Thanks for the input. I will keep your ideas in mind.
<What you've uploaded shows NO signs of movement, No intimations of how exactly you <plan to montage all these images (including a nude!) into a coherent whole. It's just a <lady with a shawl standing in a field in a VERY static pose. She looks stiff, with no bend <in any of her joints. That will not convert to dancing well. Even Photoshop has it's <limitations that the Motion Blur filter cannot fix...
I have many more images of her dancing (or rotating I guess). I will experiment with adding a few more on top and see what I can do.
<And, excuse me, but what "statues and ruins" are you talking about blending in? I don't <see anything to give the impression of statues OR ruins.
They are not there yet. I have some on layers but Im trying to compose where they should be. I think I will put a few details in the back of the trees. Will come back when I have done some tests.
<The forest background you are using is pretty bad. The trees are DEAD to almost the top <of the photograph...You only have a few green boughs bending down from the top...The <downed trunks on the ground behind her visually cuts her off at the knees, and she has <no visible feet.
I think the background is great. Maybe a bit dead, but I could add more colors to it. Im not sure that its a bad thing they are dead. I think it adds a solemn feel to the image. I will see what I can do with the trunc, it seems like a good idea to take it away.
<Now, just to clarify this thoroughly muddled post...You plan to photo montage this scene <into existence, or is this just a visual "placeholder" for you, and you are going to be <painting this scene with Photoshop? If it is the former, you need a lot more photographs. <If it is the later, you still need more photographs, but not a lot.
I plan to use this photo and several other similar shots from the scene.
<The spotlight beaming down looks like some spaceship is ready to beam her up. Magical <or not, light beams need to come from somewhere. They don't just spontaneously shine <down on anything. Faeries, wizards, or gods, alike...
True, it is intentional from my side that the light has no explanation. I will try several different light compositions though.
<Do you have any type of compositional sketches made for this? Your layout is quite flat <and boring, with the woman centered in front of a bunch of half-dead, nondescript <conifers...The lighting for your scene, not even taking into account your "magical <spotlight from nowhere," is going to be a nightmare. Even as a photograph it is not <working, and converting the concept to reality is going to be a major pain if you don't <have a solid compositional foundation beneath you, which, at this point, it does not <appear you do...
Well I can only try to compose as good as Im capable. :) How do you suggest I change the composition? I like it that it looks like a forest gland with heavy trees around and there is a bit of grass. How should the light be different and the actual composition? Maybe I can do anything with this picture but I could try out different ways when Im out in the forest the next time.
<What is your main focal point? The woman? Then why is she such a small portion of this <scene?
The focus is both the woman and the surroundings. So she is fairly small in the deep forest.
<What is the mood? If it is happy and dancing,
Not completely sure. Mystical is my aim. I will work more on preparing the mood next time. Its not happy dancing for sure. More like the turkish dancers spinning slowly.
<why is your lighting overcast and flat?
The sun was just setting. What light situation do you think would have worked best here?
<The conflict between your stated intention and the static pose will be your biggest hurdle.
Ok. I will try mixing the other images when she is moving, some have more movement in them. If they are not moving enough I will make her be more static, I kind of like that too.
<I certainly wouldn't be concerning myself with flowers and mushrooms at this stage. You <need to concern yourself with your subject and the background MUCH more...
Ok, I will take away the tree, see if I want to do something with the brown trees and experiment with her dancing.
Thanks for the pointers!
/Andreas
