[ftmftm]

Took this at the weekend, something different. Thanks David

[danpen]

I like the overall effect you've achieved here, but not keen on the pose, she looks very uncomfortable. I think the highlight along her right arm is a bit much but I do like her eyes.

cheers

Dan

[sawdust]

I like this type of shot And you have done a smashing job. but she looks a little uncomfortable with the guitar perhaps if she held it a little bit closer to her and put her hands in the general area they would be if she was going to play it .

[skipper954]

Agree, she looks uncomfortable.

And washed out. There needs to be a bit more black in the image, maybe dark lipstick, eyebrow enhancement or dark things for her hair, or some other props. Then maybe you could overexpose her more so that part of her form is left to the imagination.

Then a slightly more involved pose would help as well. If she actually plays the guitar, or even if she doesn't, she could pretend to strum. But no matter what, she needs more contact either with the camera or the props.

Hope this gives you some different ideas, because the concept is a good one.

skip

[Rob Barron]

Can I be perfectly honest? it looks IMO to be a question of 'here, hold this guitar to cover your naughty bits!' it is blatantly obvious that she hasn't a clue what to do with it and so despite holding it she looks completely disconnected from it. She has long nails (guitarists do not have long nails on the left hand!) and she is clutching rather than naturally holding it. Finally, I have never seen anyone playing the guitar in the nude and this in itself says 'I'm only holding it for this photo'.

I think the focusing is very good, nice and sharp and clear. The lighting is fairly even though she is a bit flat but that is mostly because she has a clearly very light complexion as well as having fair hair.

So technically it is fine but compositionally, pose-wise, it doesn't really 'hang together' as Skip would say

Hope that isn't too harsh, just doesn't really work for me, sorry.

Cheers,
Rob

[Whipspeed]

I agree with Rob about the pose & guitar, he's said just what I was thinking. The eyes are lovely, but her expression to me says fright, she's also hunched forward a bit to hide behind that guitar. Also agree with Dan about the highlight.

She could be a lovely model, put in the right pose, perhaps the hair done differently, not in pigtails, keep the eyes as they are, but a bit of lipstick to define the lips. In a pose where she's comfortable, you'll have your best shot yet. High key works well for her colouring.

[danpen]

Originally Posted by Rob Barron

Finally, I have never seen anyone playing the guitar in the nude and this in itself says 'I'm only holding it for this photo'.

Well Rob, I'm fairly sure you won't have seen it but I have been known to play guitar in my birthday suit .

However there's no photographic evidence and believe me, if there was I wouldn't be posting it.

cheers

Dan

[Whipspeed]

Thank god my son keeps his kit on when he's practicing!!!

[skipper954]

RE: playing the guitar in the nude

This is serious....something like that could be so different that it would draw the viewers interest. "Who is she? Why is she naked and playing the guitar? Is she part of a group? What is going on here?"

When a photograph is so different that it draws the viewer in and causes questions, then it is good and new. I am not speaking only of nudity, but of our trying different, seemingly really dumb ideas, to create something fresh and different.

Now, back to nudity. I vaguely remember a concert cellist who played in the nude. Sold out the house every time. This was perhaps 20 years ago.

I was doing a search to see if I could find her, and found this:

Cellist Says Playing Nude "Feels Natural"

Jesse Hale has always had the desire to play the cello naked, she tells The Columbus Dispatch. A music major at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee, she has played nude since she was in the sixth grade. As part of a sextet of nude cellists, she performs in concerts nationwide. "It just feels natural," Hale says.


I guess what goes around comes around.

OK, back to photography.

skip

[Rob Barron]

I absolutely agree Skip that we should look to push borders, go for the different angle and so forth. But in that sense you can then argue for the putting together of absolutely any objects, however inappropriate, and simply get out of it by saying 'I was going for something different!' In Brit lingo we call it 'a cop out!'

If this was a real guitarist in the nude I wouldn't have a problem with it as such, it is more the fact that she so clearly is not a guitarist nor has the faintest clue how to hold one or whatever that prevents the image from gelling in a way I would want it to.

I have heard of that nude cellist you refered to as well actually. I guess there is nothing new in her rationale comment: after all, every naturist I have ever heard on TV or magazine articles or whatever has used the sime worn-out comment 'It is the most natural thing in the world. It just feels totally natural!' Well, each to their own I guess, not for me to tell them what they should or should not do, but for me, I might not dress up for dinner but I do always stay dressed

So keeping it photographic, my point is really about whether this partiular lady and the guitar work together in this picture but sadly my feeling is they don't. Now if she wants a couple of guitar lessons, i'll be happy to help on two conditions.... she puts some clothes on and she gets them nails cut

Cheers,
Rob

[skipper954]

I agree, the image doesn't work.

I also will give her guitar lesson on two conditions:

She wears what she is wearing now.

I learn how to play the quitar.



skip

[fionaB]

hmmmmmmm maybe i should encourage Alan to get his kit off when he gets his guitar out......... intresting concept!
To the photo........ i feel it is too hi key if it can be sucha thing, the only contrast is the neck of the guitar but i dont feel that is enough, she is lost in the background.
agree with what has been said about the pose as well......... get herholding it naturally and ignoring the camera....

great to see something different however so never stop doing that!

Fi