Ok, so for all you cool people that chimed in on my senior shoot situation the other day, again a hardy thanks. Because you all took your time to hash that out with me I wanted to try and give you some satisfaction from the whole thing, sort of some closer closeur close..... you know what I mean. So here's some pics from the shoot. Let me know what you think. Oh, and yes, that's my new senior site on there. Hasn't launched yet. Sometime later this week. Oh, and one other note. I found out during this shoot that she is starting with barbazon? A modeling agency? I think I've heard of them. I thought that was a beauty school. Who knows.











Loving the new studio set up. Seriously, if anyone is around San Gabriel and wants to stop by I'd love to see ya! Thanks for your time, hope it was worth the trouble.

Mark

Nice work man. You look like you were on your game. Great colors, expressions, lighting, everything worked.

And, uh, her mom was right.

These are really great shots. I love the overlay you used on #2.

I don't know hwat it is about the 3rd one, but something about it bugs me. Maybe seeing her legs actually brings me out of the picture or something. I wonder if maybe a different crop wouldn't be better?

Nice work Mark! Glad you're enjoying the new studio.

That's too much eye makeup for my taste, but nothing you can do about that... ;-)

Hey I thought there was going to be a swimsuit session here... what happened? just kidding...

great shots!!

Does she race competively?

You know Charlotte, it bugs me too. Cropped might work I'll have to try it.

Mark...... tsk tsk.

Bill, dude, I agree, and when I saw the fake lashed I just laughewd inside. Because she wants to model she had some very specific ideas which I found cool to work with her. She had wanted really dramatic makeup for the motorcycly shots only. She wanted light makeup for everything else but due to time issues, she just left it.

Matt, sorry to disappoint you man. I don't think she competes. I could ask her.

I will say this, she was great to work with and very outgoing. We openly discussed her nervousness and so I cranked the music. That helped out.

Hi Mark,
Very nice set of shots. I like the 1st and last probably the most.
Did you end up with another adult (the mom?) attending the shoot? I know it was suggested and just wondered if that came to be.

Something I noticed and hit me right away is that she looks older than a senior. I am not sure whether it is the posing, her or what. The last shot with the bike she looks her age (sounds funny but you get what I mean I hope) and in the others she looks like she is about 10 years older. Can you, or someone help me out with this? Is it the, girl, style, the posing, lighting or just my perception? I ask as I am considering that it is something I need to understand... how to give the appearance that someone looks older (at my age I can't envision why anyone would want that), or younger.

Does anyone else see this?
very nice work Mark. Enjoy your new studio, woo hoo!

Yeah, I know, but it's great to see one without that poochie belly that seems to be in now.

I think your shots are great. Awesome lighting and processing.

Barbizon is a modeling "school" and basically a worthless waste of money. If someone has REAL modeling potential they don't need modeling "school". As a designer-in-training and general fashion biz obsessee I can tell you, I don't personally think she has what it takes to be a model in any commercial sense, not even catalog. She does have very big pretty eyes... Thou I agree with Bill, she looks older than a senior in several of the shots.

Bill, you know when I met her I thought for sure she was going to say that she was like sophomore in college or something. Hate to sound mean, but when she talks, you know she's in high school. She acts her age for sure. I'm trying to reason why you might think she looks older. Can I say she's built a little older without getting in trouble? Well I said it. She also went very heavy on the makeup. I don't know if that has anything to do with it. And umm, let's just say I took care of some blemishes. I think that may have also helped.


So here's what I noticed about myself and have noticed in the past and I'm really curious if anyone else sees this in themselves. When I'm shooting a model or someone who even utters those words, in my mind I feel like I really start critiquing them like crazy. If it's a person that doesn't want to be a model ok? Just a normal person there is zero critiquing. It's weird. I just feel like if you want to model, boy you better be smoking hot, male or female or have a VERY specific look you're trying to acheive because you'll never make it. So I start doing this in my head. Like hyper critical. It's weird how that turns on and off like that. Is this just me or has anyone else noticed this?

Mark, I thought the same thing here when you mentioned she wants to model, and after looking at the photos, I don't think she'll have much of a career. Your shots are great, a few critiques:

#1 A little too much softening or blur on her face and hair, you lost all the good texture (but you can still see some bad, bigger texture on her cheeks and jawline)

#2 Interesting angle, and I like the overlay, but you needed some sort of reflector or a little more light to bring out the eyes, can barely even see the whites of the eyes.

#3 Like the angle, but white shorts and top on a white backdrop makes her fade into the background a little too much... maybe a black background would have been better on this shot, or less light on her white clothing so they wouldn't disappear. I think an even higher angle would have been good here too.

#4 Good hard lighting, but you can't tell what that thing is in front of her... Maybe a little more of everything in the photo

#5 Like the shot, but I think she'd be better without smiling in that pose with the bike. If she's a badass bike rider, she wouldn't be hugging her bike and smiling. Maybe that's what she was going for, but I think she'd be better off gripping the bike handles or something like that, and a serious look. That shot and #4 are begging for some sort of hair light or rim light to give her some extra definition.

Nice work overall though, I'll definitely have to get up to your studio sometime! You ready for the air force base?! How are your teradactyl swatter plans coming for me?

No, I feel the same way. I could see these pictures and say well she's got kind of an all american girl look and pretty eyes and leave it at that, but knowing she wants to 'model' (what girl doesn't ha) makes me see her with a very critical eye.

And I do think her heavy makeup is part of what ages her. I think a lot of people don't realize that makeup will do that.

You can say it Mark but it is not what makes me think that she appears that way.
I almost see two different people between the last shot and all the others. Maybe it is the mood she is getting across. I don't know... I will give up. Thanks for your response... although you did not help me :-)

Chris, I agree with everything you said. Since I've never shot in a studio.... ok, like when I was 18 in school I did but, I've slept since then, my lighting techniques are pretty weak. Also, right now I've only got 2 strobes. So that has been a pretty hefty issue. I learn something each shoot.

Brandi, I agree with you here too. I think it's wishful thinking and parents that just really think their kid is great, which is good. It's just not realistic in this case.

Sorry Bill, I tried. Is it the makeup like Brandi said?

Now off to edit and later study more studio techniques.

No problem Mark... I was just kidding. Makeup? I had not noticed.

Brandi.. why would it be important to state you don't think this client is model worthy??

The only shot I am not super fond of is the "up the boob" shot, and that is because my eyes are drawn to that area, and not her face. But I think you rocked the lighting and pp on all of them!!

Bill... I agree with you about the age thing. I started to post about that immediately but decided not to. She does look significantly older than a senior... but not in the ways that others suggested. To me she looks way over tanned and her skin looks a little bit leathery..... I feel bad saying that, but I did notice it immediately.

I agree totally. I was not sure what to say to describe what I saw. What I felt in the first three was that I was looking at the face of a cigarette smoker. (no offense to smokers, I was one 6 years ago)

Just stating my opinion, like everybody else? I am sorry if it was offensive in some way, it wasn't meant to be. I find the culture of all the girls who want to be "models" very interesting, honestly. It's an opinion, just like everybody else has opinions.

And I have to agree about her skin looking kind of rough.. I just didn't know of a nice way to phrase it, so I went with makeup, because the makeup on top only maginifies it.

Anyhow.. now I feel bad.. I don't think, like Mark said, any of us would be critiquing all of this if the whole point wasn't that she wants to be a model. I do think it automatically makes you go hmmmmm.

mark... what did you use for skin retouching? I'd like to see what portraiture would do to an image. Can you email me one to jessicamesser@aol.com?

I agree her skin texture has a definate hardness to it and the eye makeup is reminisant of a forty year old Peg Bundyish type. Good job on the images. I like number one the most it's light, airy, and comfortable.

Hey you guys, ok, you do I put this nicely about this girl because I'm a little nervous about the google patrol finding this comment. Umm, ok, her complexion is like sand paper. I'll send Jessica an original. For those curious I used MCP Actions skin actions thingy's. I'm not super good at it. AND, one of you mentioned over tanned..... I just coughed and laughed, uh she called me and said "Ok, I just went tanning, now I'm gonna go get ready......" I was like, oh crap. So yes, all those things you're seeing, you really are seeing.

Wait a second. Jessica. You use AOL? First you put your lens hood on backwards then you're still on AOL? Oh my friend...... (shaking my head) I thought people only used AOL for instant messenger. LOL

Yeah I still use aol when I give my email to losers post my email publicly

Hey Brandi.. I totally get where you are coming from! No offense taken...

Mark.. Pro-retouch does a fantastic job too.

oh so that address and phone number i was supposed to use to call you when i get in town is just FAKE??????????????????????????????

Post the address and phone number and I'll let you know if it's real or not.

Send her and her parents to me. I tell it like it is regarding modeling and the real world. Parents often bring gorgeous off-spring to me to photograph for the NY modeling agency tour (basically a 2-week blitz of agencies where you visit all the open calls and send pictures to specific NY agents you personally know). Many of those parents have been sent home once it's determined that the would-be model has no desire to do the heavy lifting involved.

Heavy lifting = thick skin plus an intense desire to do whatever it takes to make it plus a certain something that makes it obvious you want to be there. (There's a look and/or a body type required that some people just don't have in combo with the attitude and personality type, and I'm not talking about thinness or beautiful looks necessarily because there are plenty of models making 6-figures in NY doing fit modeling and full-figure work. (Perfect size 6? You can be a fit model. Larger woman with perfect skin? Full figure model. Beautiful hands... well, you get the idea.)