When I started this blog, I looked around at other blogs via pinterest and WordPress. My photos skills were and are lacking to say the least. ( I like to use the word “sucky”.) I was so fortunate to stumble across a great deal on a nice camera (Canon Rebel T3i) (nice for me , especially as a beginner) and start my photo journey. The goal was-and still is to take better photos for my blog. I started out wanting to take better photos of my food and my “ootds”, but if thought it would be best to do some practicing first.
So far I’ve taken a few pictures of babies (willing) and friends (I had to force them.) Then, recently, I had a stroke of luck and a friend wanted to do a boudoir shoot so she could make a sexy photo book for her man’s birthday. HOT DAMN! (She’s always doing sexy little things like this, making me feel like the most awkward boring girlfriend in the world. I want to be like her when I grow up). She asked me to do the photos because I would, being a beginner and her friend, of course-do them for free.
We chose a day and had a makeup artist friend do her makeup, and used a vacant apartment next to her as the “studio”. At this point I only had the natural light coming in from a North facing window- but this window was huge, and a blessing for someone who knows nothing about indoor/studio lighting thus far. I give any and all credit of these photos to the beautiful model, the window’s natural light, and the nice open space we had to use.
Here are two of my favorite photos we ended up with: (I would love some input- but please be kind! This was my first time ever taking portraits! I am still learning how to use my camera. Please comment with resources, tips and tricks! Also, I have cropped the photos down a lot for privacy of the model, so theses photos are not in original proportion.)
Here goes nothing- (is it silly I’m nervous for other people to see these and give their two cents? I’m not even the one in the photos!!)
I would also like to toot my own horn and say that this particular subject, is the most self-critical person (besides myself) that I know. She tends to hate every picture of herself, and I was completely prepared for her to say she didn’t like any of the photos and to scrap them all. I ended up sending over about 55 photos (a black/white and color version of each) and SHE ACTUALLY LIKED 22 of them. I was flabbergasted- I guess her opinion boosted my photo-kills ego a little bit. But come on- she’s beautiful with a killer body!! Who wouldn’t like these photos?
Overall, I had so much fun with this project. I got do to the models hair, and style all her photos. I was present taking photos for the make-up artists portfolio, and we shared a bottle of champagne as Lil’ Wayne and Nikki Minaj blasted. Um, can this be my every day? This would be my dream job- hair, makeup, styling, champagne and photos! This was an amazing outlet for my creativity (although these photos my seem simplistic to you- I think putting the “look” together is half of the photo’s success.) Hopefully, IF I get good enough, I’ll be able to do this more often! It was such a fun girls day!!!
Ok, now I guess it’s time for your critiques and suggestions. Bring it on photo friends! (Again, please be kind as I AM BRAND NEW!)
xo Kelli
Well done, although I prefer b&w. I think that the photographer and model are excellent.
Nothing to be nervous about. These are really done well.