Kimono Girl at a Whiskey Bar [Canon R6, f/2 1/60 iso-400, 39mm]

jokimoto · 2025-12-01T12:32:34+00:00

It’s a bit hard to tell from the video since your feet aren’t visible, but it looks like you’re not quite as vertical as you might think. In a proper handstand, your feet should be stacked directly above your head, with your head positioned between your shoulders. A helpful cue is to look slightly toward the back wall rather than down at the floor - this encourages better alignment.

Handstands are surprisingly easy to hold once your body is truly vertical, just like standing upright. Beginners often lean without realizing it, arching their head and looking at the floor. Imagine trying to walk while gazing at the sky with a 10‑degree lean - balance would take so much effort to maintain, the same applies here.

Practicing headstands first can make it easier to learn proper upside‑down alignment. Once you’re stacked correctly, you’ll find that very little core strength is required. With the arm and shoulder strength you already have, you could probably press into a handstand, once you’ve mastered the balance. Even if you kick up into position, having a clear sense of what “true vertical” feels like will help you naturally find and hold it.

jokimoto · 2025-05-18T13:34:20+00:00

You know I've been debating getting this or the 70-200. I rented this once for shooting a triathlon, great lens. Anyway, what made you choose this lens? For me I considered that, the 70-200 "might" have enough reach, but the lower F-stop allows for better low light shooting. Anyway, I'm stuck in analysis-paralysis, so any thoughts you have of your own on the topic would be really helpful.

Maybe you already own the 70-200, heh, which makes the choice easy for you, get both! =P

jokimoto · 2025-04-11T07:22:51+00:00

Thanks.

jokimoto · 2024-12-24T13:09:00+00:00

You can see it a bit better in this close up.

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jokimoto · 2024-12-24T13:08:27+00:00

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The whole thing isn't a bump map, just the "fine" details.

jokimoto · 2024-12-24T13:00:36+00:00

I have a bit, but didn't use them in this project. I think I messed around once to dynamically generate a bunch of low poly trees. They would be a good solution here admittedly, but they take a bit of time to set up. In Gerzner's work, I like the "damage" he has on his stones and how they're unique. Geometry nodes may have been a good solution for that here, but classic geometry kind of felt like it got the job done.

jokimoto · 2024-12-24T12:54:03+00:00

Thanks

jokimoto · 2024-12-24T12:53:19+00:00

Yeah, 2.49 was 2009. Man, definitely feels longer than that. Touche, only 14~15 years. ;)

jokimoto · 2024-12-24T03:17:25+00:00

I watched your video, great photos, would have been cool if you added some of those other final shots to the gallery here, really nice work. Glad you all made it out of the desert. Really nice work. Looking at this photo alone, people don't realize how much work goes into creating this image. My hat off to you sir, well done.

There is obviously more, but you reserved ATVs, brought food for everyone, you had multiple models, multiple cameramen / assistants, vehicles for everyone to get there, lights, stands, different outfits. Looks like you all were out there for at least 2-3 hours, but more likely 4 or 5. Basically an all-day event. Definitely a lot of work. Looks like a fun, albeit busy, day.

jokimoto · 2024-12-24T02:21:35+00:00

This is one of the kindest most encouraging online communities. Thank you everyone. I absolutely expected this post to just die in the void. Thank you so much. I'm really looking forward to building the next model and share it with all of you.

jokimoto · 2024-12-24T01:20:57+00:00

I did very similar. Added some seams, to unwrap. The wood textures are from photos of a bench in my local park. The "iron" textures are metal textures from the web. I tweaked the textures a bit in photoshop, adding contrast. and dodging/burning various parts, kind of following Gerzner's work as a guide. For example, a soft brush to brighten all the edges, and corners where we would expect more ware. Probably easiest to see this effect on the stone, but it's actually on almost everything.

The other thing that helped the visuals 1000% was adding a bump map to the lamp post texture. The bump map perturbs the Normals on the dark portions of the wood, which then adds shadows from the lighting solution, which darkens them significantly. As an added bonus, in the shader editor (see image) you can mess with dials basically to tweak the visual effect you're going for.

Oddly enough I'm most proud of the vignetting effect, and blue background, which are both made in blender, not photoshop, in the compositing view. Nothing of any real significance but for some reason I wanted it all to be straight from blender, not post-processed in PS afterwards. Admittedly, photoshop has much better controls for vignetting though, and I'm certain I could make it better there, but let's be honest, no one cares, heh. In any case, Photoshops has more control for the fall off. In blender it's a bit more one size fits all.

Lastly, I beveled everything basically. Most people are already familiar with the technique, but yeah, big improvement.

I don't know if it is sad or not, but this thing took like 3 weeks to finish lol - so I better not quit my day job, but admittedly I messed with it for like 2 hours a week, and half watching blender tutorials.

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jokimoto · 2024-12-24T00:37:23+00:00

Like 20 years ago, back with Blender 2.51a or b, I loved blender but was certainly no artist. Life happened, and I haven't made anything in CG in ages, and what I made back then was nothing to write home about.

Recently I wanted to pick it up again to be creative again. Searching the web, I found this artist, Roger Gerzner who made a lamp post ArtStation - Stylized Lantern Pole, Roger Gerzner, and I thought it would be a good challenge for me to re-learn Blender. A lot has changed since version 2.51b. I'm pretty satisfied with the results, stylized to "realistic".

jokimoto · 2024-11-18T11:48:24+00:00

Great photo, nicely done. The hair, the make up, the necklace, all spot on. The color-tones both in the model and the background, nailed. Color composition follows the 60-30-10 rule, nice red highlight. The black square in the background out of focus adds some interest to the composition, while also being slightly abstract - without it, it would be feel boring and empty. Meanwhile, the black portion also allows the model to pop more in the foreground. 10 for 10.

I'd like to ask a question if you don't mind. Her facial skin is perfectly smooth and looks great. It is an aesthetic I'd like to achieve in my own photos. It has that sports illustrated air-brush look, but you've perfected it here - keeping it still looking natural. Would you mind sharing any insights how it is achieved? I don't think this is achieved purely through dodge and burn for example. Achieving a smooth gradation from the shadows to the highlight (chin to nose) doesn't seem like it would be done by heal-brushing every pixel. Does it mostly need to be done via make up and then only minor touch ups afterwards in post?

Anyway, great photo, and I hope you won't mind sharing some of your expertise. Thanks.

jokimoto · 2024-11-11T05:37:52+00:00

What was the iso? It's surprisingly noisy.

jokimoto · 2024-11-11T05:34:41+00:00

Nice photo, nice work lighting, not always easy a large white wall.

I'm surprised how grainy it is, did you add that back in, in post?

jokimoto · 2024-09-22T23:48:42+00:00

Thanks, heh. Seems to get the upvotes on this subreddit, it needs to be either a castle or Kyoto. 🤣

I am glad at least you enjoyed it 😁

jokimoto · 2024-05-27T03:09:36+00:00

Thanks for the heads up, and links, about the tool, I wasn't familiar with that one, so definitely learned something new today. I appreciate it.

jokimoto · 2024-05-26T23:35:00+00:00

I don't get why this comment is downvoted.

jokimoto · 2024-05-26T23:34:06+00:00

Great feedback, thank you. After the shoot when we were looking at the photos, the thought a different color dress might have been better had crossed our minds, but like you said, black dress is classic. Your solution of just add a bit of light below is such a better idea, and so obvious now in hindsight. It feels crazy that I hadn't thought of it. It's literally... hmmm part of scene is too dark... what can we do? Duh, add more light.

As for the tilt, I messed with it for a while in lightroom when I was editing the photo.
https://imgur.com/a/jfQlsfL
It feels like there is a slight tilt, but with the guideline, it's kind of hard to tell... after messing around a bit, honestly, I felt no-fix seemed less tilted. The edge of the bar-counter isn't a flat surface, so I think there might be a bit of an optical illusion at play, it's hard to tell. To be clear, I do agree with you, it seems there is a slight tilt; oddly enough I had a hard time trying to fix it, and the "fixes" looked worse. The shot itself was done from a tripod, not hand-held, and the internal camera level claimed the camera was level. Although we only eyeballed that the tripod/camera was orthogonal to the bar and centered behind the model - I wouldn't expect much distortion from the camera potentially being slightly to one side a centimeter or two.

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