Beware the nudity within.

[scully]

Hi all,

Feel free to protest if you think I am out of line, but I wanted to show you a shot from a nude tutorial shoot I did. I have done this a few times as I love bodyscaping, however this is not a bodyscape. It is a (scary) nude shot.



Here is another shot, I really liked the window but a girl got in the way.



Steve

[Shadowman]

First shot is nicely composed, however the tone of the object on top sill is a bit distracting; doesn't fit well with the overall tone of the composition. 2nd image is fine but could use less of the colorful canvas.

[scully]

First shot is nicely composed, however the tone of the object on top sill is a bit distracting; doesn't fit well with the overall tone of the composition. 2nd image is fine but could use less of the colorful canvas.

Thanks Shadowman, not sure what you mean by "the object on top" and "the colourful canvas". Can you clarify? On the first shot, I was trying to make sure that the buildings through the window were not washed out. Are you talking about the latch on the window and the colour scheme of the wall (which I could darken) on the second?

More like this?

[Shadowman]

Thanks Shadowman, not sure what you mean by "the object on top" and "the colourful canvas". Can you clarify? On the first shot, I was trying to make sure that the buildings through the window were not washed out. Are you talking about the latch on the window and the colour scheme of the wall (which I could darken) on the second?

More like this?

Hi Stephen,

In the first image I was referring to the object to the left of the latch, upper left corner. On the second image, yes less emphasis on the wall and more on the model. Nicely edited.

[IzzieK]

Steve, I think the first one needed to be straightened then removed the first part of the window with the cell phone and the latch, whatever those objects are. I noticed the butt of the lady and thought something was wrong there until I expanded it in lytebox and saw it was the shape of the sunlight hitting that part of her body. I think it distracts a bit from the overall shot. The second one I have no problem because it has a bit of drama there somewhere. I do not know what is missing in that picture but I think it could be better composed just like the first one is. Nice boobs.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Steve,

I definitely prefer the crop+edit version of the second image - there's just one more little thing I'd do if it were mine - that would be 'burn' the part where the light is hitting her hand - so it is not the brightest thing in shot.

I note from the EXIF that you are processing with CS5 - may I suggest you take a look at the Lens (corrections) tab in ACR and ensure that;

a) you have the checkbox set to remove Chromatic Aberration and
b) you have lens profile corrections enabled (also double check it has identified the lens you were shooting with) and
c) manually adjust any remaining barrel distortion - and the levelness - as necessary

With regard to all these; I believe the ACR in PS CC may have significant improvements over those same features in CS5 - something to consider.

These lens issues are far more noticeable in the first image, but the issues must be degrading all your images (to some extent) if you don't remember to correct them. (I have a default saved with them enabled)

HTH (hope that helps), Dave

[KimC]

Hi Stephen. I'll give you another female perspective:

Image 1 - I agree with Izzie concerning straightening the image, removing the cell phone, and the mention of the hot spots on her buttocks. There is also a hot spot on her left calf to ankle. What distracted me the most was the spot on her left nipple -- did she have a ring there that perhaps caught the light - and it looks like there is something running down from her shoulder to that breast on the same side - was that her hair? I do like the pose and the light sculpts her arms and torso beautifully.

image 2 - I prefer your revised version (which I will call image 3 since it's not the same pose as your original second image). This pose works better for me, as the woman is not as square. I also prefer her head up and looking out the window rather than down. The light sculpting in this image is more complementary to the woman versus your original image 2, in my opinion.

[ionian]

I came here half expecting an unpeeled banana or something - the cynical side of my brain must be taking over.

I agree with the comments on no.1 - this is good already, and has the potential to be excellent. It'l take some careful PP work on her calf, buttock and nipple (airbrush and blend would be the first thing I would try, especially on that leg) but it's worth the effort. The cloning and straightening should be straightforward.

Image 2 needs a crop from the right for me, and the reason I find it is not as strong as the first one is because of the light from the windows in the background, behind your model. If these could have been closed, and possibly a reflector on the dark side of the model (subtly, just to give definition) I think this would work better.

Image 3 is good; I know you want dark tones here but I may be tempted to increase the brightness on the model here .

Take all of the above with a pinch of salt - I haven't shot nude portraiture - but just trying to think academically about how I would approach it.

[scully]

Thank you all for the advice, I will play with my images to try and get them better. I was one of four photographers in the class with the professional that organised the shoot and owned the studio and it was about lighting and the female nude. If you get the chance, it is a really good experience. However, it stops in the studio, the post processing, I have to teach myself.

Just to explain, the shot near the window may not have been executed perfectly but I did not want the model to fill the shot, hence no cropping. I wanted her to be a small part of a moody scene, sort of a piece of furniture. However, I agree that the painted wall doesn't help.

Also, straightening the image in the window shot by rotating doesn't work that well as I end up chopping fingers off because her hand is so close to the edge of the frame.

[ionian]

Also, straightening the image in the window shot by rotating doesn't work that well as I end up chopping fingers off because her hand is so close to the edge of the frame.

Aha! I have a plan. In Photoshop, expand your canvas on the horizontal axis, anchoring the image in the middle - add an inch or two each way. Now, fill the gaps on either side using content aware fill. It'll look ropey, but most of it is going to end up cropped so as long as you have the window. frames continuing you are fine. Now straighten and crop - you'll find that on,y a tiny fraction of the content aware fill will remain, just enough to ensure you don't chop off her fingers.

ThatNikonGuy, or Matt Granger, does a few tutorials on YouTube for nude portraiture and processing - it may be worth checking him out.