Day 84 of 365 days.
If I titled my 365 days photos with anything other than just the date, I’d probably call this one Cloak of Darkness or something like that. Didn’t really have any grand ideas for today (unlike yesterday’s Kiss photo, which I had actually come up with a couple weeks ago, but wanted to save for my anniversary) so I decided I’d just play with the incandescent lights that Steph got me some more. I love them. So much better than the utility lamps I was using before. Granted, they’re taking some self-training to get used to, but still. I’m starting to wonder if I should also invest in some strobes too. Traditionally I hate flashes though. Even good ones, not that I have all that much experience with them. I just really like hotter lights so much better than colder ones. Maybe it comes from being used to video. I don’t know. Still, I sort of feel like I should start learning about flash photography at some point. Even if its out of style for me, it would probably help me grow.
Similarly, I really should start playing with other backdrops than the solid black. I mean, at the very least I should experiment with white or something. But for some reason I really like the dark backgrounds. I like being able to fade into them. It suits me. At least for using me as a subject, and that’s pretty much what I’m getting a lot of practice with through 365. Hopefully I should have some time to shoot a couple friends who are interested in modeling for me sometimes soon. Maybe even this weekend, and maybe I’ll experiment with white a bit.
12 weeks, 1109 members, 13,000+ images — wow!
Nice image, Chris. I like your fade into black also. In this one particularly, everything that isn’t jet black just pops, so using color this time makes it work really well.
Great shot. Love the tone and the composition
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@phlewght: Thankyou. That’s actually the reason I did this one in color. it worked better than the B&W version. I’m beginning to get to this point where my default pictures (at least the self portraits) are black and white and I only move to color when I want to say something with color.
@fourthography: thanks
Yeah…love the way you disappear into this, and I love the imbalance that the buttons create. Cool stuff.
I’d love to have any lights…or backgrounds…or a serious camera. I’m jealous. 🙂
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I look really good with a white background…..or a black one…..or red, or purple…….let’s face it, I just always look good!!! LOL!! I love this shot of you, seems to me that you are bringing back sexy yet again!
this is fantastic mav! ditto what everyone else said about the black background…but i am looking forward to seeing you change it up a bit and just play with other colors as a background…white especially. i think you’ll be surprised at how good you’ll look on that one too…just grab a white shirt and play with that on the white backdrop…it’ll give the same effect as this…only white….YOU will still pop (which, i think, is the point).
@daverexwood: I started with a Canon Digital Elph S110 and then worked my way up as I got better. I first went to the Canon G3 and now the Canon 400D XTi. As for the lights, the ones I’m using now are 1500W impact Studio lights, but up until a couple days ago, I was just using four 100W GE soft light bulbs in clamp on utiliity shades that I bought from home depot. The price tag was maybe $50 for everything, and mostly I only ever used 2 at a time (hence most of my pics being relatively slow f-stops or shutters)
@shannon: are we taking pictures tonight? tomorrow? or some other time? I have white and red sheets as well. No purple though. I am glad you think its sexy though.
@jen: yeah, the problem is I’ll have a shadow on a white backdrop and though I could maybe do some interesting things with that, I won’t be able to blend it in the same way. I do have some ideas for some stuff that I might try though.
It is cool!! And it is your new buddy icon! 🙂
this is wonderful, to me, it looks like you’re praying
there is something in your belly button
@Qathi: yep, a silver ring.
you rockstar you
Nice coat
This is a great shot… really sultry. I also like the fading effect
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Seen in I’m Bringing Sexy Back (?)
I’ve been meaning to try to copycat this for a long time…finally did it this morning…