The way I see a young woman (6 images)

[texxter]

I was really inspired by the book "Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision" by David DuChemin, a photography book like no other, in which the author discusses not technique, but vision and story telling, among other things. Highly recommended!

Thinking about the ideas from the book I photographed Anita today as I saw her - I saw a smart, lovely, confident and happy young woman, with a college degree at age 21 and a kind heart. While she's sexy, that was not what I wanted my images to say. I hope my images below do capture what I saw in her.

All images with ambient light and white reflector for fill. Pretty much straight out of the camera, no skin or eye processing at all.

#1.


#2.


#3.


#4.


#5.


#6.

[kimberley]

nice :) number 5 is my fav :)

[Concisus Cognatus]

Another good series from one of the masters of natural lighting.

[Bill M]

Paco is this shot at a location you have used before? I really like the use of the ambient light. Do you meter these types of shots?

[texxter]

Kimberly, R.D., Bill thanks for the comments.

R.D., not sure about being one of the masters, I consider myself more a student that pays attention

Bill, yes, this is a local public library I have used recently. Yesterday I actually had a different location in mind, but I couldn't use it (closed on Sunday) so I had to improvise and return to this one. Having to use this relatively small space multiple times kinda forces me to come up with new ways to use it - but the stone background on both sides limits how much I can do with it.

And yes, I use my hand meter all the time. Not that I don't trust the camera, but I don't want to have to worry about EV compensations every time the background changes. I take incident measurements on her face and I know the exposure will be good.

[tukaniray]

I like shots 3 and 4. Really brings out the kind of business woman she will be. Strong yet able to smile.

Nice shooting like always Paco.

Question: with the libraries, do you just ask them if it is okay to shoot there? Or do you have them sign a location release form? Wondering for my own ventures in a library.

-Ray-

[Cajungaltx]

love, love, love it Paco... I wanna come hang out with you for a day just to play with lights! ;-)

I love the natural aspect of her photos....you see gorgeous...and natural sex appeal....not 'vampy, come and get me' sex appeal... which for most 21 year olds is the shots I see most often...

I love how beautiful she is...and how real she is...amazing shots.

[Ernst-Ulrich Schafer]

Good stuff Paco. TFS

[texxter]

Thank you for the kind words, Ray. Yes, I like the business images too - #3 is casual, yet it conveys a sense of "energy at work" which is not too easy to get.

This building is not only the library, but also City Hall. Most of the images were shot on the stairs, which have little traffic. I don't bother to ask for permission here, as this is a public building, I use it only when official business is not happening, like weekends, and I don't create a hazard with lights, etc. If someone complains then I comply and leave.

The last one was shot inside the library, which is a bit trickier. I downloaded a copy of the library Rules and Regulations onto my iPhone and read it cover to cover. I didn't see photography covered as being disallowed, so that was good. When I go in the library, I find an empty spot, and I make sure I am not including any patrons in the frame and always make a point of asking those nearby by if they don't mind my taking a picture there. If the librarian comes and tells me I cannot shoot there, I politely apologize and tell them I didn't find the prohibition in the rules, but I'll comply and leave. Nobody has said anything. I also don't spend more than 5 minutes there, don't use any lighting equipment and I don't shoot images in a way that makes the place recognizable, so a property release is normally not required.

I am sure that if the library got several visits every day from photographers making noise, rearranging furniture and inconveniencing people using the library, their policies would reflect their concern. As of right now, I am extremely sensitive to ruining this location, and I'll probably avoid it for a few months, since I shot there thrice recently.

Plus it's more fun to try different locations!

[texxter]

Originally Posted by Cajungaltx

love, love, love it Paco... I wanna come hang out with you for a day just to play with lights! ;-)

I love the natural aspect of her photos....you see gorgeous...and natural sex appeal....not 'vampy, come and get me' sex appeal... which for most 21 year olds is the shots I see most often...

I love how beautiful she is...and how real she is...amazing shots.

Donna, I really appreciate your comments, and it would be fun to shoot together sometime, you have a wonderful way of telling stories with your images! In this case we wouldn't be able to play with lights much, as there was only one, the sun coming thru a huge window but I think I know what you mean!

She's quite beautiful, isn't she? Her MM# is 1586656, and she's reliable and easy to work with.

Ernst-Ulrich, many thanks for your comment!

[tml]

Excellent series, Paco. Besides the technicalities, you managed to reveal two personalities, serious and playful, of this wonderful young woman. Tri

[DoublyDan]

Great images Paco! I like the business ones as well. She could be the next virtual stock star!

Would you like to tell the back story of the relationship you have with the library. Is this free to do? How long have you been working there? I think that I may be able to try this at my local Barnes and Nobel. They have some large windows with seating! How would you approach them? I have been practicing my social approaches for business sake and I must say I still get nervous...

The one big light makes for beautiful simplicity doesn't it?

Thanks for sharing.

Daniel

[ukneeq]

Great set! I love #4 and how it really conveys a powerful business woman.

[texxter]

Thanks, Tri. Good point about showing a warm personality and also business confidence.

About the library, it's pretty much what I described above. Due to the high temperatures and my desire to work on location, I try to locate publicly available indoor places, and the public library is a good one. I have shot there in July and I am going to give this location a break now because I don't want to overuse it.

I also shoot in restaurants, bookstores and the like. My normal approach is based on these two ideas: (1) I am a customer before I ask for a favor, and (2) I ask for permission and try to address their concerns before they come up.

For example, at the italian restaurante where I shot recently, I stopped by a few days before and explained what I wanted to do, and asked if it would be ok for me to take pictures of this friend (didn't say "model") while she was having lunch (implied I was going to buy a lunch) - I added that I'd make sure I'd do when it was the least busy for them, and would make sure no patrons would be photographed. I also added that in exchange for the favor, if they had a need for photography, personal or business, I would bend backwards to give them a good deal and make them happy. So they agreed. This is a Mom and Pop place, so no "corporate" to deal with - more on this below.

Some other times I dont go ahead of time because the shoot is simple; in the restaurant I needed to bring my own bowl, bottle of wine, lights, so I couldn't ad-lib it. But if I am going to shoot at a bookstore, I'd make sure I get a coffee or a magazine, and in the process of doing that I'd ask something like "I am taking pics of my friend (or my friend's daughter) for facebook, but it's too hot outside, would it be ok if I take a pic of her by the window while we enjoy coffee?" - problem with corporations is that the branch cannot make any decisions regardling commercial permits for photography, it's handled by a corporate function. If I make it sound like a snapshot, and dont carry heavy equipment and blur the background so that the place is unrecognizable, then I am able to use the image commercially without violating the retailer's intellectual property. It's a fine line, and sometimes they say "no, sorry, you can't take any photography here." Just smile and enjoy your coffee.

Edit: note that I say Facebook and not stock because that saves me explanations, and in both cases the image is publicly available. As long as the place is not recognizable, I am ok using it for stock. But if I say "stock" they may think that I want to sell a picture of the bookstore, instead of a portrait with an unrecognizable background. Plus I am not lying

[tukaniray]

Nice explanation Paco.

-Ray-