OMG, a full range of emotions and other things are going thru my mind

First off, I do not ...well, not normally.....you know, be in the shot, I am the photog, so it is not easy to be here, or there, or in this case, EVERYWHERE.

What do I think of the process.

PLANNING is essential.  Positioning.  I even had some shift and do NOT know why or where the source was.



I took many photos so I have lots of layers to choose from.  Used only 6.  The others were actually very good poses, but bad positions, too much overlay.

As a first attempt to check out the process, it was fun, exhausting, and frustrating and amazing....all rolled into one.  Everyone in my home is asleep, so I had the family room to my self.  Not an ideal spot, but ok as a test site.

I have ideas for my true sessions, and will need help for sure.  I have someone lined up to be an assistant, just need to finalize the days and times and the scene and sketch it out, I called it a story board, what ever it is, it needs the positions, and the proposed end result as a vision.  The steady camera, no zoom creep, so will use a prime lens, lock down the spot, test the lighting, make sure I LOOK at the camera in many of my poses, it does ADD to the drama to see ones face.  And the layers of my positions varied, they should be representative of close, middle and far from the camera position...to show depth.  That is my plan.

Themes, props, lighting, and a good plan.   I am ready to relax, enough for tonight.  Friday, I will do another test run, knowing what I know NOW.

I did not even get into the painstakingly detailed work needed for masking.  But I knew it would be difficult.  This will be a big differential in a good output Vs a mediocre one.   Tight lines, good believable blending of layers.  DETAILS the devil is in the DETAILS

BTW I did not even touch the photos in LR for anything, just dumped them straight into PS ...the new D600 handle the task quite well I feel. 


ISO6400   f/9    1/30    The real test is getting more reasonable specs to the lighting is not over done, and there are still adequate details in the shadows, the faces must be clear and viewable.


So much to think about ......but it was fun.   And took less than an hour to go from camera to final selection, then the masking....OH the masking.....allow plenty of time for that chore.

Well here is is MONDAY OCT 29th and no teacher, so the mice are playing