Pin-up photography tips

[Mindfondler]

Hi all,

A plea for assistance!

Does anyone have any experience of 1940s/1950s pin-up style photography? I'd be very grateful to receive tips from photographers who have done this type of work and from ladies who have posed in this style.

Please bear with me while I explain further...

My wife had a professional photo-shoot a couple of years ago which she really enjoyed. She was a bit anxious in the lead-up to it but, once in front of the camera, she relaxed entirely and enjoyed the attention. We got some wonderful shots, ranging from costumes through lingerie to tasteful nude!

We recently discussed the possibility of a follow-up. I was struck by the idea of creating a homage to some classic pin-up images, as 1940s/1950s fashion suits my wife (elegant but fun, with stockings etc.) and quirky pin-up styles would allow her to engage her saucy sense of humour.

To check this out, I bought a glossy book of American pin-up art (this one). A couple of nights ago, my wife and I sat in bed and turned the pages together as we looked through the many pieces of great artwork. I'm delighted to report that my wife very much enjoyed the style and humour of the genre, and said that she would definitely be interested in posing for some tribute photos.

Now, I'm a reasonably competent photographer, but I don't have the studio gear to do this justice and, in any case, I'd need help sorting out make-up, hair, clothes and other props.

Before we consider approaching a professional photographer, I'd be very grateful to be able to discuss our initial ideas with people who have done this sort of thing before, with a view to firming up our ideas and receiving some practical tips. I think it's essential that we have a realistic understanding of what's possible and how we might achieve our aims before we get too deeply involved. Also, some moral support wouldn't go amiss!

I hope that I've managed to explain what we're looking for. Please feel free to ask any questions!

Many thanks in advance for any guidance.
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[ima6uldv8]

I haven't done that kind before but I have been told I have a good eye. I'm an amateur photographer. If you need help in picture taking stage, I'd be happy to help. I love the old style pin ups. Classic beauty in a very stylish way.

 

[Mindfondler]

Hi ima6uldv8! It's great to hear from you.

I haven't done that kind before but I have been told I have a good eye. I'm an amateur photographer. If you need help in picture taking stage, I'd be happy to help. I love the old style pin ups. Classic beauty in a very stylish way.

Many thanks for your kind offer.

As well as the picture-taking stage, I reckon that your skills could be useful to us earlier on, at the composition stage, when we're figuring out how we might set up each shot, and which props/outfits/makeup to prepare. (I assume that more technical aspects such as lighting and camera angles are best left to the discretion and experience of the photographer once we're in a studio)

Also, since you share our appreciation for classic pin-ups, I'd be interested in swapping views with you on which pieces of artwork might translate well into photos. We're at a very early stage at the moment, and it would probably not be productive for us to talk to a photographer until we have a much clearer idea of the concepts that we wish to bring to life.

Would you be interested in those possibilities? Please let me know if so. Thanks again!
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[Mindfondler]

*bump*

I'm still interested in any practical tips on how to create a 1940s/1950s pin-up look, as per my earlier posts.

My wife and I have been studying our big book of Gil Elvgren's work and we agree that we both like the ones that depict coyness and/or saucy fun (see examples below).

http://t0.***********/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTAVkFW1U4NZxZqCaZvmcauIgQD31YBuV04EBBXsagJ8VTdMKrfnOjaIGshttp://t2.***********/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRmZc4iYTYdaCzj4XPWh88t-n1D0mTdUVHufx0h61c1exFzMj1_z2fn_8whttp://t3.***********/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTKacu9isKMQzC3NpdIyogrS_782voHJA1k8sl46EDPvS-Tr1CciyzcQQgShttp://t3.***********/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ5_dc-dTNGOWNiYboMBCKC1hjTF-VWWuRgqh6-ZsHRHzqIfQ38fOqxP4AChttp://t1.***********/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS9DAjHXpZZ_lKohg6ShUOId8iZNlLK8Ma_KzJQJeKEL3xBGaJiotqUwBjZ

Link to Google Images search results

I'm sure that my wife would be able to create a great photographic tribute to this style, given the necessary outfits, props and studio setting.

We'd be very grateful for any further thoughts.
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[frostyghost09]

Keep us posted if you find out anything. Sounds like a cool and interesting idea

 

[Mindfondler]

Keep us posted if you find out anything. Sounds like a cool and interesting idea

Thanks for that! I certainly will give updates if I get the idea off the ground. That's unlikely to happen, though, unless we can obtain guidance on how to go about it and confidence that the venture is likely to be a success. Ideally, that needs to come from someone who doesn't have a direct interest in seeing it go ahead (i.e. not from a photographer whom we're seeking to pay to take the photos) -- hence my posting here.

Frankly, I'm surprised that there hasn't been more interest in this thread, considering that photography is another medium for telling a story. I was expecting the Literotica forum to be a rich source of ideas and tips on how to create something artistic and memorable, which we could share back in return.

Is it really true that recycled hardcore GIFs / JPEGs and blurry 'phone camera flashes are the erotica of choice for most people here?
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[frostyghost09]

Thanks for that! I certainly will give updates if I get the idea off the ground. That's unlikely to happen, though, unless we can obtain guidance on how to go about it and confidence that the venture is likely to be a success. Ideally, that needs to come from someone who doesn't have a direct interest in seeing it go ahead (i.e. not from a photographer whom we're seeking to pay to take the photos) -- hence my posting here.

Frankly, I'm surprised that there hasn't been more interest in this thread, considering that photography is another medium for telling a story. I was expecting the Literotica forum to be a rich source of ideas and tips on how to create something artistic and memorable, which we could share back in return.

Is it really true that recycled hardcore GIFs / JPEGs and blurry 'phone camera flashes are the erotica of choice for most people here?
.

From an artistic perspective...I'd say maybe first do kind of thumbnail sketches, or take notes of what you want to do/how you would like the photos to turn out. Think about, like, lighting, props, costumery, pose....that sort of thing.
As to the query you ended your last post with...it's true for a lot of people. Thing is, there are those among us (or am I alone in this?!) that see the need for more subtle sensuality in erotica. It's about seduction, not all-out "oh lookie me! *spread eagle*" At least, that's what I think, anyway.
Besides...recycled GIFS and camera shots are boring

 

[Mindfondler]

From an artistic perspective...I'd say maybe first do kind of thumbnail sketches, or take notes of what you want to do/how you would like the photos to turn out. Think about, like, lighting, props, costumery, pose....that sort of thing.

Thanks for those ideas! I don't have any artistic training, so it's helpful for me to understand a likely process to develop the concept even if it might seem obvious to others.

I apologise generally if I sounded a bit grumpy in my previous post about the shortage of replies. It was because I'm passionate about wanting to get this project off the ground but I'm short on direction.

On reflection, it seems likely to me that nobody else on the Lit forum has attempted this before -- or else they probably would have responded by now.

As to the query you ended your last post with...it's true for a lot of people. Thing is, there are those among us (or am I alone in this?!) that see the need for more subtle sensuality in erotica. It's about seduction, not all-out "oh lookie me! *spread eagle*" At least, that's what I think, anyway.
Besides...recycled GIFS and camera shots are boring

I agree with you about that. I sometimes wonder whether there is something wrong with me because I don't usually get a big kick out of explicit photos. On the other hand, an image which isn't explicit at all but tells a story about what's going on under the surface can be massively appealing to me. It's all about the mind (as per my username!).
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[frostyghost09]

Thanks for those ideas! I don't have any artistic training, so it's helpful for me to understand a likely process to develop the concept even if it might seem obvious to others.

I apologise generally if I sounded a bit grumpy in my previous post about the shortage of replies. It was because I'm passionate about wanting to get this project off the ground but I'm short on direction.

On reflection, it seems likely to me that nobody else on the Lit forum has attempted this before -- or else they probably would have responded by now.



I agree with you about that. I sometimes wonder whether there is something wrong with me because I don't usually get a big kick out of explicit photos. On the other hand, an image which isn't explicit at all but tells a story about what's going on under the surface can be massively appealing to me. It's all about the mind (as per my username!).
.

That last bit - EXACTLY!!!!!!!
As to ideas...I got to looking at the page for the book, and it kind of inspired some ideas. Perhaps take a few pinup-style photos, scan or download them (whichever floats your boat), then utilize some imaging program like Photoshop and add a filter? There are all kinds of filters...like, there's this one on GiMP called "Old Photo" that simply turns the image sepia... Sorry if I'm rambling! I think this thread is the first time I've been genuinely enthused since I joined Lit... Either way, I wish you and your wife nothing but the best in this endeavor!

 

[sweettalk]

I would say there are a few things as an amateur photographer that go a really long way. Especially since she is your wife there should already be a nice comfort level involved, which is nice and can only help.
Backdrop: clear out clutter and choose something neutral or draped so that only your wife is featured.
Take DOZENS and DOZENS of photos. It's always that one photo that rocks that you'd never get by only snapping twelve times.
Most photos that don't have any impact are taken from too great a distance. Get close.
Copy examples of photos you both like.
Move! It's very difficult to create good and flattering angles, that both the photographer AND subject are happy with. While taking all of those shots move and try different things. Look at what works for her and her features and then recreate as many of those shots as possible.

Good luck!

 

[Mindfondler]

Many thanks to sweettalk and frostyghost09 for your replies.

I would say there are a few things as an amateur photographer that go a really long way. Especially since she is your wife there should already be a nice comfort level involved, which is nice and can only help.
Backdrop: clear out clutter and choose something neutral or draped so that only your wife is featured.
Take DOZENS and DOZENS of photos. It's always that one photo that rocks that you'd never get by only snapping twelve times.
Most photos that don't have any impact are taken from too great a distance. Get close.
Copy examples of photos you both like.
Move! It's very difficult to create good and flattering angles, that both the photographer AND subject are happy with. While taking all of those shots move and try different things. Look at what works for her and her features and then recreate as many of those shots as possible.

Good luck!

That's great advice, thanks!

Another point that follows from what you've said is that it's important to have plenty of time available, so that it's possible to experiment and adapt freely without the pressure of a strict deadline. Also, it must be useful to have the option of trying a set of shots, reviewing them at leisure, and then coming back for another go.

One of my concerns about booking a session with a professional photographer is that those two areas of flexibility aren't likely to be available. I'm therefore thinking that it might be better for us to start with an amateur approach -- setting up our own shots together with whatever is available to us. Obviously, the quality of our photos will be severely limited without a proper studio, equipment, costumes, props and make-up, but we might still be able to have some fun and learn a lot about how we might proceed with a formal shoot.

That last bit - EXACTLY!!!!!!!

It's great to hear that others enjoy a more subtle approach.

As to ideas...I got to looking at the page for the book, and it kind of inspired some ideas. Perhaps take a few pinup-style photos, scan or download them (whichever floats your boat), then utilize some imaging program like Photoshop and add a filter? There are all kinds of filters...like, there's this one on GiMP called "Old Photo" that simply turns the image sepia...

That sounds like an intriguing possibility for our amateur experiments (see above). I'm generally sceptical about the over-application of photo editing techniques and filters which can lead to images looking jarringly unreal -- but in the particular case of the pin-up style, there's an expectation of a dreamy and whimsical appearance.

Sorry if I'm rambling! I think this thread is the first time I've been genuinely enthused since I joined Lit...

Wow! In that case, I hope that I can keep the idea progressing in order to maintain your enthusiasm. Maybe you'll be creating your own pin-up images soon! I imagine that many ladies would like to give it a try -- the style is a lovely and familiar art form, and also one which allows a lot of scope for a lady to showcase her individual personality and physicality.

Either way, I wish you and your wife nothing but the best in this endeavor!

Thanks very much, Leia! I'll keep you posted.
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[Mindfondler]

Apologies for bumping this old thread of mine, but my interest in this project has been re-kindled by a recent thread in The Playground (click!).

Would anyone like to add any ideas or suggestions? Is anybody else interested in doing this and would appreciate some peer support? Please let me know if so.
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[DriftWood75]

Hi mindfondler,


You sound like you have the basics already to hand with the images you wish to imitate from your book of pin ups.

What you have to remember is that is all about the look, so the hair, make up and costume will need to match the pin up look as close as possible. Just draping your wife over the stairs in stockings while certainly sexy will not grab that pin up feel if the hair and make up is not right.

As to photographing:

use digital camera preferably a DSLR.

A good lens of 50mm variety (this will mean you move around more than the model but not a bad thing)

A diffuser and reflector or something akin to get more light on your subject.

De clutter you scene. Look at the images you are copying very clean , simple back drops. Day to day objects can be overlooked.

Take tons of pictures fill a memory card with them, rather too many than not enough. Never snap one angle and think it is enough.

Regular breaks between setups nothing kills a shoot than utter boredom.

Touchy subject but Photoshop or any other editing programming to tidy up exposure or remove background noise, pimples, stretch marks etc.

Hope that helps, and good luck

 

[QSco]

Must of the images you posted can be recreated using a single off camera light (plus ambient light). With a DSLR I would recommend 28mm lens, unless you are using a full frame camera. 50mm can be a tight shot indoors on the smaller sensor. To help keep the focus where it should be, you can try hanging a solid color (or white) sheet behind. The key is getting the makeup right, once you have your wife looking like a pin up, setting up your shot is just a matter of trial and error. PM me if you want lighting ideas.

 

[Mindfondler]

Thanks very much to DriftWood75 and QSco for those very helpful tips! I won't quote them in full here, but please be assured that I've added them to my file of project notes.

The key point that I've taken away is this one:

What you have to remember is that is all about the look, so the hair, make up and costume will need to match the pin up look as close as possible. Just draping your wife over the stairs in stockings while certainly sexy will not grab that pin up feel if the hair and make up is not right.

Whilst I have some photography skills, I'm no expert on hair, make-up and costume, so I think it's vital that I find someone who can look after those. Although I've been cringing at the expense of hiring a professional who specialises in pin-up photography, I can see now that it might be the only way to achieve an authentic look. There's also the advantage that a pin-up specialist is likely to have a large collection of costumes and props to draw upon for a shoot.

I wonder whether there are any groups of amateur pin-up enthusiasts who do this type of thing regularly? I can imagine "pin-up weekends" in which individuals bring their respective skills (photography, make-up, hair, costume, composition etc) and the subjects pay a proportion of the pooled costs. I think it could be a lot of fun if it's done in the right spirit. I did a quick Internet search but I didn't find anything relevant -- in the UK, at least.

Does anyone know better?
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[Mindfondler]

I'm bumping this old thread of mine because my interest in pin-up and boudoir photography has been re-kindled recently, and I wondered whether anyone currently here shares this passion. There's been a lot of great advice given above that's still relevant and fresh, and I'd like to see it shared more widely.

If anyone near London, UK is interested in collaborating with me on this hobby, then please let me know.
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[RacyWilde]

I'm bumping this old thread of mine because my interest in pin-up and boudoir photography has been re-kindled recently, and I wondered whether anyone currently here shares this passion. There's been a lot of great advice given above that's still relevant and fresh, and I'd like to see it shared more widely.

If anyone near London, UK is interested in collaborating with me on this hobby, then please let me know.
.

Actually, being a subject, I might be able to provide some things to think about.

Firstly, the poses in pictures that you adore are quite often humanly impossible to recreate. Turns of the head over the should, positions of legs (legs and arms are often deceptively longer...lol) or having a nice flat tummy while twisted is not how the human body works. So even though the pics you like portray humans, they are actually cartoons and take out the realism for style and effect. Actually, the artist usually painted over a photo of a real woman and extended certain features to make her look skinnier, some features exaggerated, more falsely 'feminine'. If you want to create something similar with a real subject, pick the pictures that have less twists and placements in the body. Such as...

http://forum.literotica.com/showpost.php?p=60626919&postcount=156

or

http://forum.literotica.com/showpost.php?p=60673355&postcount=174


Here is an article about it...

http://www.lostateminor.com/2013/05/27/pin-up-girls-before-and-after/

Also, usually the bright colour schemes of such pin up pictures don't suit real people because of skin colour. Shading and colour schemes are used on the cartoon skin and therefore it is hard to get a similar scheme with real skins unless a filter is used. So, I suggest always aiming for black and white at first - like the older erotic photos that pop artists stole from to create their pin ups.

 

[puno]

I think you have had some great advice posted so far and so I hope I am not repetitive. First off I am an amateur photographer so take these as suggestions from my experiences and not gospel text book photography.

Racywilde is actually correct on the poses of Elvgren's illustrations. Several of the poses are not possible for a real human to duplicate. My suggestion here is have your wife practices some poses in front of a mirror she will start to get an idea what poses will work for her own body. Then perhaps when she feels comfortable you should watch her poses so you get an eye for what works and what doesn't. You'll be surprised that sometimes an adjustment of a hand or the pointing of a foot will dramatically change the look.

Now if you look at Elvgren's illustrations you will begin to notice the main source of light is in most cases coming from a 45 degree angle from the model and higher than the models head. The light is diffuse or in laymen's terms it isn't a bare bulb shining down on you model.

Now how to create that lighting. You can actually use a single source of light that has been diffused through a sheer fabric. Since I don't know what equipment you have, not intended to be a one liner, I'll just talk about a basic setup and some options.

A flash that can be used off the camera, a tripod or light stand, a shoot through umbrella or sheer fabric hung in front of the flash. If you don't have a flash that can be activated off your camera then a utility light with a reflector (easily purchased at a hardware store) and a sheer hung in front of the light at a safe distance so you don't start a fire. Your wife will probably be starting a fire anyways with her poses no need to make it an inferno.

Camera lens. Any good optic lens will do, just stay away from wide angle. 50 mm is good but in my experience you need to get very close to your model and sometimes that can be a little intimidating so I use a longer lens. Since you are a beginner you might find a zoom lens a little more useful that way you can frame your shot without having to move back and forth. Hint- fill your frame with what you want to be the focus of your shoot. We often take shots that make it look like the model is too far away or the background takes the viewers eyes away from where you want their eyes.

Last hint and some one posted this before. Shoot and shoot and shoot, even the best photographers come up with a small percentage of their shots being actual usable images. Plus the more your shoot the better you get, success only comes from the failures that your learned from along the way.

Good luck and I hope you don't give up on your interest in producing some creative and beautiful images.

 

[Mindfondler]

Thanks very much to RacyWilde and puno for that great advice.

I'm currently in "catch up" mode on Lit, so I haven't had time to consider it properly, but I most definitely will do so soon. I've also pointed tinglebliss in the direction of this thread so that she can think about ways in which she can act as my subject.

Cheers — much appreciated!
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[TheLM]

I've done lots and lots of photography... my best advice is, in a nutshell, look for a photographer who has these specific styles in a routine package.

There are actual "pinup weekends" that photographers will book where each girl gets an allotted time and various places to shoot. Everybody wants the pool table shot and the bedroom shot, lol.

Often if they are set up to do it as a package they will be better preparedness to get good results AND cheaper than a one-off.

Helps if you live in a metro area.