Recent Professional Works

[Rob C]

Yup!    That piece of furniture appears to be a footstool or ottoman, and the asshole is using it as intended.   Furthermore, I’d prefer that he keep his shoes on rather than remove them in a public place (airports in the U.S. notwithstanding). 

An ottoman is a seat, sometimes a box. It isn't a footstool. Nobody in their right mind would produce an item in a fine fabric cover with the intention of having footwear placed upon it. But anyway, it happens everywhere, even in restaurants and bars where children come off the street with their parent(s) and are stood up on barstools next to the adult, never a thought given to the next adult who's going to sit on that now dirty stool...

Rob C

[Rob C]

I'd rather she kept her boots on...

Are you sure, Keith...?

To quote Chuck yet again: it goes to show you never can tell.

;-)

Rob C

[dmerger]

An ottoman is a seat, sometimes a box. It isn't a footstool.

"Definition of OTTOMAN … b : an overstuffed footstool"   http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ottoman 

[jsch]

Hi,

I'm completely with Rob in the "Ottoman"-case. I thought so when I saw the image the first time but kept my trap shut (can you say so in english?) because I thought when CBarrett posts this image it must be OK for him and his clients.

But Rob encouraged me to give my opinion in this case into the game: No matter what it is called. It looks like something to sit on. And Rob is right - me thinks. Someone walks into dog/cat poo or something else and puts his boots on that "thing" you don't want to be the next who will sit on it.

But other countries other habits. Or what Cicero said a long time ago: "O tempora o mores."

Best,
Johannes

[Scott Hargis]

Well....most Americans are utterly bewildered (and freaked out) when they encounter their first bidet, so maybe people in other countries are equally flustered by the concept of a footstool. Although I can attest that they're not uncommon in the countries I've traveled to. It's not exactly a new idea.

But seriously guys -- what did you imagine the purpose of this furniture arrangement was, if not as it's depicted here? Is this a space for 9 people to have intense face-to-face meetings, where half of them sit back at their ease while their counterparts crouch awkwardly on a low stool? That's how it's done at the pedicure station at your local nail salon.
Or were you envisioning theater-style seating in which everyone was facing the windows, enjoying the view?

[Yelhsa]

Now all the architects want people in their shots!

How does that work Chris - as in: do the architects now require you to provide them with a 'model release' for all these people or do they somehow obtain permission from the college / owners of the building or are the images never really used commercially as such ?

Great images by the way.

[Rob C]

Well....most Americans are utterly bewildered (and freaked out) when they encounter their first bidet, so maybe people in other countries are equally flustered by the concept of a footstool. Although I can attest that they're not uncommon in the countries I've traveled to. It's not exactly a new idea.

But seriously guys -- what did you imagine the purpose of this furniture arrangement was, if not as it's depicted here? Is this a space for 9 people to have intense face-to-face meetings, where half of them sit back at their ease while their counterparts crouch awkwardly on a low stool? That's how it's done at the pedicure station at your local nail salon.
Or were you envisioning theater-style seating in which everyone was facing the windows, enjoying the view?

Nothing more than part of the malaise that I've already condemned: style over substance and reality of purpose, just like the bathroom fittings.

Regarding dmerger's definition: check out the Concise Oxford and get a different definition, one that matches my own long understood one.

Rob C

[ChristopherBarrett]

Dude.  This is a university.  Have you ever seen a college student that respected furniture?  But actually, yes, the ottomans serve as an extension of the lounge chairs.  They are for your feet and we posed her that way.

I think there was a technical question... this is late afternoon sun and the contrast ratio between interior and exterior is very tame at that time of day.  I did blend in an exposure one stop deeper for the windows to extend the range a little.

Available light.  I don't recall off hand, but it was probably F/11 ISO 50 at either 1/4 or 1/8th.

Ashley, clients either bring in their own staff to pose or carry releases and grab anyone who's willing.  Or, since it's typically their client we're working with, who are often partners in the shoot, we can frequently use employees in the photos without constraint.

Thanks for the comments!

CB

[Rob C]

Hi CB

Glad we sorted that one out. Keith's a better chicken sexer than am I; some unversities spend too much money providing students with the basis for bad manners. It'll never catch on in Britain: we haven't the money to burn at the alter of Sloth.

;-)

Dude.

[dmerger]

Rob, unfairly calling someone an asshole is not exactly good manners.  Perhaps an apology to Ms. Asshole is in order?   

[Rob C]

Rob, unfairly calling someone an asshole is not exactly good manners.  Perhaps an apology to Ms. Asshole is in order?  

Dear Ms A,

I apologise for putting you in the same sentence as the word asshole when, clearly, that job description resides with the art director who, unsure of the function of the 'ottoman', put you into such an incriminating and undignified situation. I know perfectly well that you would never, in real life, even think of putting your boots, clean, dirty or even just polished onto any form of fabric that might, just might, suffer consequential damage and/or contamination by shoe polish, street dirt, dog dirt or even - assuming this isn't Singapore - chewing gum. That such contamination might possible affect another person's wellbeing would obviously be foremost in your mind, as surely it was in mine.

Personally, I really love ladies with long hair, but there you are, takes all sorts to make up this wonderful meld of humanity of which I'm sometimes happy to be part. Reminds me of the 60s when the Beatles and the Stones 'liberated' us males from the tyranny of the short-back-and-sides; I remember hearing a person in a shop remark to another: you can't tell the men from the women these days! What an idiot! I never had any such problems: I just went to a model agency and they sorted it all out quite quickly and my clients were never disappointed or unduly surprised with the 'talent', as it's called these days.

So again, I'm sorry for the confusion I must have caused!

I kneel at your feet, head bowed and remorse filling my lungs with despair.

Rob C

[KLaban]

Personally, I really love ladies with long hair, but there you are, takes all sorts to make up this wonderful meld of humanity of which I'm sometimes happy to be part.

Love away, Rob, Ms A has long hair.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Rob,

If you think architects, interior designers and art directors do sometimes crazy stuff, wait till you see what this guy did:

Glass Floored Bathroom Built Directly over an Empty Elevator Shaft

[Rob C]

Love away, Rob, Ms A has long hair.

You know Ms A, Keith? It must be another picture.

Rob C

[Rob C]

Rob,

If you think architects, interior designers and art directors do sometimes crazy stuff, wait till you see what this guy did:

Glass Floored Bathroom Built Directly over an Empty Elevator Shaft

He should be sentenced to spending his life in that room.

We did a shoot for a holiday brochure and had to go to Torremolinos. We were assigned room 13 on the 13th floor of some hotel block; the lift wasn't cleverly timed, and we'd wait for ages for it actually to come up to our floor, making breakfst a problem. But, worse, was the bed: it overhung space on some sort of cantilevered, triangular glass-walled platform that scared the living out of me; probably the perfect place to have that bathroom en suited! Maybe it was actually meant to be a terrace but they changed their minds or realised there wasn't space for a bed inside the room. I hate tourism too. Now, I feel a little bit better!

I fear these vertiginous places; could never cope with the States or even the famous Eiffel - happy to stay near the floor.

Rob C

[jsch]

Dude.  This is a university.  Have you ever seen a college student that respected furniture?  But actually, yes, the ottomans serve as an extension of the lounge chairs.  They are for your feet and we posed her that way.
...
Ashley, clients either bring in their own staff to pose or carry releases and grab anyone who's willing.  Or, since it's typically their client we're working with, who are often partners in the shoot, we can frequently use employees in the photos without constraint.
...

1) How much is the tuition at this university? ;-)

2) The problem with employees: What happens to an employee didn't want to be photographed? Can she/he refuse? What happens when they refuse? Does it have an impact on their career?
People are usually not hired as a models. Frequently I sense that employees were uncomfortable in such situations. Consequently I tend to photograph them in the blurred style you see often in architectural photographs.
I always feel awkward if I have to put someone in my image and I feel that the person didn't want to be photographed and just plays nice because of the boss.

If I re-read my post it sounds like I'm a to-much-of-a-problem-guy, a grumpy man. But my english is not good enough to write this in a light funny way like Rob.

Best,
Johannes

[KLaban]

It must be another picture.

Exactly, Rob.

Just scroll up to CB's other images in the series and all will be revealed.

[ChristopherBarrett]

Totally.  We almost always shoot the version without people first.  I usually retouch that version (including any HDR work) and then drop the people into it.  In this particular case (the girl and the ottoman) the Architect only wanted the populated version and didn't think the space worked without people.  I agreed.

[Scott Hargis]

Ditto all of the above. Rarely if ever do I get professional talent, but oh, man -- what a difference it makes. You can get EXACTLY what you want, for as many takes as you need.
Finish the shot first, then put the people in for an alternate version, let the client pick between the two. I often find myself building proof galleries so they can choose the one where the human is doing exactly the right thing.

[Rob C]

Exactly, Rob.

Just scroll up to CB's other images in the series and all will be revealed.

Goodness me! Unless my peepers decive me (not unknown!) the lady has just changed her trousers, too. In one shot they are quite a dark colour and in the controversial shot, pale!

I suspect I'd best leave it there.

Rob C