Lethal Lady

[Colin Southern]

Say hello to Holly everyone

[Donald]

Say hello to Holly everyone

I'm frightened to!

As you know, I'm no portraitist and would normally just sit back and admire the skill that made the picture and enjoy the finished product.

But, as more of a question, is there a shadow under her left eye (right, as we look at it) in #1 that maybe pulls attention away from the rest of the image? Since beginning to avidly read what you (and others) write about lighting and devouring Syl Arena's book on using the 580EXII, I find myself more acutely observing and trying to learn for when I go out there and terrorise the community.

[Colin Southern]

is there a shadow under her left eye (right, as we look at it) in #1 that maybe pulls attention away from the rest of the image?

Hi Donald,

Not quite sure what you're meaning. There's a shadow from the hand just above the jaw line, but that area is usually a bit shaded anyway (albeit usually a little lower down). Is that what you're meaning?

[Sonny]

This is really nice work. Not only is she a very beautiful model but in the last photo you have captured a bit of her inner beauty. The lighting as far as I can tell is great. There is a slight bit of shadow on the cheeks and as Donald says under her left eye in the first photo. But don't get me wrong, you have created images that anyone would be proud of and your lethal lady has been portrayed in a way that brings out her natural beauty. One day, I may reach your standard of craft but I know enough to recognise good work when I see it. Congratulations on this fine work.

Sonny

[Donald]

Hi Donald,

Not quite sure what you're meaning. There's a shadow from the hand just above the jaw line, but that area is usually a bit shaded anyway (albeit usually a little lower down). Is that what you're meaning?

Colin

I was meaning on her left (our right as we look at it). Just right in the corner of where her eye meets her the top of her nose. There just seems to be a little redness running down at about 45 degrees.

[Colin Southern]

This is really nice work.

Hi Sonny,

Thanks for that - very kind of you

[Colin Southern]

Colin

I was meaning on her left (our right as we look at it). Just right in the corner of where her eye meets her the top of her nose. There just seems to be a little redness running down at about 45 degrees.

Hi Donald,

I can't really see any problems to be honest - the area is a little contrasty where the bridge of the nose has flagged the light a little, but it was supposed to be fairly "dramatic" / contrasty lighting anyway. We were managing no less than 6 zones of light on this one; 2 rim lights + key + fill + hair + reflector.

I finished retouching these at about 1am - so I'll take another look a bit later on the highres editions to see if I've missed something.

[jeeperman]

Colin, very nicely done. I like the little extra the weapon provides. #3 and 4 are my favorites, although a slight nit on 3 and I am being picky but two fingers on the trigger almost spoils it. On the positive side I like the slight smile poking through.

[Colin Southern]

I am being picky but two fingers on the trigger almost spoils it. On the positive side I like the slight smile poking through.

Thanks Paul,

You could be right about the 2 fingers, but I sure wasn't going to argue with her!

[pono]

I like number four the best. Her eyes are incredible, and the light is awesome. I also like the white background. Simply beautiful. The first three look like she would actually kill you, which I believe is what you might've been going for, so good on you.

[Colin Southern]

I like number four the best. Her eyes are incredible, and the light is awesome. I also like the white background. Simply beautiful. The first three look like she would actually kill you, which I believe is what you might've been going for, so good on you.

Thanks Shane,

It was a pretty dire situation for a while ... but thankfully Kayla came along - disarmed her - and placed her under arrest!

[speedneeder]

Finger OFF the trigger! lol

[Antonio Correia]

...

Nice work as usual Colin
Tell me: Is the background real ? I mean: where they shot with the black background originally or have you shot them with another one, cut them and placed them here ?

[Colin Southern]

Nice work as usual Colin
Tell me: Is the background real ? I mean: where they shot with the black background originally or have you shot them with another one, cut them and placed them here ?

Thanks Antonio,

Yes the background is real - here's one straight from the camera, with only capture sharpening applied ...



In reality, light only gets onto the background from one of 2 sources ... ambient light (from the room lights), but in reality, 1/125th @ F11 and up means those lights don't introduce anything unless you point the camera directly at the light, and the other potential source is light bleeding and/or bouncing from the strobes; generally that's not a big problem because I have the subject about 5m in front of the backdrop, and I'm careful as to the direction I'm plasing the lights. I even have black curtains I can draw to cover the white studio walls.

[Colin Southern]

I like number four the best. Her eyes are incredible, and the light is awesome. I also like the white background. Simply beautiful. The first three look like she would actually kill you, which I believe is what you might've been going for, so good on you.

Thanks Shane,

I had "Markvetnz" with me, who popped in to see my studio, whilst on holiday from Auckland, so had to make sure I was a good role model!

[Antonio Correia]

...I even have black curtains I can draw to cover the white studio walls.

I do remember seeing somewhere the ceiling also painted in black.

[Colin Southern]

I do remember seeing somewhere the ceiling also painted in black.

Yes, although I try to avoid photographing the ceiling!

[tb72]

Congratulations for this beautiful serie

[Sahil]

Say hello to Holly everyone

Great shots, as usual, Colin. This particular one is my favourite. I am sure she must have been overjoyed looking at this shot.
But whats the small thing on her nose? I am not sure if she is wearing any nosepin. There is something very distracting on her right side of the nose, towards the tip.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Colin,

#4 is my favourite, although I also like #3

I can see what Donald means in #1, it would be solved by bringing the camera right light further around to give a little more side and less backlight. That said, I think the shadow lends to the menace.

It is unfortunate in #3, that Holly seems to have a 'grubby face'*; her left cheek has a definite shadowy, edge lit effect. It could be caused by the same 'too far to right and behind' lighting as #1 - that said, if Holly had looked just a little more to left (of you) herself, it would also have avoided the issue.

Beyond that, another thing I noticed in the first three is a double catchlight in each eye, one large, one small, which looks unusual.

Good series as usual though, and of course we all learn through the analysing process, comments and replie.

Thanks for posting them,

* Please don't tell Holly I said this, at least not if she gets hold of that gun again