Doing Nothing Is Perfect

Metro Detroit Michigan Portrait Photography by Mary DuPrie

This is the third time I’ve photographed Elizabeth and she is quite the little pro.  I still have this great chair and I’m milking it for all I can.  I was suppose to have it for only two weeks but I’ve had it over two months.  Wish it was mine.  It’s a nice oversize barrel chair with an extra high back.  Elizabeth does beauty pageants so this is definitely a departure.  The pageant world wants more model looking images.  I’ve not touched her skin at all, my preference it to leave it as is when I can.  I cropped the image in a square format which I never do for the modeling world, but I think it works here.

I’m using my east windows for direction and fill and I’ve added my spider lite as the main.  The Spider lite leaves a loop pattern on her cheek, not sure if I like that.  The mirror behind her has a very cool color tone to it so in post I’ve brushed on a bit of gold using a large brush set to color mode to warm it up.  If I was a full time portrait photographer I would do my best to track down a few chairs like this.  I’m still on the hunt for fabulous mirrors but I haven’t run into anything in forever.  The variety, sparkle and complexity of mirrors are great.

I’ve taken down most of the black out curtains in the studios and I’ve hung up ivory curtains which lend a nice glow to the studio.  Cashoo is snoozing in the corner, wanting to be close today.   She seemed a bit needy and clingy today so I made her a nice comfy heated corner for her to hang with us.  Elizabeth had her Ipod with her so we jammed to Justin Bieber!  How fun is that.

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I booked a glamour shoot today and she loved the book.  I had her come to the studio for a pre-meeting so I must be making progress.  I scheduled her to come right before my shoot and it seemed to work out great because it gave the meeting a cut off time… I need cut off times

3 comments category: Photographing models

1 Mary DuPrie October 17, 2010 at 11:13 pm

hummm, i’m not really following you. The post says this is a “portrait”. I would never shoot this look for a modeling agency. This is purely a portrait.
There are two different pageants for kids now days also. The old fashion over the top and a new catagory that they call “natural”.

Makeup for modeling agencies is generally frowned upon.

When doing portraits I think the retouching choices look more painterly, which translate to a “made-up” look

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2 Dan October 17, 2010 at 11:31 am

“Doing nothing is perfect.” Love that, Mary. I guess less is more, more often than not.

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3 Mary DuPrie October 17, 2010 at 11:14 pm

Hey Dan

I finally saw your Dow Chemical campaign today… Gorgeous Gorgeous

When the girl in the while head dress turned around and looked at the camera it was beautiful

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