Touring car model of the female variety

[catkins]

Grabshot of a model at a recent British Touring Car Championship (BTCC)event at Croft in Co. Durham.
I wasn't happy with the initial shot (bright sunlight, shade, makeup colours, etc. all clashed) and so decided to have a go at simplifying it. But does it work for you?
E-30 + 7-300mm



and to show you what the original looks like



Regards
Chris

[DerekC]

Re: Touring car model of the female variety

I prefer the colour shot, as B&W lacks contrast and appears overexposed, blown highlights. So sorry its the colour shot for me, much kinder on the eye.

[photo_owl]

Re: Touring car model of the female variety

I see where you are going and it has promise but the eyes need some attention - esp the right as viewed

overall her expression is so 'neutral' that it needs something to avoid the cutting room floor (for me)

[StephenL]

Re: Touring car model of the female variety

If you're going for the "stern" look, then I like the first shot. The blown highlights are part of the attraction, for me. But then I never was one for following all the "rules" slavishly!

[ewan]

Re: Touring car model of the female variety

I agree with photo-owl, the eyes need brightening and I think the colour 'popping' back.

[Ian]

Re: Touring car model of the female variety

You can tell it was bright as she has closed pupils and as we all know, dilated pupils are more attractive - this could probably be fiddled with!

Ian

[catkins]

Re: Touring car model of the female variety

Thanks one and all for the varied comments!

As noted this was a grabshot, not a controlled studio type shot, that I was unhappy with - so the look, the colour, expression, etc., are all contributing to the initial feeling that this image lacked something - hence the initial photo was part of the 'delete outbox' in post event editing.
But how best to recover it as an image that I would keep was my impetus for this little bit of editing fun.

As noted by you the eyes have more clarity in the original and could be improved - but perhaps retaining some darkness to one of the eyes will add a little depth to the face?
The other comments re colour are also understandable - the original colour version was shown to help the viewer guage what is good and bad about both images. One of the reasons I went for the mainly greyscale image with only a small amount of colour was to almost try and bleach out and soften some of the aspects that I wasn't happy with - for some reason I just don't like the original, but can't work out why! But your comments perhaps help me understand what some of the issues are, so good to have the guidance.

Regards
Chris

[E-3]

Re: Touring car model of the female variety

Apart from the eyes, I really like the mono picture

[c3ham]

Re: Touring car model of the female variety

i think she looks like a man but i prefer the B&W version

[Cathrine Stephansen]

Re: Touring car model of the female variety

First I thought I'd make a crack joke that she needs to learn how to put on lipstick, and I can't bear the light pinks. But having looked at it again a bit more - I actually have a feeling that's one of the things about the colour picture. Her skin tones are made up in warm tones, whereas the lipstick is a cold pink. Tut-tut!

Cat - a grumpy old woman.

[wanderer]

Re: Touring car model of the female variety

I prefer the B&W but I think you need to clone something of the catchlight in one eye to the other as the imbalance in the eyes detracts
Not an expert on lipstick but I like the fade in the B&W.

Duncan

[catkins]

Re: Touring car model of the female variety

First I thought I'd make a crack joke that she needs to learn how to put on lipstick, and I can't bear the light pinks. But having looked at it again a bit more - I actually have a feeling that's one of the things about the colour picture. Her skin tones are made up in warm tones, whereas the lipstick is a cold pink. Tut-tut!

Cat - a grumpy old woman.

Unfortunately and purely from the photographic point of view the lipstick application skills on most of the model images that I took on the day leave a lot to be desired - but . . . it was a very hot day, they had been standing there no doubt rather bored of people taking their photos for the hundreth time, and no doubt they're not yet at that point in their modelling career where someone else applies the makeup! That said, full marks to the models who looked at the camera and smiled - it more than made up for the lipstick application!!

BTW - it is great to see what a broad range of age and gender there is within the spectators - the BTCC event at Croft is definitely a true family spectator event (despite my wife who didn't come along thinking that motorsport is a male dominated event!)

Regards
Chris

[Cathrine Stephansen]

Re: Touring car model of the female variety

Totally off-topic: I remember going to look at cars when I needed a new one some ten years back. There was a really nice, fast looking red little sports-car beauty in the middle of the show-room that would suit me just perfectly for zooming (commuting) off to work in the morning (but far too expensive). A guy in his mid forties was admiring it as well, and I said it was a perfect "konebil", which means "wife's car" in Norwegian, as in not the family car but the 2nd. household car. A typical representative is the Fiesta... He just looked at me in disgust and walked off. I had to leave the room to try and get control of my laughter...

But, back on topic - I think any model, at least those who still do their own make-up, need to know something about the effects of colours on the photograph. Or maybe I am letting my taste getting in the way, ha ha