Shirley Chan - Scent of Spring

[jayhan]

Ok... instead of shooting food, these are what I got. :P Tried my hands on the ala Hong Kong style photography after I had a quick go at some Chinese food at a HK Restaurant.

C&C Welcomed.

1.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/168/442751952_be64418a18_o.jpg

2.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/200/442751950_21985f4462_o.jpg

3.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/199/442751954_580a4419d2_o.jpg

4.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/175/442751966_28cc2637de_o.jpg

[jayhan]

Actually these should have come first since I shoot the non flash version first while waiting for the sun to set further down... but anyway, here goes.

5.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/196/442783273_764b653a9a_o.jpg

6.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/174/442783269_85ff05fd11_o.jpg

7.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/196/442751980_d6fa935c07_o.jpg

8.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/197/442797720_4170e65b6e_o.jpg

Lesson learned - wear more jacket while its cold. :P

[ted]

Very good mixture of ambient and artificial lights there dewd.

Carry on.

[Caveman]

Ooh I really like the #1 and #7,

for #2 the horizon looks senget a bit. Not sure it is my eyes..
for #3, probably due to the angle of the shot. Colors are less saturated.
#4, it is nice but I would prefer the branches not at the back of her.
#5 & #6 a bit blown out on skins.
#8 flares.. not my favorite.

[ShaolinTiger]

Nice work jay!

#1 Bang on mate, love it.

#2 I find the hair over her face a little distracting

#3 Seems a little washed out, and due to the colour of her shirt and the green grass she blends in a bit too much

#4 Nice but the light is a little too strong, perhaps set the frontal flash down a notch

[tiger_killer]

All photos are not my cup of tea...
Look very artificial..

[Aloha Lavina]

I like #4. The central positioning of the subject adds a little discomfort to the viewer, but that is a good thing considering it is already quite uncomfortable to have a girl sitting on a chair in the middle of a grassy field. The shot works because it becomes engaging, the viewer is left with questions like, what is she doing there, why is she sitting on a chair, etc. It's easy to take a photograph with a pretty girl. But is is harder to make a photograph with a pretty girl say something new. I think this photograph says something new, and it's got many merits besides, such as good lighting.

[alancheong7]

Love the 1st set, Jay.
1. The sunset...and that pose....! :D
2. The chair...and the foreground, actually. Wonder how'd it look like with just the chair against the setting sun with some grass in the foreground - like the chipped/peeled paint details of the chair.
3. The field
4. The background

2nd set
Love the colours
Love the compo in #7 & #8, too bad about the overexposed parts

The grass REALLY is greener on the other side! :D :D :D

[jayhan]

Very good mixture of ambient and artificial lights there dewd. Carry on.
Thanks Ted!


Ooh I really like the #1 and #7,
for #2 the horizon looks senget a bit. Not sure it is my eyes..
for #3, probably due to the angle of the shot. Colors are less saturated.
#4, it is nice but I would prefer the branches not at the back of her.
#5 & #6 a bit blown out on skins.
#8 flares.. not my favorite.
Cavey, I did notice the horizon on #2 as well, its illusion from the trees on the left of the photo. :) I think I get carried away and confused myself mixing ambient and flash photography within the same period of time, so thats why the slightly overexposed on some pics :( Anyway I just thought of uploading them to share with ya'll since I feel the ambient only pics have more "feel" to them *knocks on head to get the HK style out* lol.


Nice work jay!

#1 Bang on mate, love it.

#2 I find the hair over her face a little distracting

#3 Seems a little washed out, and due to the colour of her shirt and the green grass she blends in a bit too much

#4 Nice but the light is a little too strong, perhaps set the frontal flash down a notch
Yeah man, lotsa ppl prefer the #1 too. I think I've been inconsistent in my PP, esp those shot with just natural lighting. If you ask me - the one thing I dislike most would be the colors of her shirt! :P :D Wardrobe malfunction mate! LOL!


All photos are not my cup of tea...
Look very artificial..
These photos certainly may not be the best, and Its kinda hard to please everyone :) But I'm trying - my way.


I like #4. The central positioning of the subject adds a little discomfort to the viewer, but that is a good thing considering it is already quite uncomfortable to have a girl sitting on a chair in the middle of a grassy field. The shot works because it becomes engaging, the viewer is left with questions like, what is she doing there, why is she sitting on a chair, etc. It's easy to take a photograph with a pretty girl. But is is harder to make a photograph with a pretty girl say something new. I think this photograph says something new, and it's got many merits besides, such as good lighting.
Thanks for the critique man. I just thought of banging right smack in the middle for #4. I think one of the most important lesson learned from this shootout was that I need to keep a clear mind to separate ambient only settings vs. flash photography.

Love the 1st set, Jay.
1. The sunset...and that pose....! :D
2. The chair...and the foreground, actually. Wonder how'd it look like with just the chair against the setting sun with some grass in the foreground - like the chipped/peeled paint details of the chair.
3. The field
4. The background

2nd set
Love the colours
Love the compo in #7 & #8, too bad about the overexposed parts

The grass REALLY is greener on the other side! :D :D :D

Glad you liked them. We both braved a 9degrees celcius for these shots :P If you can notice, her fingers got reddish hues already due to cold *poor thing* The grass is always greener on the other side, no matter which side you are on ;) but for these - they are greener cuz of PP. :P

[noordin]

You brought fresh ideas on portraiture with your mixed lighting and bacground. Fabulous!

[lanatir]

a very nice and 'safe' series. i love the use of colour and also some pleasant lighting shown here.

imho, here are some observations (among those already posted by the rest)

1) the model looks a bit uncomfortable in some photos and posing needs some work (especially #4)
2) the titling of your series... as opposed to the other one you posted. i find this series to be too similar with the other except for the change in title. it feels like the model is doing the same thing in just a different location. the mood is too similar.
3) the white belt is distracting.

[ykgen]

y hongkong style?

i dun understand?

[jayhan]

You brought fresh ideas on portraiture with your mixed lighting and bacground. Fabulous!
Thanks for appreciating Noordin. I'll certainly be shooting more of this kinda portraitures - emphasizing on lighting of subjects; in the near future. :D


a very nice and 'safe' series. i love the use of colour and also some pleasant lighting shown here.

imho, here are some observations (among those already posted by the rest)

1) the model looks a bit uncomfortable in some photos and posing needs some work (especially #4)
2) the titling of your series... as opposed to the other one you posted. i find this series to be too similar with the other except for the change in title. it feels like the model is doing the same thing in just a different location. the mood is too similar.
3) the white belt is distracting.
This was more like an impromptu call-up-to-shoot event. Neither of us were really ready with proper conceptual ideas - which was a bad move. Nevertheless, it was a lesson learnt and enjoyed. Oh yeah, I suck at PP on putting titles and layout designs. :P So pls spare me there hehehe...


y hongkong style? i dun understand?
Well, most of the China girls here love HK or Japanese magazines' shooting styles, which can be translated to massive out-of-the-world colored clothing, and over accessorized and a typical i-wanna-be-kawaii look/pose. This is as opposed to many western ang mohs who prefer elegant and glamourous look with sexual appeal as a form of seduction. This is a generalized case though. I've worked kinda hard to try to ask this girl to actually try "minimize" her clothings and accesories and telling her the whole idea of what is LESS IS MORE. So.. there you go - such an explaination lor... btw. my brains suck at visualizing conceptual stuff on kawaiiness lol!! :P

[jayhan]

ok... for some who wanna know how I shot the photos that were done with flash, here's a setup pic that illustrates it all... :)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/180/442751932_ce6d52703c_o.jpg

[fulat]

good efford jay~ u make it a reference to the rest for a great shot like yours...

salute ya efford of contributing~ coffee on me next time~ :drunk:

[qqmeng]

thanks jay.

my checklist now:

1) Umbrella
2) beautiful sunset
3) beautiful model
4) jayhan s skill ...

not bad...only 4 and i m ready to go! :D

[jayhan]

Hahah no probs guys. Actually i got a cheaper option for you QQ on yoru checklist.

QQ's check list:
1) Umbrella
2) beautiful sunset
3) beautiful model
4) jayhan s skill ...

here try this.
1) replace umbrella with a big sheet of mahjong paper, which is taped around a cardboard frame. use it as a diffuser (get a softbox effect :)). effect is better cuz you get softer shadows and cheaper then brollies. downside : you need someone hold it up for you :P

2) or sunrise. mid day is fine too (who say cannot shoot in mid day??) as long as you bring model into the shades of trees then use the blue skies!! drool!!

3) any average model will do... its you who can make her look pretty :P

4) hone your own skills to get your own style.

there you go! :)

[mobbes]

An inspiring and educational thread. Thanks for sharing folks :)

[alancheong7]

Hahah no probs guys. Actually i got a cheaper option for you QQ on yoru checklist.
here try this.
1) replace umbrella with a big sheet of mahjong paper, which is taped around a cardboard frame. use it as a diffuser (get a softbox effect :)). effect is better cuz you get softer shadows and cheaper then brollies. downside : you need someone hold it up for you :P


Jay, will thicker/heavy tracing paper and polystyrene sheets do as well?

thanks

[jayhan]

Alan, I think the tracing paper would work fine as well. As for the polystyrene - it might not hold the bits together solidly i suppose. Just afraid they might be a lil bit filmsy. If you really wanna try, then try "elephant card". These mamas are tough! Now bear in mind that the physics behind soft lighting is how diffused and the size of the light source. By putting a sheet of paper in front of the flash not only diffuses it, but in fact transforming it into a huge light source, as compared to the 2"x3" flash head - you now have something like 3ftx5ft!! So this gives a more "wrap around" kinda lighting to your subject which prevents harsh shadows as well as evenly lighting it up.

Hope this helps.

[alancheong7]

Alan, I think the tracing paper would work fine as well. As for the polystyrene - it might not hold the bits together solidly i suppose. Just afraid they might be a lil bit filmsy. If you really wanna try, then try "elephant card". These mamas are tough! Now bear in mind that the physics behind soft lighting is how diffused and the size of the light source. By putting a sheet of paper in front of the flash not only diffuses it, but in fact transforming it into a huge light source, as compared to the 2"x3" flash head - you now have something like 3ftx5ft!! So this gives a more "wrap around" kinda lighting to your subject which prevents harsh shadows as well as evenly lighting it up.

Hope this helps.


Yessir! and thanks :D