Beach Shoot

[Wandjina]

This image was taken during a camera club beach shoot in Adelaide, South Australia.
This is the model's reaction was after I told her the water was warm.

[William W]

Her arms relative to her body and head appear distorted: what camera, what FL lens, and how close were you to her?

It's good connectivity, but the pier through her head, distracts.

WW

[Wandjina]

[QUOTE=William W;752201]Her arms relative to her body and head appear distorted: what camera, what FL lens, and how close were you to her?

It's good connectivity, but the pier through her head, distracts.


Hi Bill,

I used a Canon 5DMk4, 1/200, f/7.1, ISO 100. Lens Canon EF 70-200, f/2.8L IS USM at 70mm from about 2-3 metres

[DanK]

Odd.

Bill, I'm assuming that your expected a wide-angle lens. I did as well. But 70 mm on a FF camera should if anything provide very slight compression. Martin, for the question Bill asked about perspective distortion: the underlying issues are angle of view (hence sensor size and the focal length used in the capture) and distance to the subject.

[Manfred M]

Carefully said, the arms are quite far forward and at a bit of an angle from being horizontal. If the photographer was 2 - 3m away from the body, the arms could be almost 1m closer to the lens and that would definitely impact the connectivity.

Yes, the pier is a distraction, but so is all that water she has flung at the photographer.

[DanK]

I think the water thrown at the photographer is a key part of the composition, not a distraction.

[Manfred M]

I think the water thrown at the photographer is a key part of the composition, not a distraction.

Understood Dan. My view is that it is not working as well as the photographer might have hoped. When photographing a model with anything thrown in the air; water, flour, leaves, etc. getting the timing right so that the material complements rather than distracts is always a challenge.

My success rate is that roughly 1 in 20 images works well. When the model is throwing the material one is fighting model fatigue and the poses tend to become weak. My most successful shots have been when one has an assistant doing the throwing, that way the model can concentrate on hitting the pose.

As an example, one of the other photographers stood at the camera right side and threw leaves. He tired pretty quickly too.

[William W]

. . . Canon 5DMk4, 1/200, f/7.1, ISO 100. Lens Canon EF 70-200, f/2.8L IS USM at 70mm from about 2-3 metres

Thanks for the information. It appears she’s not a tall woman, then.

. . . I'm assuming that you expected a wide-angle lens. I did as well. But 70 mm on a FF camera should if anything provide very slight compression. Martin, for the question Bill asked about perspective distortion: the underlying issues are angle of view (hence sensor size and the focal length used in the capture) and distance to the subject.

On first glance I did expect something like a 35mm lens on a 135 Format Camera: but then I looked closer and I was confused. It is a relatively small image I could not establish exactly what I was seeing. That sometimes happens when I am analysing small images, especially Portraiture – I like 10x8 or preferably about 14x11 (inches) on my screen. My uncertainty prompted me to phrase my response to a question.

Now with the added information, I reckon the Woman is bending slightly forward and, combined with the Camera Elevation being slightly higher than her head, and probably she has shortish arms relative to her torso length –that’s what I was seeing.

It is very possible (I think quite likely) that the image will be more pleasant in regard to this ‘perspective distortion’, if I could view it larger: that stated the ‘perspective distortion’ is there (mainly) because of the CAMERA VIEWPOINT – which comprises two factors - Subject Distance and Camera Elevation.

I think, like Dan, that the splashing is integral to spontaneity, vitality and connectivity and is a positive to the image. Perhaps Manfred might also agree, if he were viewing an 11x14. It's interesting, Image Viewing Size is often quite important, especially for Portraiture.

WW

[William W]

PS the water is warm year round at all the Adelaide Beaches.

[Tronhard]

PS the water is warm year round at all the Adelaide Beaches.

I fell for Adelaide when I went there and swore if I ever came to live in Australia that would be the place for me. Still, happy as I am in NZ!
Cheers to all my Aussie neighbours though. We're doing well with our virus efforts down under! {:-)

[Tronhard]

On first sight of the image, it seemed logical to me that in the OP the model was bent forward, having had her arms and hand lowered to scoop up the water and thus the image fore-shortened her trunk and made her head seem larger in proportion to her body. Just one of those positioning things. It may not be her most flattering angle, I'll admit! Perhaps you could post one of her in an upright position to do the poor woman justice!

[Wandjina]

Perhaps you could post one of her in an upright position to do the poor woman justice!

"Caro" is a smaller lady, maybe 156-158 cms (5'2") tall
Here she is standing upright

[Manfred M]

Perhaps you could post one of her in an upright position to do the poor woman justice!

"Caro" is a smaller lady, maybe 156-158 cms (5'2") tall
Here she is standing upright

I prefer this image to your previous post Martin.

[William W]

The second image appears that the camera elevation is also above her Head: but obviously she is not leaning forward: also it seems reasonably to assume that the SD is not 2.5meters

I think that one takeaway from this exercise is the notable difference in the body shape, of exactly the same woman, in the two images.

***

Addendum -

Re the second image - one element to consider in this situation is bumping in direct Flash as Fill.

I’d typically use an Off Camera Cord and hold it, but, in that particular shooting scenario, I assume you were holding the camera with the Hot Shoe to Camera Right therefore Hot Shoe Flash would work.

There are generally two pluses: first you get an amount of Fill (at your discretion by FEC) to the shadow side of the Face, which (typically) opens up more expression and connectivity and secondly, you’ll get a Catchlight in the eye, small though it may be, unconsciously it attracts the Viewer’s Eye.

Here is an A/B facsimile of Flash Fill from Camera Right: only showing how the expression and connectivity opens up, not only because of the Fill on the Face, but also, the Hair. I didn’t fiddle about cloning Catchlights.



I suggest you (she) be careful with that type of Leaning Pose - watch that leading Shoulder, you might have wanted the kink forward in the L. Shoulder; it sometimes is a request, but, the Shoulder Kink Forward is arguably hackneyed in 2020: I think it might have been accidental, simply because of where her Back and L. Arm is leaning on the pylon.

WW

[Wandjina]

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions