to fully control the lighting and the positioning of myself. This enabled me to ensure each image was exactly how I wanted it to be. I took a range of outfits to photograph so that I could see what worked best; being the model and photographer meant I could work methodically and not feel like I had to rush. The camera was set up in portrait on my tripod and I got my assistant to stand in front of the camera to get the framing right. I then got into position and using a remote trigger I focused the camera on me and fired it with a five second timer. In this time I handed the trigger to my assistant and got into the pose required. As it was just my assistant and myself, I had no worries about the unusual posing I did. It was fun to try and recreate some of the ‘normal’ poses of models that are, in reality, so uncomfortable to get into.
The lighting set up was produced by using an Elinchrom BX kit on floor stands aimed at the back of the cove. I then used two more lights in the cove to light the top half of the background. This created a totally white background to the subject. I then used a light with large softbox on to like myself. I also had a fill light that I used, however it was two stops lower than the key light so that I got the definition and the shadows, but without losing it to total shadow.
On reflection, I could have benefited from another two lights to light the floor behind my feet. This would have enabled me to not spend so long on Lightroom and Photoshop trying to make the foreground floor match that of the background. Regardless, I feel that considering it was the first time shooting in the cove, I achieved very professional looking imagery.
While editing I enhanced the colours so that the blues and purples were vibrant, while ensuring the skin tone stayed natural. The original images also had a lot of marks on the backdrop and floor, so the clone and spot heal tool on Photoshop enabled me to get rid of them. I then lightened the bottom of the image so that the white was as even throughout the back to the front of the image. Overall the enhancements are not as dramatic as in my previous shoots, however it is noticeable enough that I have enhanced the image to bring out it’s potential.
Something I debated the idea of was thinning myself down in the images to meet the ‘ideal body standards’ within the fashion world, but then again, I realised my project was trying to break the stereotypes of fashion and that keeping it real would be the best and most bold option.
The image on the right is my final image (left is the unaltered version for comparison) and I feel it really keep along the powerful stride that much of women’s fashion photography lacks. I intended to look down on the camera with a strong leg stance opposing the often submissive look of females in fashion. I wanted it to appear that I was walking away from the viewed, I did not want them to see the subject as easy or weak. I feel like I have achieved this and kept it true to the original in terms of editing too.

If I were to take this shoot again, I feel the main difference would be more even lighting on the floor so that I had less post production work and I would have taken different outfits. I do not feel like my images echo Spring/Summer 2016/17 in terms of day wear, however after looking on Pinterest I have discovered tropical colours and blues, turquoise and purple is very much on trend:

Overall it was enjoyable and fun, I would definitely use myself as a model again even if for a test shoot to gather ideas of poses and styles that work.