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Phoenix
Phoenix
LalliSig

Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Single Light Source III (Basic Editing)
Camera: Canon EOS-5D
Lens: Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM
Location: Studio Laugavegur, Iceland
Date: Nov 6, 2007
Aperture: 5.6
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/200
Galleries: Nude, Studio
Date Uploaded: Nov 6, 2007

 This is Svala Jonsdóttir, if anybody recognizes her it´s because she also modeled for me for the "Single Light Source III" challenge last year.



Well the results in that challenge didn´t really bother me but I was really perplexed with all the self proclaimed experts back then that were so absolutely sure I wasn´t following the challenge description, wich I was. I guess I put too much faith in the voters sometimes, that if they aren´t absolutely sure that they would give the benefit of the doubt.

Well tonight we were shooting week 45 of my PAW series and Svala wanted to do a bodypaint shot so we picked a superhero (well guess Dark Phoenix is more a supervillain technically) that she resembled, Phoenix from the X-men. At least me and Henný think she looks somewhat like Famke Janssen from the movie trilogy. We were kind of going for the same look as we did for week 19 where we body painted a guy like Superman but in the real shot I am going to use for the series I am going to place her in flames and I lit that shot with 5 lights.

This is of course just lit with one light, a bowens monolight to be more specific with a 100x100cm softbox to her right side and on her left there was a white reflector to just barely bounce back some light so that side just had a teeny weeny bit of texture in it.

Makeup is done by Henný of course and our friend Eva Hrönn came along to help her out. They even got hairspray that had red dye in it as Svala´s hair is pretty much pitch black.

Post processing is probably the least I have done in a good while, this is essentially straight out of the camera, just did some tweaking in C1 for contrast and saturation and levels to bring the black backround pitch black, boosted reds in the shadows with color balance and then sharpened after resizing.

Bet there will be some comments from prudes about the nipples showing but come on, if you think that´s wrong in a bodypaint shot well then, I guess you prove my point about you being prudes :) I also bet that a very small percentage do get who she is supposed to be as I don´t think many people out there who aren´t comic book nerds know of Phoenix and I am thinking that this will not help my score... Was hard though to find a well known female superhero, why is that? There is really only Wonderwoman, Storm and Catwoman who are "famous" the rest are either copies of male superheroes (Supergirl, She-Hulk, Batgirl...) or are not the main characters in their stories.

Here is the shot for my Paw project, would have needed expert editing for this version.


Statistics
Place: 18 out of 199
Avg (all users): 6.2464
Avg (commenters): 6.8571
Avg (participants): 6.0755
Avg (non-participants): 6.3038
Views since voting: 8209
Views during voting: 960
Votes: 211
Comments: 27
Favorites: 7 (view)

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AuthorThread
 12/17/2007 03:22:46 PM
I'm just gonna say this:

You are brilliant!

Jólakveðja :) / Christmas Greetings! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/14/2007 05:56:12 AM
Smokin' shot & smokin' hot! :-D
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/14/2007 05:26:44 AM
Originally posted by De Sousa:
Love this pic, love the concept, love the tremendous body painting. Everything is PERFECT!
Hey Larus, do not give any importance to the few DPCers killing your work. You know how it is, and you can't expect much from their minds. This is a great photograph with a stunning and beautiful model. I wish I could have your skills and your models too ;)
Congrats, you always give us the best.


What he said!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/14/2007 04:46:31 AM
Who was it that said "against stupidity even the gods fight in vain"
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/14/2007 03:41:01 AM
Incredible shot Larus. Truly should have finished higher, but I totally agree with De Sousa's wording. Sometimes it goes unappreciated. I love the flowing hair and the body paint. Its remarkable how well your lighting really is. The expression is perfect also. Keep up the great work bud.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/14/2007 03:25:05 AM
Dude, this should have finished much higher, and I'm not saying that cause I'm a huge X-men fan. This truely is the shot I thought was going to win. There is not one flaw I can find, hense the reason I gave a 10. Great job with this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/14/2007 02:35:20 AM
Love this pic, love the concept, love the tremendous body painting. Everything is PERFECT!
Hey Larus, do not give any importance to the few DPCers killing your work. You know how it is, and you can't expect much from their minds. This is a great photograph with a stunning and beautiful model. I wish I could have your skills and your models too ;)
Congrats, you always give us the best.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/14/2007 12:48:58 AM
I am quite surprised by the score. I really thought this was fantastic and expected this to be a top 5 image for sure.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
11/13/2007 03:09:14 PM
Dramatic. Great image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/13/2007 08:18:17 AM
even though there is light hitting her eyes, I wouldn't ming a lttle bit more. Alot of work into this one, nice portrait.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/13/2007 07:09:47 AM
what a cool and stern look the model has - i actually have trouble even looking at her 'outfit' because it is such an amazing stare
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/12/2007 09:43:32 AM
Nice use of light and shadow, it works very well
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/10/2007 01:03:14 PM
Expressive model, good use of lighting to bring out texture. I'm a big fan of body paint.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/10/2007 10:49:07 AM
tremendous body paint.

While her eyes are picked out I wonder whether her whole face should have been illuminated just a little more to help take the focus off her chest?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/10/2007 09:44:04 AM
The hair is good - wind machine, head movement or very stiff hair gel?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/10/2007 05:28:27 AM
unfortunate painting, the face and the hair are excellent, though.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/10/2007 03:16:30 AM
High Scores for Hotties! â„¢
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/09/2007 10:18:26 PM
Nice. Great how you maintain subtlety in lighting and dramatic lighting at the same time. Ribbon material, although you will probably suffer from nude-haters voting you down. (8)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/09/2007 07:13:37 PM
Nice paint job, facial expression, lighting. 8.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/08/2007 09:41:50 PM
10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/08/2007 06:17:09 AM
Damn...I thought I saw my last pair of breasts for this challenge a few views ago. This nude is creative though. Tons of views during voting I'm sure, more than the top 10 winners. 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/08/2007 05:38:59 AM
nice that costume must have been difficult to change into in phone booth! LOL
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/07/2007 07:40:57 PM
WOW! Now that's just cool! What a patient model and excellent body painting. Lighting is perfect for this shot and did I mention WOW!

This HAS to ribbon in this challenge.

ETA: This was my 1700th comment, SWEET!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/07/2007 05:41:39 PM
Cool body paint job :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/07/2007 01:57:20 PM
Very well captured and exposed
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/07/2007 01:38:18 PM
This will either score very high or low depending on the mood of DPCers. I'm not sure the lighting technique inspires the Phoenix rising. The model and Painter get 10's the image a 5
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/07/2007 06:10:07 AM
nice....mmmm...sex sells


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