Betzu In The Living Room

The objective for a session with a new-to-me model is simply "get acquainted". The whole idea is to determine how well we work together. As such, I like to try a variety of setups & lighting arrangements. Here, we close the window shade so that we can move away from the window light & start using the strobe light -- this time with a large soft box.

I just love how Betzu's hair style frames & compliments her face.

I edit my digital images using Paint Shop Pro, and it has several built-in "artistic effects". By far, my favorite is the "paint brush" effect, and the "enamel" effect is a distant second. But there are dozens of effects available, and I do like to play with them all. This one here is the "colored pencil" effect.

I think this effect looks good on Betzu, and especially with this image. I like how Betzu's lovely face is rendered. I like how her eyes are very detailed while the rest of the image becomes less distinct. (The original & the "paint brush" versions of this image are on the Out Takes gallery for this session).

This is the "sketch" effect. Again, look at those eyes!

We try a little fun experiment. Betzu wants to be a photographer, and she has some self-portraits in her modeling portfolio.
So, for fun, I give her my little point & shoot camera, set to its wide angle setting & set to use its bulit-in flash. So, I ask Betzu to make some self-portraits while I photograph her making those self-portraits. The plan is to show them side by side. Take a look:

(Yes, it is difficult to pair the images from my regular camera with the images from the point & shoot camera).

Okay -- you mix & match:

Sometimes, the point & shoot's built-in flash doesn't fire.
Betzu is prolific with that point & shoot camera -- she snaps away from all angles. I can't keep up with her. It got me thinking...

When I worked with film & paper, I had a strict limit -- I made exactly 100 exposures for the entire session. Why? Because 100 exposures was 10 rolls of 120 film, and my Jobo film processor could develop up to 10 rolls at one time. Further, I printed a good percentage of the negatives, and that takes time & money.

When I switched to digital, I didn't have to spend all that time in the darkroom, and it was easy to make more exposures. For the same amount of time, I made maybe 300 or more exposures.

But then, I do process nearly every exposure -- I just have to look at each one. That, too, takes a lot of time (but it doesn't cost me much at all except time).

Betzu made 2-3 times more exposures than I did in the same amount of time. Then again, she didn't have to process all those images.

Watching Betzu photograph herself reminds me to check out additional perspectives.

Betzu has great focus. She moves really well.

Betzu is amazingly impressive, but to me, her most impressive feature is her lovely face. I decide to try something I rarely try -- I try to craft some glamour lighting for her.

Betzu Glamorous