Outside the box thinking...

Kimberly Dow · 03-20-2006, 12:49 PM

Oooo - I'd paint Number 3 in a heartbeat.

Michele Rushworth · 03-20-2006, 01:03 PM

I like the poses in all three, though the exposure is unworkable with the first two. You can adjust these images in Photoshop somewhat but you usually lose color accuracy. In the third one I would prefer to see his eye on the right side more.

The New York Times did an article not long ago about portrait paintings with very casual clothing, a trend in at least some parts of the country.

Cindy Procious · 03-20-2006, 01:11 PM

Thanks for all your input.

I was thinking that with poses 1 & 2 - I achieved the desireable S curve composition, but I definitely need to bring in some artificial lighting.

3 has the best lighting but I'm worried about the legs being out from the wall - is this one of those situations where the viewer accepts the visual clues in a photo but would see it as awkward in a painting?

Cindy Procious · 03-20-2006, 01:33 PM

Another pose for your consideration.

Today was a school professional day - teachers in, kids out. I was hoping to reshoot today...I even offered to buy him new skateboard shoes. But, the request to wash his hair scuttled it - Ben left.

Richard Monro · 03-20-2006, 03:17 PM

Cindy,
Number three is the winner, but here are some suggestions for future shots. Try to make the lighting come from the side. slightly in front of the subject and slightly above as well. This will provide good definition to facial planes. This has been a portrait secret since the time of Vermeer or earlier. When the light source is slightly behind the subject as in your other photos, it tends to make the facial planes "flat" and therefore hard to paint.

Marcus Lim · 03-20-2006, 09:47 PM

I like number 1, and this latest one with his back leaning on the wall. Somehow I feel that the backlighting makes him magical, and brought out the x-factor in him (was I thinking of the elves from the Lord of the Rings movie??? LOL)

Anyway, the fact the shadow cast on him in the two pics, makes these two pics a down-er to use. But yet the composition has so much potential.

What i would reckon doing is to re-shoot the two poses, this time have a reflector to use to minimize the shadows.

Linda Brandon · 03-20-2006, 10:50 PM

Is it too late to vote, Cindy? I agree with Kim -I really like the pose in #3.

I'm smiling to myself looking at these - I just finished a portrait of my own son and you coaxed much better facial expressions out of yours than I did with mine.

Alexandra Tyng · 03-20-2006, 11:17 PM

Me, too--#3 is a clear winner. It's the light, Cindy. The other poses are great in terms of expression, etc., but the light is too far to the side.

I'm also amazed you even got your son to pose at all. I've been "working" on the same portrait of my son (from life) for almost a year because I can't even lure him into posing by offering a model's fee. Actually it's been hanging in the studio for months.