Aylen Suarez has always impressed me as a graceful lady, from when we first met at our local Strobist Meetup in Ybor City in Tampa. I knew with a little preparation we could produce some elegant images. I contacted my friend Richard Green, manager at Ethan Allen furniture store in Citrus Park as I knew we could benefit from their very chic and sophisticated decor and comfortable facilities for a great shoot.
Aylen brought some beautiful dresses, and this one by Jessica McClintock was an ideal garment to match a black and white themed area in the store. I spent some time arranging the furniture, while Crystal our Make-up Artist worked on her hair and appearance. A large soft box to the left provided the main light, while a rim light right back provided some fill. After a few basic poses to correct the lighting, I positioned myself and Aylen’s head to be placed between the picture and the curtains in the background. Her left leg and pointed toe (she had broken her toe the week before and came to the shoot in an orthopedic boot) accentuated her curves and the white lines of the dress beautifully. The black shimmering dress stood out from the white background. Her shoes were placed as if they were casually thrown aside, to offset the otherwise very formal elegance. The only colors in the photo are her skin, the reds of her lips and tulips, and the contrasting green of the plants. Post processing was minimal in Lightroom, with color balancing and some spot healing and selective brush desaturation of the floor which was not pure grey. My daughter Aisling and her friend Madison assisted with light and prop placement.
Click on the image to see more detail.
What a team!
I like the celebration of angles in this shot. The composition of the left edge in concert with the wall portrait and chairback + the lines of her body and of the dress. The tulips add warmth and romance.
And the shoes! The shoes caught my eye first.