Photographer's Comment: Can only post two for the WA topic, but wanted to get some feedback on this one. In particular too much color? Any comments / suggestions welcome.

Tags: gothic dark fantasy vampire portrait

Viewer Comments:

By smokeydawg (2008-05-08 01:10:50 ): Thanks Dawn, always appreciate your opinions. This was just a really fun shoot! Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-05-08 01:09:42 ): Thanks Ian, glad you like it and always appreciate your feedback. This was a fun shoot, kind of like adult holloween in early spring. Carl

By dawnschubert (2008-05-08 00:12:52 ): O MY! how did I miss this one Carl? This is truly a stunning image. WOW! I really like how you can see the pale skin through the soft black veil. I think you have out done yourself on this one Carl.

By leachy (2008-05-06 10:44:25 ): hey carl. i've been out of circulation for a while,,,but am happy to return and find such great work. i think the entire concept, impact, pp/s work is MAGIC. well done.

By smokeydawg (2008-05-02 13:15:05 ): Thank you John! Carl

By johnwillems (2008-05-01 14:07:12 ): Carl, one of Your best photographs of the last time. She's reaylly playing with the devil. Amazing. John.

By smokeydawg (2008-05-01 13:08:54 ): Thanks Mo! I'm leaning toward this one as one of my favs also. Appreciate your feedback as always! Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-05-01 13:07:19 ): Thank you very much Jim! Good observation about the blacks as actually I used a variation of Carlos' channel technique in this with a few other things. If you havn't played with channels, there is a lot you can do with it for subtle changes. I used Image > Apply Image then just played until I got the results I wanted. My reply to CJ has the details of what I did with this one. I also think you are correct about the French Impressionists. Carl

By mo (2008-04-30 21:27:15 ): I think the colour is great- the lush blacks are what pull me in, and I think they are nicely accented and offset by the reds and the wonderful whites. this may be my favotite of your gothics thus far!

By Jim915 (2008-04-30 19:33:31 ): Hi Carl - I commented to Carlos on one of his images that I liked his use of black. I see a similar use here and it is very effective. I like this very much and congratulate you on a terrific image. Interestingly black was almost never used by the French Impressionists if I remember correctly. You and Carlos are showing us make its use very effective in color images.

By smokeydawg (2008-04-30 15:04:41 ): Thanks Gretchen. I'll probably play with tweaking this just a little more, thanks for the suggestions, they are always appreciated. Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-04-30 15:02:48 ): Thanks CJ. Only things I really did different with this was before the bw conversion. I tried Carlos' Channel thing, Apply image, red channel, then added the mask with green and inverted it. he he Been experimenting with this myself. I also over exposed just a bit, appx 1/2 stop in camera on this since there was so much black. Brought back the richness with a surface blur and boosting the blacks with curves. Basically just playing with new and old techniques to see what happens. Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-04-30 14:58:22 ): Thank you Joan. Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-04-30 14:57:41 ): Thanks Carlos, always appreciate your take. Yes I'd be interested in the music you mentioned. I discoverd zen a few years ago and am now very much into it.

By CamGram (2008-04-30 13:10:13 ): Carl, this is stunning! For me, the color is just right. I love the subtle transparency of the veil...just see-through enough to barely discern her features.

By CJGroth (2008-04-30 12:55:00 ): I love this, Carl. I think the color is perfect perfect perfect. The detail in the costume is fabulous and the creaminess of the skin is amazing. I'm glad you're not showing the pointy teeth because we can imagine what we want with this gorgeous portrait. Any technical secrets you'd care to share?

By karmal (2008-04-30 03:40:08 ): Great, great, great. You are inspired by gothic and you are an inspiration. I would recommend you some incredible darkwave music that can take you further to the zen (or zenith) of this inspiration. I mean if you like it. Carlos

By Auryn (2008-04-30 03:40:04 ): Very Cool!!! I think if you play around with the saturation a bit in different sections of the picture it may add to the paleness of her skin to add to the gothic tone. Maybe keep the trim of her dress and her lips a bit brighter than the rest of the pic but tone it down a bit. I would maybe make a new layer for the trim and lips and tone them down separately from the rest of the pic then maybe add a soft glow using a blur layer. I really like it and I like goth myself so I think it's a really nice portrait. Have fun playing around with it.

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