<kuschelirmel> Our almost last stocker for today is stormsorceress

* elandria can see this degrading into a large scale spanking session

* stormsorceress was promoted to Asking by kuschelirmel

<elandria>

<stormsorceress> Hi, i was wondering whether you could critique this stock for me : [link]

<lockstock> Hi hi!

<stormsorceress> Hi!

<lindowyn-stock>

<kuschelirmel>

please note that Stock-By-Crystal will be our last stocker to be critiqued - we'll open up the floor right after her&lt;/b&gt;

<lindowyn-stock> And then we will all fall into the basement.

<elandria> Its a great shot, though a tiny bit soft on the focus

<lockstock> This same shot, taken from about 5 more feet back and in landscape format.... Just so you'd get all of the ivy and the full structure.

<kuschelirmel> stormsorceress: lets start with me telling you I love that you didn't shoot in bright sunlight - the shadows in this are wonderfully soft and really workable

<lockstock> It's an awesome setting though.

<kuschelirmel> lindowyn-stock: lol

<stormsorceress> kuschelirmel: thanks...sunlight is such an awful thing to shoot in...

<lockstock> I love the cool architecture and all the ivy

<elandria> yer harsh sunlight is hell to work with

<cryingsorceress> It's nice. The bright sky makes it kinda easy to cut out

<stormsorceress> lockstock: really...that's grea to know..i never know which setting to use it on...i might have it on landscape somehwere

<stormsorceress> Elandria: yeah i think could step up the quality....not so many shots though...i could try that?

<lockstock> You could do a whole pack using this setting. Different framings, angles, etc. It's lovely!

<stormsorceress> cryingsorceress: yeah that's what i thought. The joy of cloudy skies...lol...

<cryingsorceress> I'd really love to see a night shot too

<stormsorceress> lockstock: of this kind door thing?

<lockstock> Yup.

<lindowyn-stock> Something I noticed as an ongoing pattern with this type of stone (castles, monastaries, basements) is that it is very difficult for some reason for cameras to focus fully on it. Whether its because the leaves and the walls share the same value of grey, I don't know. Take your time and really focus when shooting this type of subject cause it's hard. You did well though!

<stormsorceress> cryingsorceress: lol...night stock...my camera has a really long night-shot setting thing..(not very camera articulate)

<lindowyn-stock> And like they said, very easy to cut out.

<elandria> I agree with lockstock this would have been even better as portrait with a little more &quot;surrounding&quot; architecture

<stormsorceress> lindowyn-stock: lol..yeah i know...(thanks)...everything seems to com out the same shade of rock grey....any ideas how to get a bit more contrast?

<elandria> tripod is a musthave if you're going to try night stock

<elandria> or low level light stock

<stormsorceress> Elandria: lol...yeah....like a 30 taking thing....it's impossible to hold you hand steady....

<elandria> yup

<elandria> i just steal causticstocks lol

<stormsorceress> Elandria: hahaha......yep i'll add it to my b-day list...

<elandria> yer I think the best thing is to take tons of shots from different angles and to not worry about getting just one or 2 perfect ones

<stormsorceress> is there a setting on cameras that would give more contrast?

<elandria> caustic and I take about 250 - 300 shots at each location we go to

<lindowyn-stock> I hate to say it, but I feel like some cameras simply can't handle it. To combat the &quot;all one tone look&quot; and bring out the darker bits, I often use the exposure compensation and stop down a few ticks.

<stormsorceress> Elandria: yeah...from this shoot i took about 230.....most of them are awful...and look like this..lol

<stormsorceress> lindowyn-stock: lol...yeah i was afraid that was the case...and short of distorting it in PS there's not much i can do right?

<elandria> limitations of your camera is the only thing

<lindowyn-stock> Here's where we can all appreciate the digital revolution and go &quot;I am so glad I didn't have to pay to have these develooped&quot;

<stormsorceress> Elandria: lol...yeah i thought so

<elandria> its just a case of working around them

<lindowyn-stock> Develooped is like developed. But crazy.

<stormsorceress> lindowyn-stock: lol...yeah...total pain...

<stormsorceress> Elandria: yeah i guess....

* lindowyn-stock goes to check stormsorceress's camera specs

<stormsorceress> lindowyn-stock: lol...thanks..i am not very camera savvy...maybe that's my problem.

<elandria> for focus you shoudl be able to focus to one side then move the camera to the right angle to get a sharper shot so long as you don't go completely astray and focus on something miles away lol

<elandria> but you know caustic and I love the shots you put up, its just a case of working out how to use your camera to the best of its facilities

<stormsorceress> Elandria: so what do you suggest? lol..awww...thanks.....yeah learn more about camera

<elandria> and also trying to visdualise how manippers are going to use the stock in a background

<elandria> visualise*

<lindowyn-stock> It's important to remember that your camera is only reading shades of grey, so whatever there is in the picture you can find to meter on (or focus on with point and shoots) that is close to 18% gray, do it. If not, find the little +/- button on your camera, drop it down below the 0 line (less light= darker) and focus on a medium tone.

<stormsorceress> Elandria: yeah...that's the problem...some shots are better than other in some

<elandria> having a &quot;stage&quot; in the foreground or creating a &quot;building block&quot;

<lindowyn-stock> I always say, shoot the stock

you&lt;/i&gt; want to use.

<elandria> don't try to do both in one shot, it just creates confusion

<stormsorceress> lindowyn-stock: ok.....find the +/- button

* lindowyn-stock looks for a tutorial

<stormsorceress> Elandria: ahhhh...now i get you...ahh...that's a great help.

<elandria> yep you do manips too so you should have fairly good intuition about what kind of angles you'd use

<stormsorceress> Elandria: yeah i draw on that a lot....i don't pull it off all the time...

<elandria> that goes for all stock to be honest

<stormsorceress> Elandria: lol......yep completely...

<elandria> if you don't think you could use it yourself try another angle or &quotose&quot;

<lindowyn-stock> [link] This could either be useful or complete fail, stormsorceress. It looks good to me so far.

<stormsorceress> Elandria:

<elandria> the building may not be able to move, but you can, even if it means you crawling around on the ground to get a better shot

<kuschelirmel> stormsorceress: angle wise, manippers like to have at least one shot straight up - but different perspectives like from the side a bit and perhaps shooting from the ground up can be useful too

<stormsorceress> lindowyn-stock: thanks so much...i'll read it.....thanks in advance...lol

<lindowyn-stock> Angles are hot.

<elandria> angles kick asss lol

<stormsorceress> kuschelirmel: yeah i try to crouch down to take most of my shots...so that it's more in perspective

<lindowyn-stock> Most people can fix the distortion caused by a wide angle lens in photoshop anyhow stormsorceress, so don't worry too hard about that.

<lockstock> Still half an hour before &quot;closing time&quot;

<stock-by-crystal> lol Smooth

<lindowyn-stock> Time for you to go home so finish your whiskey or beer...

<stormsorceress> lindowyn-stock: thanks...for all your help! I'll definitely read that tut..

<elandria> yup causticstock say s you know where he is for more architecture tips

<stormsorceress> Elandria: lol...i'll certainly poke him...

<elandria> lol

<lindowyn-stock> Any of you guys that want Photo 101 tips, do not be afraid to poke me by note, or sneak in ARstock sometime. Seriously. Is all good.

<elandria> yuppers lindowyn-stock is the font of all cammy knowledge

* kuschelirmel will poke lindowyn-stock until her ribs hurt

<stormsorceress> lindowyn-stock: is it alright that if i have any questions i can note you?

<cybergranny> lol kuschelirmel

<stormsorceress> lindowyn-stock: about the tut?

<kuschelirmel> i wish id known that sooner lindowyn-stock

<elandria> lol

<lindowyn-stock> Yep.

<lindowyn-stock> I have too many hobbies is all.

<elandria> same goes for everyone though, nobody should be afraid to note other stockers to ask for help

<stormsorceress> Elandria: lol...i seem to remember noting you and Caustic....ages ago for help....

<kuschelirmel> Elandria: wheee!

<stormsorceress> lindowyn-stock: lol....really? Is it a chatroom

<elandria> lol yer and you'll never get rid of us lmao

<lindowyn-stock> You know it now kuschelirmel!

<stormsorceress> Elandria: hahaha...like i'd want to....

<lindowyn-stock> Yes stormsorceress

<elandria> lol

<lockstock> *cough* next?

<kuschelirmel>

alright, lets move on to our last critique for the day - we'll unmute you all afterwards and hope to hear if this was helpful&lt;/b&gt;

<lindowyn-stock> Stockers love helping other stockers. Period.

<stormsorceress> thanks for all the help guys!

* stormsorceress was demoted to Stockers by kuschelirmel

* stock-by-crystal was promoted to Asking by kuschelirmel

<stock-by-crystal> Well hello everyone!

<kuschelirmel> here we go Stock-By-Crystal

<elandria>

<lockstock> Thanks for waiting, Stock-By-Crystal

<stock-by-crystal> Please be gentle, I already have cramps

<lockstock> LOL

<stock-by-crystal> Hello everyone I was hoping to get critique on this and maybe get some advice on better lighting tips. That seems to be my downfall when it comes to model stock.

<lockstock> Impressive focus!

<cryingsorceress> Oh wow. Action stock without blur!

<elandria> I love dynamic shots like these

<stock-by-crystal> I can't even begin to tell you how many times I jumped off that bed, only to get 2 good poses out of it, lol

<elandria> lol

<elandria> well the 2 you got are great

<elandria> sharp easy to cut out, really useable

<cryingsorceress> I love the sharpness.

<stock-by-crystal> Half the time my hair was in my face or I looked like that guy from the Goonies

<lockstock>

<cryingsorceress> Even bigger res would be great too.

<lindowyn-stock> Right off the bat, I can say thank goodness: I'm impressed that the harsh shadows normally incurred by an on camera flash are directly behind you, and thus made so much easier to cut out.

<elandria> its a tiny bit grainy but i've seen and own much much worse

<lockstock> Yeah, for a flash, it's not bad lighting at all.

* elandria points @ lindowyn-stock for lighting 101

<lockstock> Yeah, I can't slam anyone for graininess

<cryingsorceress>

* elandria agrees with lockstock

<stock-by-crystal> Unfortuatly, some of my other stuff turns out very grainy such as this [link] (Ignore the title, lol)

<stock-by-crystal> huh?

* lindowyn-stock is going to have to write up a low budget/commando lighting tutorial

<kuschelirmel> Stock-By-Crystal: about the hair in the face, maybe try some more *whatarethosecalled?* to get the hair up there

<elandria> I guess we'd all love a full set pro lighting however try [link] as well for some useful tips (personally I find some of the info a bit overwhelming since I am a lighting-tard lol

<stock-by-crystal> kuschelirmel: Bobbypins?

<lindowyn-stock> Bobby pins?

<kuschelirmel> lindowyn-stock: i highly encourage you to do so!

<lockstock> Yup, that's when you need better lighting.

<kuschelirmel> Stock-By-Crystal: probably lol i'd need to get a dict

* lindowyn-stock collects lighting equipment instead of buying food. Do not do this, peeps.

<stock-by-crystal>

<lockstock> Heck, just open the front door and drape a sheet over it and use the natural light.

<cryingsorceress> you're crazy lindowyn-stock

<lindowyn-stock> Confirmed, cryingsorceress.

<elandria> again though all I'd say is don't be afraid to take a zillion shots with different lighting if you can do it, desk lamps etc are great for directional lighting so long as you can control the amount of shadowing

<lindowyn-stock> Natural light is the best light there is.

<elandria> just takes practice... and brain picking lol

<stock-by-crystal> lockstock: Well my problem with natural light is I am a little... embaressed to do stock in front of my family, so I usually have to wait until late at night to do model stock.

<elandria> or moving closer to people like lindowyn-stock

<lockstock> An open garage can work too, if it's not junked up.

<lockstock> Ah, understood.

<lindowyn-stock>

<elandria> bah throw your family out the house!

<elandria>

<stock-by-crystal>

<cybergranny> lol

<stock-by-crystal> I would love nothing more than to kick their arses out

<lindowyn-stock> Wait till they're out of town, then head out side?

<lindowyn-stock> With some glorious, glorious sheets?

<kuschelirmel> I have one of those construction lights, it was very cheap in the hardware store

<stock-by-crystal> Well my mom is out of the house a lot during the day, its my sister. She doesn't have a job and she lazes about the house all day watching TV

<lockstock> I have one of those too. Gets damned hot!

<kuschelirmel> the bulb gets damn hot really fast, but its better than the inbuilt flash

<stock-by-crystal> kuschelirmel: How cheap, I've been considering getting one

<kuschelirmel> Stock-By-Crystal: i dont remember but like 10 euros or something, not much more

<stock-by-crystal> Uhm... does anyone have a currency convertor handy?

<kuschelirmel> well, i would use the current exchange rate lol

<kuschelirmel> lets say 15 us dollars or less

<kuschelirmel> probably much less

<elandria> I have 2 big construction lights the issue is the light is very orange so you have to alter the white balance to compensate

<stock-by-crystal> kuschelirmel: Yes bluem00n informed me

<elandria> xe.com

<elandria> for currency conversion

<stock-by-crystal> Elandria: Ah thanks

<elandria> np

<kuschelirmel> Elandria: it is orangy

<stock-by-crystal> Oh crap, its saturday isn't it?

<lockstock> [link]

<elandria> yer very I used them for my creamand green shoot and they are poo colours lol

* lindowyn-stock ponders available bulbs, and whether GE made a natural light line for the construction lights... they might have...

<kuschelirmel> but either use white balance or photoshop to compesate a bit and its way better than harsh light

<elandria> UV lights/natural daylight thingy ones are great

<kuschelirmel> Stock-By-Crystal: it is

<lindowyn-stock> Diffuse light as much as possible without making it go away.

Cause no light is ...no good..&lt;/sub&gt;

<stock-by-crystal> Ah craptasticness...

<elandria> but need for experimentation is a must I guess

<kuschelirmel> Elandria: it always is for sure!

<elandria> yup

<lockstock> I use our white walls to bounce light rather than shine it directly on me.

<lindowyn-stock>

<lockstock> Got any big windows?

<stock-by-crystal> Oh yes

<elandria> big windows are good I only have tiny victorian ones :S

<lockstock> If you can open all the windows in one room, during mid morning, preferably, you can get some lovely light.

<elandria> not to mention the force 10 gale says causticstock

<lockstock> That's enough from the peanut gallery!

<elandria> heheheheh

<stock-by-crystal>

<lindowyn-stock> On to the almond gallery!

<stock-by-crystal> How about walnuts?

<lockstock> Buncha nuts.

<lindowyn-stock> You know it.

<elandria> you got that right lol

* kuschelirmel has to get a quote out:

<stock-by-crystal> &amp;lt;--- Biggest nut of all

<kuschelirmel> &amp;lt;KevLewis&amp;gt; they were talking about construction lighting for action shots but it is more important to throw a lot of light on the background to kill the shadows rather than use to light the subject

* kevlewis was promoted to Helpers by kuschelirmel

<lindowyn-stock> KevLewis is here! He should be speaking!

<stock-by-crystal> Thats good advice

<kuschelirmel>

<lockstock> Good point, Kev

<kuschelirmel> thank god for the skype

<elandria>

<kevlewis> ooo thank you

<kuschelirmel> KevLewis:

<lindowyn-stock> Skype is fairly awesome.

<kuschelirmel> KevLewis: maybe you can throw in some tips

* elandria eats tips for breakfast lunch and tea* is northern and from the UK deal with it

<kevlewis> k kuschelirmel ty, you pasted my last one if the background is about 3 stops brighter than the subject it will kill the shadows

<lockstock> LOL, everyone stare at Kev now

* lindowyn-stock stares at Kev

* kevlewis raises an eyebrow

<lindowyn-stock>

<elandria>

<lockstock> Oo! He can raise one eyebrow! *jealous*

<elandria> meh

<lindowyn-stock> I know everyone out there just tried to raise one of their eyebrows.

<elandria>

<kuschelirmel> 3 stops? thats for the photo illiterate (like me )? KevLewis

<kevlewis> lol

<lockstock> Not me. I know I can't do it.

<stock-by-crystal> lindowyn-stock: I didn't try, I did

<lindowyn-stock> I did too.

<stock-by-crystal> I know how to do it, lol

<elandria>

<kevlewis> kuschelirmel: make the background much brighter than the main subject

<lindowyn-stock> Some people honestly can't.

<kuschelirmel> KevLewis:

<lindowyn-stock> Like, I can't lick my nose... but we were talking lighting here...

<elandria> so 1 light on model and one light behind on the bg

<elandria> to negate harsh shadows

<kevlewis> also with the construction lights, they tend to be very directional but a sheet could be used to diffuse the light making a diy softbox, just dont burn the house down

<lockstock> Desk lamps are a poor stockers friend. Just tell mom and dad you need it for schoolwork!

<lindowyn-stock> Very hot lights.

<elandria> lol good ploy

<znow-white> KevLewis:

<lindowyn-stock> Construction, not desk.

<kevlewis> hugs znow-white

<kuschelirmel> lol

<stock-by-crystal> lockstock: I tried to use a desk lamp once, up my furature is ill equipped to raise it high enough

<elandria> construction lights and heavy costumes in a small room are a big nono from experience

<elandria> yup

<kevlewis> Elandria: I would try for two on the subject if you have them. One as a main light the second as a fillto reduce (but not remove) the shadows on the subject

<stock-by-crystal> Or nuts

<kuschelirmel>

I'd like to suggest to open the floor now and have a little discussion - about what you thought about our little experiment - about lighting shots - about poses - about whatever &lt;/b&gt;

<kuschelirmel>

don't be shy to poke the critiquers and others in here for advise &lt;/b&gt;

* dreamystock was promoted to Asking by kuschelirmel

<elandria>

<lockstock> Yay!

<dreamystock> Hey Guys I wanted to critique this photo &Acirc;&lusmn; [link] Because I wanted to know what you guys think cause that means alout to me ,I hope someone wants to manipulate me ,And Iff you have ideas formy maybe next shoot , Or tips to let the next one look better,

<dreamystock> A little long story

<lockstock> LOL, that's fine.

<lindowyn-stock>

<lockstock> Is that you in the photo or a friend?

<dreamystock> Me ,

<elandria> its a grea pose

<dreamystock> Thank you

<lockstock> You picked a good day to photograph. The soft lighting is so much better than harsh bright sunlight.

<lockstock> I love your face! It's so classical!

<dreamystock> Thanks means alout as I am insecure alout lately ,

<kuschelirmel> lockstock: indeed

<lockstock> You'd make a great Renaissance princess.

<cryingsorceress> the setting is so beautiful

<elandria> you really shouldn't worry and your confidence will grow

<lockstock> Can your camera take larger pics?

<dreamystock> That means alout really

<dreamystock> Yes I believe so ,

<znow-white> Dragonbrush: nice setting

<dreamystock> I have a shitty camera though ,

<elandria> you should set your camera to do the highest quality it can

<elandria> they normally call it jpg &quot;fine&quot;

<elandria> (at least they do with nikons lol)

<dreamystock> I have a Samsung Digimax S600 Cam era

<dreamystock> its a normal digital one unfortunatly

<kuschelirmel> a little thing i noticed thats not related to the pic itself: you say &quot;read the rules&quot; - maybe you'd want to include a link to the journal where you keep them so people dont have to go searching. when they can easily access your rules manippers are more likely to use it

<elandria> you should be able to find the quality setting in the menu though

* elandria agrees with kuschelirmel

<dreamystock> Okay , I will to that

<elandria> the more places people can locate your rules the easier it is for them and the more likely they are to comply

<lockstock> Even for a &quot;crappy&quot; camera, it's a useful shot.

<dreamystock> I was planning to do a shoot tomorrow but I dont know what I shoud do ,,,

<dreamystock> Thanks I hope someone will use it

<elandria> its great for traditional arts who need reference poses without necessarily needing the high res manippers want

<dreamystock> Do one of you hav a idea of what I must ore should do

<dreamystock> for a shoot ,

<lockstock> Do you have any costumes or even some interesting fabrics to play with?

<dreamystock> No thats a pitty (

<dreamystock> I only have modern clothes unfortunatly ,

<cryingsorceress> mhm, yeah. all your model stocks are very casual. maybe exploring a different theme

<kuschelirmel> Dreamystock: theres always the possibility of using a bedsheet

<cryingsorceress> you could try formal wear. maybe something fun and funky

<dreamystock> Yeah I allready tought so but myne sheets are different I think .

<lockstock> Well, fun outfits are good, even modern ones. And with such a pretty face, portraits are good. You can do some different hairstyles and give yourself a &quot;classic&quot; look

<kuschelirmel>

<lockstock> You'd make a lovely fairy or elf. Like kuschelirmel said, bedsheets are useful for making dresses.

<dreamystock> :' Aww thats sweet of you guys , I will definatly try

<cryingsorceress> Yep and i think that your nature shots are beautiful too

<dreamystock> I can try to make one with myne bedsheet but I dunno iff its going to work ou

<cryingsorceress> doesn't hurt to try

<lockstock> Give it a go. Experience is never wasted, even if none of the shots turn out well the first time.

<dreamystock> I have a modern sheet thing wich isnt a sheet I guess

<dreamystock> Okay

<lockstock> Tablecloths work too.

<kuschelirmel> Dreamystock: if you're shooting indoors with your camera, remember to get some strong light in there

<dreamystock> Good Idea

<elandria> try ~Creative-Sheet-Stock for inspiration

<kuschelirmel> Elandria:

<lockstock> And remember, even &quot;modern&quot; girl stock is useful!

<dreamystock> Thanks , I will post the new ones soon so you can see

<kuschelirmel> Dreamystock: if you need cheap bright lighting look in your hardware store for those lights they use on construction sites

<dreamystock> Now I have to hope that some manipuylators like the concept

<kuschelirmel> Dreamystock: im sure some will

<lindowyn-stock> Never underestimate the value of a good reference photo. Artists are constantly in need of reference for clothing drapes, anatomy, etc.

<cryingsorceress> I think that you'll attract a lot of pop art manipers too

<dreamystock> :' I hope

<lockstock> Just keep experimenting with what you have as well. Desk lamps, windows, car headlights...(as long as the car isn't moving! LOL!)

<kuschelirmel> just have a bit of patience and you'll be fine Dreamystock

<dreamystock> I had advice from Faestock too this morning , I kinda ask all around

<elandria> yep everything you have at home is a potential prop

<dreamystock> Thanks You guys are great

<kuschelirmel> Dreamystock: thats great!

<kuschelirmel> allright then

<dreamystock> Thanks somuch for the advice

<lindowyn-stock> If it is heavier than you, don't lift it. If it can eat you, don't tempt it. Prop rule o' thumb.

<kuschelirmel> thank you Dreamystock for giving us something to critique and for standing in the spotlight

<dreamystock> Thank you guys youre all great

* dreamystock was demoted to Stockers by kuschelirmel

<kuschelirmel> next up is Amaries-stock

* amaries-stock was promoted to Asking by kuschelirmel

<amaries-stock> Thank's!

<cryingsorceress>

<amaries-stock> As you wanted a texture, I'd like to get some critique on this one:

<lindowyn-stock>

<cryingsorceress> Awesome res

<lockstock> Wonderfully HUGE! This would make a cool map.

<amaries-stock> I didn't went out to take shots of this, I wanted only to photograph flowers that day. But then I discoverd those empty ponds.

<elandria> ooohh map

<amaries-stock>

<cryingsorceress> This is just personal reference. I'd prefer something sharper &amp;amp; with higher contrast but that can be easily fixed in photoshop

<lockstock> This is a very nice texture!

<amaries-stock> I've uploaded this after people liked my first Grunge texture.

<amaries-stock> cryingsorceress: Is it too blurry?

<kuschelirmel> i love that its so high res Amaries-stock

<elandria> great texture, it could have been a little sharper maybe, but it might be just down to the nature of the surface to look a bit soft

<cryingsorceress> Amaries-stock: no, not blurry at all. I just prefer things on the sharp side

<amaries-stock> kuschelirmel: Thank's!

<cryingsorceress> Yeah, it's a bit soft

<elandria> concrete always looks a bit on the &quot;soft&quot; side for some reason, its to do with how it reflects the light

<amaries-stock> I might sharpen it in my photograph software. I haven't got Photoshop yet.

<lockstock> But I'd have to say that you shouldn't try to tweak your stock before you upload. Let the users to that.

<kuschelirmel> Amaries-stock: as long as people use it scaled down or as background texture its ok the way it is - but for it to be on itself or take up a prominent part in a high res printable manip it should be sharper

<elandria> don't overprocess it though,

<amaries-stock> It was late afternoon, therefore the light wasn't too good anymore.

<kuschelirmel> though i doubt photoshop would make such a difference here

<kuschelirmel> it can only enhance what is there

<amaries-stock> I've got several more shots of these and I wonder, if I should upload some more.

<kuschelirmel> Amaries-stock: how big was that texture in real life?

<lockstock> If there's enough difference, then certainly!

<cryingsorceress> Yep, upload them!

<kuschelirmel> and how close were you to it when you took the shot

<amaries-stock> kuschelirmel: It was within a pond.

<elandria> you could always add a downloadable pack to this

<amaries-stock> kuschelirmel: I think I stood about 50 or 60 cm above it. It was a small piece.

<amaries-stock> The pond itself was bigger, but I only picked out spots of about 20 to 30 cm.

<kuschelirmel> im asking cos maybe if you were really close then you may try to go back a bit - and if you stood away from it and used the zoom you could try getting closer and shoot without zoom

<kuschelirmel> ah i see

<kuschelirmel> so neither really far nor that close

<amaries-stock> kuschelirmel: Erm... I don't understand your point.

<kuschelirmel> a camera has an optimal range to focus correctly

<elandria> not much to do with the stock but giving more &quot;interesting/descriptive&quot; titles to textures make them stand out from the crowd

<amaries-stock> kuschelirmel: Should I get closer to photograph without zoom OR get farer away to shoot with zoom?

<lockstock> You've got some awesome images in your gallery already, Amaries-stock.

<elandria> standing back and using the zoom alters/improves the lighting that the sensor picks up

<amaries-stock> kuschelirmel: Yes. I've got a &quot;normal&quot; lens and a &quot;tele&quot; one.

<kuschelirmel> so if you had been real close your camera might not have been able to focus correctly

* kuschelirmel can just speak from experience with her tiny point and shoot camera

<elandria> also standing close blocks the light

<amaries-stock> kuschelirmel: It might be. I didn't use the tele lens.

<amaries-stock> lockstock: And thank's!

<kuschelirmel> i dont think that you'd need a tele

<kuschelirmel> but if you used the zoom, then maybe try not to use the zoom next time and get closer instead - you'll have to find out what works for your camera

<amaries-stock> I used the tripod, therefore I'm limited to its range.

<lindowyn-stock> Nah, just be aware of your own focal length. Check your lcd for sharpness as you are taking them and zoom in closely to check.

<lindowyn-stock> (That is, once you've played back the image...zoom in..yeah...)

<kuschelirmel> lindowyn-stock: thank you you know more there than i do

<kuschelirmel> if no one has anything more to add I suggest we move on

<elandria> :thumbup:

<lockstock> Texture shots looks so easy but they really are tricky to do.

<elandria> bah

<amaries-stock> lindowyn-stock: Unfortunately I'm sometimes seeing blurry. At those days I can't decide I've got to rely on the camera, because then I only can see, which squares the cam choses.

<kuschelirmel> thank you Amaries-stock for coming - even though i feel we werent much help

<lindowyn-stock> The best way to learn where your camera's focal length begins (because the human eye can't look at a distance and go &quot;oh, that's 33mms&quot is trial and error. Double check yourself until you kinda get an idea where you should be.

<amaries-stock> Thank you for giving me critique!

<lindowyn-stock>

I'll totally be quiet now.&lt;/sub&gt;

<kuschelirmel> okay, next up is Ayelie-stock

<amaries-stock> lindowyn-stock:

<kuschelirmel> lindowyn-stock: hey i thought your advice sounded great!

* amaries-stock was demoted to Stockers by kuschelirmel

* ayelie-stock was promoted to Asking by kuschelirmel

<ayelie-stock> Thank you

<ayelie-stock> I have a pack of 6 images of these books, but I uploaded a single one so you can see here --&amp;gt; [link] I'd like some opinions, and specifically I was wondering about the usefulness of removing the background myself (it was pure white so easyish to do) ... and if there are concerns about the DOF?

<ayelie-stock> I took it indoors near a sunny window for light, but of course silly me was using my macro lens and forgot to lower the aperture; so they were taken at f/3 instead of a more useable 5.6 or 8 ISO is 200 and shutter speed 1/60.

<ayelie-stock> For model stock that might be an issue, but for something like books where it will usually be an additive element to an image rather than a featured one, is that utterly critical?

<lockstock> I'm fine with pre-extraded objects. You did a nice job too!

<ayelie-stock> There's a bit of a blip on the bottom book on t he left, but that's where the sheet was covering it

<kuschelirmel> Ayelie-stock: on the extraction, I think you did a good job and many manippers are glad to get their hands on precut stock

<lindowyn-stock> My only concern here with your dof is that you can see area on the books (near the spine) that are in more focus than the rest of the books, which appear soft. It is still usable, but that is what my eye caught.

<ayelie-stock> otherwise it was simple, RAW mode is awesome and I could white the sheet right out to remove it

<znow-white> Ayelie-stock: you know these a re fab

<ayelie-stock> lindowyn-stock: yes DOF was a concern, that's what I was wondering about

<lockstock> I see the blip, but only after you pointed it out. As a small addition to a larger scene, it wouldn't be noticed.

<ayelie-stock> I tend to use my macro lens for object shots because I can get a lower ISO with lower light... but sometimes DOF is compromised.

<lindowyn-stock> Entirely, completely usable.

<lockstock> And this could also work as a main focus. It's a good shot.

<kuschelirmel> Ayelie-stock: tbh i dont see that much dof on this one - not enough to be distracting anyway

<kuschelirmel> Ayelie-stock: I also think its great and usable

<elandria> the only thing i'd say is when doing stuff like this try and make sure that the backgrous sheet or whatever you are using doesn't cover any of the lower edges or corners

<elandria> background*

<cryingsorceress> Ayelie-stock: i think that you cut out some of the book on the bottom

<ayelie-stock> Elandria: yes, definitely... wrinkles are a pain

<elandria> they are

<ayelie-stock> cryingsorceress: it was the sheet wrinkle, it covered the book

<cryingsorceress> Ah, I see

* ayelie-stock will iron the dratted thing next time

* kuschelirmel rembers all too well fighting the wrinkly sheets

* lindowyn-stock has really critical eyeballs. From a stock perspective, it's not really an issue here I don't think.

<ayelie-stock> awesome! I'll do more stuff like this if it's useful, then.

<cryingsorceress> true

<lockstock> If most of the objects you shoot or intend to shoot are about this size, investing in a large bit of white posterboard would not be a bad idea.

<elandria> its really useful, piles of old books rock

<cryingsorceress>

* kuschelirmel is definitely going to download these

<ayelie-stock> lockstock: it's on my list of necessaries. Along with a bounceable flash

<kuschelirmel> lockstock: good idea!

<elandria> yer if you use card ratther than a sheet you can create a miniture infinity curve for shooting against

<lindowyn-stock> That's what I was thinking Elandria.

<elandria>

* elandria wants an infinity curve in her front room

<lindowyn-stock> Plus, posterboard is cheap. If you want to do some trick lighting, you can bounce the flash within a white posterboard atmosphere to imitate a high key situation.

<elandria> plus bouncy flash is less harsh

<lindowyn-stock> Even lighting=

<ayelie-stock> yes! Exactly

<ayelie-stock> lighting conditions indoors generally suck for me, so I need all the tricks and tips I can possibly use. I also do some shooting close to sunset when the light is diffused but still bright, if it's warm out - better than flourescent or incandescent light indoors.

<lockstock> Looking forward to seeing the new and improved set up!

<kuschelirmel> thank you for coming Ayelie-stock

<lockstock> Early morning light is softer than evening light.

<ayelie-stock> Thanks everyone

<lindowyn-stock> I has some inexpensive tips Ayelie-stock. Hit me up later.

* ayelie-stock was demoted to Stockers by kuschelirmel

<kuschelirmel> Welcome to our first ever Stock Critique Night!

<lockstock> :cheer:

* lyastri listens as the crowd goes wild in silence. Cause she knows you all are excited!

<elandria>

<foxfires>

<elandria>

<kuschelirmel>

<foxfires> heheh

* lockstock shakes everyone's hands and passes out cookies

<kuschelirmel> let's start with the first critique then!

<fallenrox>

<znow-white>

<lockstock> Yes!

* bluem00n was made a member of Asking by kuschelirmel

<kuschelirmel> Hiya bluem00n

<elandria> bluem00n

<kuschelirmel> what would you like to get some crits on?

<bluem00n> the piece I'll be asking you to critique is .

<lockstock> Oh, that's nice! Good shot, bluem00n!

<bluem00n> thank you lockstock

<elandria> yep i love the pose

<fallenrox> very nice

<foxfires> And it is a nice large stock photo - very good!

<fallenrox> clean background with nice contrast

<elandria> the lighting is good, I wouldn't worry about using the built in flash

<cryingsorceress> ditto

<bluem00n> Elandria: really? I was so worried about that

<znow-white> easy to cut out

<bluem00n> yay thanks

<cryingsorceress> the shadow is not much of a bother either

<lockstock> I can't find a fault with it. Maybe a bit flat in the lighting aspect. Flash does that.

<fallenrox> I have a pet peeve about hands not showing but it's not &quot;wrong&quot;

<elandria> If you're worried about the shadow you can get your model to stand back fromteh BG a bit more which softens it

<bluem00n> lockstock: indeed.

<elandria> but its distingished from the model himself so the edges are still sharp

<bluem00n> FallenRox: yeah that's a part of the pose but I can see how you mean

<fallenrox> comes from my directing models background. Not the photographers fault.

<lockstock> bluem00n: I like the pose

<bluem00n> Elandria: or stand farther away from the model.. we were playing with that I'm glad to hear it's not awful though

<fallenrox> it's lovely

<elandria> Its definately useable

<bluem00n> thanks so much guys

<foxfires> Yes, I agree

<elandria> yup depends if you have enough room wherever you are shooting that limits how far you can spread everything

<bluem00n> Elandria: I had room but it was one of the first shots so that's just how it came out. Later I moved around and played with flash/no flash so the series came out looking a bit different. It was a great excercise in spontanous lighting.

<lockstock> Or if you have a spare light to aim at the backdrop.

<elandria> lol experimentation rocks

<bluem00n> lockstock:

<lockstock> Keep up the awesome work, then!

<bluem00n> indeed

<bluem00n> thanks

<kuschelirmel>

<elandria>

<kuschelirmel> so this was our first critique in here

<znow-white>

<foxfires>

<kuschelirmel> thank you bluem00n

<bluem00n> thanks for giving of your time guys

<elandria> np

* bluem00n was made a member of Stockers by kuschelirmel

<kuschelirmel> now, next up is joannastar

* joannastar was promoted to Asking by kuschelirmel

<lockstock> Hi joannastar!

<joannastar> hi guys

<lockstock> Whatcha got for us?

<joannastar>

<elandria> joannastar

<joannastar> 3d stock

<cutteroz> ugh, nice pose there

<lockstock> Is that on a transparent layer?

<elandria> cool I don't use 3D stuff myself but it looks great from here

<joannastar> lockstock: yes

<fallenrox> awesome

<cutteroz> even better

* elandria hates how the &quot;small view&quot; makes everything pixelated

<joannastar> I would've uploaded a preview, but dA doesn't let you

<kuschelirmel> my beef with any 3d stock is usually that the charachters look rather stiff and dead

<elandria> perhaps just a smaller jpg version with a white/black bg

<lockstock> Great! Ususally strands of hair are a pain to extract, but having it on a trans. layer takes care of that!

<kuschelirmel> yours looks great pose wise - very natural joannastar

<foxfires> Lovely render! I like that it isn't already completely dressed in anything fancy -

<cutteroz> well yes but you can texture it and photomanip it to make it look more real

<joannastar> yes, then I'd have had to make it a zip though

<kuschelirmel> though her eyes look a bit vacant joannastar

<joannastar> What do you guys think about the lighting? I always go for even lighting because I guess that makes it more useable

<elandria> easy to alter for new styles/looks

<joannastar> kuschelirmel: so if they were pointing in a different direction, would that help?

<elandria> yup lighting is a bit of bane if you're working with multiple stocks

<lockstock> Her dress seems to not have the same depth of shadows as her body. However, that can be fixed by the manipulator.

* kuschelirmel wants to point out we dont critique zips cos we'd have to download them so this is as good as it gets

<cryingsorceress> well, there is a streak of white on her leg. the light is too strong there

<joannastar> cryingsorceress: ooh yes, hadn't spotted that

<kuschelirmel> joannastar: lighting for manips should usually be as even as you can make it without loosing depth

<kuschelirmel> joannastar: its easier to add shadows than remove them

* elandria cryingsorceress clearly hasn't seen Lannys milkbottle white legs on a bright day

<joannastar> oh and is having the shadow on the png helpful or not?

<elandria> Its a nice effect but its probably just &quot;added extras&quot;

<lockstock> My main critiques are on the model itself, not on what you did with it. Her armpit creases go up way too far, for example.

<cryingsorceress> i like the shadow

<kuschelirmel> joannastar: personally i find it very helpful to be able to place it correctly. its so ard to guess where it should go without

<cryingsorceress> Elandria:

<joannastar> lockstock: yeah, she lacks deltoids &amp;gt;.&amp;gt; I need to work on that

<joannastar> oh and the other thing I was going to ask, for those of you that would use 3d stock, is fantasy stock more useful than like, 'real' styles

<cryingsorceress> fantasy stock will be used more often

<elandria> To be honest its not really my fort&Atilde;&copy;

<joannastar> I mean, I can do extreme hair easier in 3d than you probably can in the real world.

<fallenrox> Mine either. I would use more &quot;real&quot; if I used it.

<kuschelirmel> joannastar: true

<fallenrox> I have before but not often.

<lockstock> Wings and sparkles are easy to add, not so easy to take away. I'd keep it real, as it were.

<cutteroz> joannastar: i would use more real also

<kuschelirmel> joannastar: i think those that use 3d will def go for the weird looks you can get - the weirder the better. cos realism you can get from pics

<kuschelirmel> so i guess both has a demand

<cryingsorceress> agreed

<joannastar>

<elandria> I think using 3D stock is a refined talent to make them look good, the best thing is to go for simple and effective &quot;base&quot; stock and leave the fancy bits to the manippulators

<lockstock> One advantage a 3D render has is that you can defy gravity. Have flying people

<cutteroz> joannastar: you could try some unusual poses also *thinks of yoga* i think those would really help the imagination

<kuschelirmel> joannastar: were we able to shed some light? or would you like something clarified?

<foxfires> I agree with Elandria. I tend to shy away from stock that has too many bells and whistles already in it. I like to add those in myself, and start with a fairly minimal base.

<kuschelirmel> Cutteroz: great thinking!

<joannastar> kuschelirmel: you've all been very helpful

<fallenrox>

<joannastar> I have a lot to think about for my next packs

<joannastar> Thank you everyone!

* joannastar loves you all.

<lockstock>

<cryingsorceress> no problem

<znow-white>

<elandria> incidentally mentioning the hair.... thats excellent and I could see hair brushes made from stuff like this being incrediblt popular

<lockstock> Good point

<kuschelirmel> Elandria:

<foxfires>

* joannastar will add that to the list of things to try

<elandria> lol

<kuschelirmel>

thank you very much joannastar! &lt;/b&gt;

* joannastar was promoted to Stockers by kuschelirmel

<kuschelirmel> next up is emothic-stock

* emothic-stock was promoted to Asking by kuschelirmel

<cutteroz> hello emothic-stock

<elandria> emothic-stock

<emothic-stock>

<znow-white> emothic-stock: this is nice

<fallenrox> Very pretty piece

<fallenrox> totally usable

<foxfires> beautiful!

<emothic-stock> thanks ^^

<elandria> very good lighting, not too sharp on the highlights

<elandria> do you use a macro lens?

<lockstock> Nicely shot.

<emothic-stock> Elandria: yea

<fallenrox> The left edge would need to be sharpened with that large of a size but it's totally doable.

<elandria> very nice

<kuschelirmel> whoa! emothic-stock I love the clarity of this shot

<emothic-stock> thanks ^^

<kuschelirmel> it's hard to get flasks like that lighted properly, I think you did a great job

<lockstock> This would most likely be used as a &quot;detail&quot; in a larger piece, so the slight focus shift wouldn't be too noticeable.

<fallenrox> The angle is awesome too, I love that you can see the whole top

<cryingsorceress> i agree i'd definitely use this in a manip

<foxfires> Yes, I would totally use this.

<znow-white> nice large resolution and again easy to cut out

<kuschelirmel> FallenRox: makes it easy to place on the floor and have things come out of it or something

* fallenrox is totally saving it</>

<fallenrox>

<emothic-stock> Thanks FallenRox

<lockstock> Or put in someone's hand.

<kuschelirmel>

<elandria> yep multitudes of uses, its really lovely

<kuschelirmel> so I take it theres nothing to critizise really?

<cryingsorceress> i really can't find anything to say that's already been said

<lockstock> Not really. Got any crappy shots? LOL

<foxfires> if anything I would just keep watch on the depth of field, and make sure you don't get any more than what is in this shot - just makes it easier for people.

<cryingsorceress> *not

<elandria> lol can't see anything that would need to be altered, everybody is too damn good

<cutteroz> hey call me crazy but turned upside down it looks like a funky jellyfish to me that would be cool to see

<cryingsorceress>

<lockstock> Cutteroz: You're crazy.

<emothic-stock> Cutteroz:

<znow-white>

<cutteroz> thank you

<kuschelirmel> thank you emothic-stock for sharing this lovely piece with us

* emothic-stock was demoted to Stockers by kuschelirmel

<kuschelirmel> Now who is up next? let me see...

* flashkid105 was promoted to Asking by kuschelirmel

<kuschelirmel>

welcome FlashKid105&lt;/b&gt;

<lockstock> Flash! Aahhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

<flashkid105> Hi guys

<kuschelirmel> what can we do for you?

<elandria>

<kuschelirmel> lockstock:

<elandria> FlashKid105

<flashkid105> And boy do I have a treat for y'all

<elandria> bring it on!

<znow-white>

<flashkid105>

<elandria> .... bloody clouds in the way of a good blue sky -.-

<lockstock> It's very pretty!

<flashkid105> Thanks

<elandria> lockstock: lol do you shout that often? o.0

<kuschelirmel> FlashKid105: the quality of the shot is great

<lockstock> I do.

* flashkid105 would like to note that he has used that in a previous manip project

<elandria> Really nice gradients in the clouds and I like the positioning/zoomed area

<elandria> lots of people when taking sky shots zoom out and end up with greyness

<cryingsorceress> that's really good. it has dark and bright areas!

<lockstock> Personally, when I use skyscapes, it's to fill in a landscape. This'd be a bit too close in for that.

<elandria> but this has plenty of sharpness and detail for being able to pick up specific areas to use in manips

<kuschelirmel> FlashKid105: I could see a castle in the sky to the left or something else the perspective makes it hard to use for putting a person up there

<lockstock> But it's good for a smaller scene type image. Or a texture.

<foxfires>

<elandria> yuppers was thinking for detail work in a larger image

<kuschelirmel> FlashKid105: and the perspective makes it hard to use as background

<flashkid105> Hmmmm

<lockstock> But the cut off edges would be tricky

<flashkid105> I guess that's something to think about

<elandria> lol cloud stock for joannastar's flying people

<kuschelirmel> FlashKid105: it all depends on what the manipper wants to do with it: it looks great the way it is to put up a castle or something flying through the air, but everything else gets tricky

<kuschelirmel> Elandria: lol indeed

<elandria> I guess this is very dependant on the imagination and image in the mind of the manipulator

<flashkid105> Yeah

<lockstock> Your Colorado Sky Stock 2 is more useful, but both are nice shots.

<elandria> can't fault the definition between the hue of the sky and the greys of the clouds

<flashkid105> Heh

* lockstock is peeking at his gallery.

* kuschelirmel thinks we'll be moving on if theres nothing more to add

<flashkid105> lockstock: I see what you mean. That one's more zoomed out, so to speak

<lockstock> Yes, and well framed.

<kuschelirmel>

thank you for coming FlashKid105&lt;/b&gt;

<lockstock> Okay, now I'm done.

<lockstock> LOL

* flashkid105 was demoted to Stockers by kuschelirmel

<kuschelirmel> next up we have demoncherrystock

* demoncherrystock was made a member of Asking by kuschelirmel

<foxfires>

<lockstock> demooooooooooooooon!

<demoncherrystock> Hi guys *breathes

<lockstock>

<znow-white>

<fallenrox> Hiya

<demoncherrystock> OK for you to delve into i have

<elandria> demoncherrystock

<znow-white> OO nice and sparkly

<lockstock> Now that is a very cool image!

<demoncherrystock> thank you im not sure how useful this would be for artists as its a little bit different

<cryingsorceress> Bigger res!

<elandria> Its certainly very different

<demoncherrystock> cryingsorceress: i cant im afrid

<lockstock> And yay for straight lines (easy to extract)

<cryingsorceress> aw

<kuschelirmel> cryingsorceress: press download

<cryingsorceress> kuschelirmel: i did

<kuschelirmel> oh lol ok

<demoncherrystock> oh i thought she meant the download

<elandria> from the &quot;download&quot; view there is a touch of softness to the edges, but as lockstock said, straight lines are easy to cut out

<demoncherrystock> yeh i cant afford mor than a 3.1 cryingsorceress

<elandria> but then much kudos to taking bright item in the dark without coming out with a grainy blob which is all I'd probably achieve lol

<znow-white> the brightest of the spikes is a bit distracting

<cryingsorceress> demoncherrystock: that's alright then. i just prefer everything over 2000px each side

<lockstock> This would make a great detail in a sci-fi piece or an abstract image.

<cryingsorceress> I can use this in a fantasy piece too

<lockstock> Absolutely. It looks like crystals.

<demoncherrystock> awesome one day ill save up for a 10m pix camera

<cryingsorceress> Yeah, the brighter areas are distracting but that's hard to fix. I'm not a photographer so I'm not sure how

<demoncherrystock> and ill do it again

<kuschelirmel> what makes it a bit hard to use is the fact that its a transparent star - blending this on a brighter background would be not so easy

<lockstock> You never know what people are going to need or want. The more variety and unexpected images, the better.

<foxfires> With something like this - maybe think about taking a picture both in the dark lit up like it is, and then in regular light, not lit up. That might give a manipulator some extra options, if they don't necessarily want it lit (or dark as it is) but like the object.

<demoncherrystock> Foxfires: good idea

<kuschelirmel> lockstock: indeed!

<cryingsorceress> This is just me being nitpicky but it'd be great if you could hide the wires.

<demoncherrystock> cryingsorceress: noted also

<lockstock> demoncherrystock: Definitely play with this object and different lightings, backgrounds, etc.

<cutteroz> or just pull them between the corners or the star so they don't show up under the glass

<kuschelirmel> another thing to think about is the less expensive a camera is the more light it will need not to make the pics grainy...

<demoncherrystock> ahh kuschelirmel i took thi sin the dark to get the coloured lights

<demoncherrystock> but i will do both day and night

<kuschelirmel> i know its hard with the main aspect of it being that it is dark around it and it is lit up

<elandria> you could cut a small line and a hole in the center of the piece of card and feed the wire through it, perhaps a larger piece of card too but then its the main object you want more than worrying so much about the bg, but people do like uncluttered cut out areas

<demoncherrystock> ok

<kuschelirmel> the lighting thing is just something to generally keep in mind

<lockstock> I'm going to save this one and use it.

<foxfires> It is a fun object though. Could be incorporated into a bunch of themes - sci-fi as well as fantasy, etc.

<kuschelirmel> and i like Elandria's idea

<demoncherrystock> thank you for the advice

<znow-white> or you could tape the wire down behind it

<kuschelirmel> the main thing about the wire is that it shows right through the spike

<cryingsorceress> what kuschelirmel said

<kuschelirmel> if you can take a pic at an angle where the wire just goes out without being behind the spikes it would be fine too

<elandria> yer experimentation with angles might solve the &quot;bright spikes&quot; issue as well as the wire

<cryingsorceress> maybe you could wrap the wires in black paper to match the background

<demoncherrystock> oo thats a good idea cryingsorceress

<lockstock> Heck a black Sharpie would solve the problem too. Just color them black.

<demoncherrystock> Elandria: yes i think i need to try and get more level effect rather than more contrast over another

<elandria> yup

<lockstock> Variety variety variety.

<elandria> at least with digial photos you can take as many as you need without having to pay for developing

<demoncherrystock> *nods*

<lockstock> Do a &quot;star pack&quot; with lots of experimental shots.

<lockstock> I'd dl it!

<demoncherrystock> i shall!

<foxfires> I would too!

<demoncherrystock> anyway thank you so much for advising me i will take it on board

<lockstock> Groovy!

<elandria> np

<lockstock> See ya around!

<cryingsorceress> my pleasure!

<kuschelirmel> demoncherrystock: thank you so much for letting us

* demoncherrystock was made a member of Stockers by kuschelirmel

* angelus-knight was promoted to Asking by kuschelirmel

<kuschelirmel> Next up is Angelus-Knight

<angelus-knight> hello

<foxfires>

<lockstock> Hi!

<angelus-knight> ive been unning and ahing about this but i think ive found a pic

<angelus-knight>

<angelus-knight> i think my models lack something

<cryingsorceress> what is she holding in her hand?

<lockstock> She looks uncomfortable in having her photo taken.

<cryingsorceress> Yeah, her expression is odd

<angelus-knight> lol, it wasnt a dedicates stock shoot, so thats her own camera

<cryingsorceress> I wouldn't use that in a manip

<cutteroz> i think what your model lacks in this photo is an expression, because it's just standing there.. maybe it would've been better to make her use her hands somehow

<lockstock> Well, a lot of people feel self-conscious in front of the camera.

<lockstock> Sometimes you have to fool them by making them talk or relax and then &quot;SNAP!&quot; Take the shot.

<cryingsorceress> Yeah! The costume and setting are both really great though.

<angelus-knight> i think she was talking at the time

<cryingsorceress> Ah. Maybe you need something spontaneous

<kuschelirmel> I love the costume as well. but she looks like shes tired with her pose like this. and the expression on her face is strange

<elandria> Yep definately fool them into relaxing, spontanious shots are good, but they have to have some preparation, like putting down the cammy and thinking about poses

<elandria> getting into character is the best way to take shots like this

<lockstock> I think the model felt that the focus was on her costume, not herself.

<lockstock> This makes for lovely costume reference for a traditional artists. Or a good manipper who could change the face/hair.

<cryingsorceress>

<elandria> its much easier for people who wear costumes out and about at conventions etc to do this it seems else like lockstock said they assume that people are only taking shots of their costumes and are not expecting to need to &quoterform&quot;

<lockstock> It's SO HARD to work with a model who isn't comfortable in front of a camera. You have to take a lot of shots to get any good ones.

<elandria> yup

<cutteroz> it definitely can be used, it just takes some imagination from the manippers

<angelus-knight> i think i just chose the wrong one as an example but ah well

<kuschelirmel> though changing someones face is always something manippers are a bit uncomfy with - I for one am. because i always feel the model might be upset i just got rid of her face

<cryingsorceress> Angelus-Knight: your other models in the same series seem more relaxed. She was probably just nervous

<foxfires> I've seen your other stock, and you do really good with poses and such.

<elandria> lol nono this is good for reverse engineering

* cutteroz looks guilty at lockstock after what kuschelirmel said about the face

<foxfires> This one just happens to be one that would be less viable for incorporating into a scene, because of the lack of purpose in her pose.

<kuschelirmel> Cutteroz: lol

<kuschelirmel> obviously not everyone feels uncomfy - and not with every stock

<elandria> its not always about the model but also the photographer being able to &quot;know&quot; when they are going to get a grin from their target, or how to get their attention without making it seem forced

<lockstock> Cutteroz: I don't care. It's not about vanity.

<lockstock> Did the model know this was going to be used for stock?

<elandria> I don't mind either, somebody wants to use my pose with another models face it can be done, but again its about refining the technique to make it look &quot;right&quot;

<angelus-knight> no, i asked for permission after the meeting as i liked some of the shots

<lockstock> If someone said &quot;Hey, let me get a photo of your costume&quot; I'd probably just stand there like a mannequin too.

<angelus-knight> especially her dress

<elandria> lol I know I would, and do all the time when I'm at the anime conventions unless somebody asks me to &quot;be the character&quot;

<lockstock> So, she might have been more &quot;in character&quot; for a stock-shoot. It's a matter of context.

<foxfires> I love your photos of Herr Doktor on the steps

<elandria> (half the time I forget I'm in costume .. which makes the &quot;lanny drinking beer&quot; shots really odd lol

<kuschelirmel> and that from Elandria herself

<kuschelirmel> LOL

<angelus-knight> hehe

<angelus-knight> thank you all

<kuschelirmel> lets take a short break before we have Dreamystock show us her work

<angelus-knight> i definately need to catch them better