Photoshoot One

For my first photo-shoot I just wanted to practice photographing faces and to test out models, so I used a coloured background and one spotlight shone on the face via a reflector. This simple lighting and background allowed me more freedom to experiment with composition and angles of the faces without having to worry as much about the final outcome. Below is my contact sheet of my initial photo-shoot.

After taking my initial photos, I then went onto the editing process. I wasn't sure whether I was going to use Hedi Slimane's usual choice black and white, or if the coloured background was worth keeping, so I made two copies of each photo, one in colour and one with the colour removed, as a comparison. These photos were more inspired by Slimane's Rock Diary than the fashion photography he has done, as these photos were less experimental.

One editing tool I try to utilise on Photoshop is the 'Adjust colour to skin tone'. With the slightly harsh artificial lighting, my model almost appears flushed out, and so this tool makes it easier to restore some colour to his complexion without having to mess completely with the colour of the photograph. I decided to add a tad more blush to this photo, as his complexion appeared quite pasty. 

After comparing both the coloured and the black and white images, I decided that I'd use both, as the colour of the background creates an interesting contrast with the models face, but having the photo in black and white means the focus is more on the model himself. 

This shoot was simply a test shoot to try out these two models, which explains why this photo looks more like a musicians portraiture than a fashion shot, as the model isn't doing a particular pose. I like the angle of this shot as it's more interesting than a straight on portrait, however I feel that it would be more engaging if the model was posed more.