Scent of woman

Smell is one of the most profound sense of human, it devleoped well beyond being the basic instincts.  Technology and social development made the perfume one such example.  Perfume to woman, is more like a wearable sexiness, triggers higher appreciation for opposite sex.
Shot with Canon 1Ds III, with EF 135/2L, lighting with Bron color.

Red Dots

A very recent shot for the lovely Jenna, with Phase One P65+ on Hasselblad H2 camera, with HC 100/2.2 lens.
An otherwise simple shot, but here I use a scarf of pattern that closely matches the sun-glass, and a more powerful triangle pattern that works with the frame of Jenna, adds a little sexiness, in a more provocative display.

Image Quality and Quality of Image

This is a shot made in southern Thailand, nearby Krabi, with a rather primitive Canon G9.  The impressionism approach of the image was what I intended, and I took it with the picture with strong effect of grains, and mist.
Size aside, here we see an image of good pictorial quality - at least it is to me, like many pictures with added grains, scratches, vignette........ but on the contrary, conventional measurements about the image qualit has been on the contrast, sharpness, clarity.......
It does not matter to me. A good image is a good image, no matter what.  Does size mattered?  Yes and no. There are uses of larger images, there are uses of smaller images.

Daylight

A snap shot made during a recent fashion work for an independent fashion designer. The lovely Polish model relaxed herself in front of a floor window where the main light comes through, refuse the skin, hair........
Shot with a Panasonic GF-1, with natural daylight.  A very easy shot.

Diversion

Sometimes in a more intimate shoot, it will be a good alternative to have to model not look directly into the lens, or, the model might as well just close their eyes, to divert the attention of eye contact, so the focus can be placed on thier body, or something they wear.
This is an image of lingerie shot, using Canon 1Ds III with the mighty EF Micro 100/2.8L IS.  The use of the longer focal length - as compares to the normal focal length I use for portraiture subject, is to add a little more glamous feel, that way, the focus can be more on the lingerie itself, less than the model herself. But of course, this is a rather subjective matter, many may disagree, and they could be right.

Fight for exceptions

Shot with Phase One P45+ on Contax 645, with Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 45-90/4.5, perhaps one of the best zoom lens ever made, in term of optical excellence, and machined and assembled beautifully.
The shot was for Sunny Rose. Here the lovely American model posed beautifully, with a little twist of her body and a nice display of the bag. This could have been better if it was shot nude (OK, still with the bag), but then again, the nude image will be of so limited exposure for the public that the usefulness of the image is also reduce.  In commercial world, image was used to promote the merchandize, sometimes, the best interests was not how good the image is or should be, but how well the image can be used for the benefit of commercial purpose. Of course, there are exceptions, and most professional photographers fight for those exceptions, and to do the exceptions.

Shadow & Light

Two of the most basic and important elements of photography, at least to me.  This image, captured with a Canon 1Ds III and EF TS-E 90mm lens for S&K Jewelry.  The use of a shift lens allow the perspective control to level with the model while achieving the perspective of displaying the pearls in optimized way.
Only one source of light to flood the model, and most importantly the pearls, to create the high contrast image of strong highlight and shadow, hopefully to make the object stands out.

Shape of light

Or light shapes?

Anyway, one of the challenge in studio portrait work is the use of light to properly shape the object. Yes, the mood of a model mattered what's ended up on the image, but the way the light shape the expression, made it mattered a lot more.  

Taken with Canon 1Ds III with EF Macro 100/2.8L IS.

Romance

A rather common scene in south east Asia, where Banyan trees can easily be found. Here it is one.
Using a small compact camera, I snap this image of a Banyan tree which its trunk were intertwined.
To me it is a romantic, and sexy picture.

Contrast of an image

I took this image with a small Panasonic GF-1 camera, with a small pancake 20mm/1,7 lens, quite handy, while walking inside the beautiful Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiangmai.  This is am image taken right around the main entrance gate, here you have a splendid view of the property, a calm sanctuary inside a becoming-modern Chiangmai city, the tourism and business hub of northern Thailand.
Contrast is a subject I discussed often.  Yes, the modern optical design has the goal inching toward higher contrast, sharpness, definition,......they are all good.  While modern digital photography also gives you choices that back in those days - film can't. With a film, the photography is pretty much done after the exposure is taken;  with digital, depend on where you go, you go whereever!  Of course this is base on the same token that the knowledge and skill and vision is the same while the shutter is pressed, with film - you stay there, with digital capture, you have the option to go further.  Certainly further does not means better, further is an option. And to have options is not a bad idea.
Here with this image, in early January, Thailand is still in the middle of its winter season, although it can well around 30 C, or higher, in mid afternoon - when I took this image. Since I always shoot RAW, I am familair with the range the RAW file can provide.  My preference on this image is not to make it sharp, high contrast, vibrant color.  Rather, I want the image to be subtle, suggesting an image could have been taken century ago, soft, very low contrast - this way the leaves, branches, vague texture of the tree, building, the sky.....are all visible, and with harmony, rather than leaving all these element to fight for attention.  And the color, pull it back to make it a more softer tone, of more vintage view.  This can be quite subjective, and everyone can be right.  RAW image processed with Capture One Pro 5.x. Highly rcommended.

Age, hope and hopeless

A recent shot in northern Thailand, in a Hmong village.  This Hmong elderly,  quitely and calmly stare into the lens, what was she trying to tell? Or thinking?
Aged man or woman often considered and sought by many,  a good photography subject. And indeed they are. But of course, it also depends on how each one interpret the subject on the image. Here I saw a woman probably late in her 50s or 60s, city people really can't guess the age well for those live in sub-standard place, and I admit it.  The age has pretty much weathered her face, but much more than that, her life, the happiness, sadness, dimished desire, hope, or hopeless?  It is a face that has pretty much in peace with her life, and destiny.
Shot with Canon 1Ds III with EF Macro 100/2.8L IS.