Potluck Fashion: Maria

I'm posting a flurry of photos to play catch up for being gone for a week. Although looking at my blog stats and the lack of a single comment, it looks like there's no one to miss me yet :)

If you are reading this and enjoy my blog, please let me some comments!

Here's another (and probably the last) photo from Maria. She had a special request for me to do a color isolation on this photo like I did for the last one she sent me.

Maria modeling for Potluck Fashion (raw photo)

Retouched (color isolation)

Project Hosiery: Hue Backseam

The next installment of Project Hosiery is of a brand that's already been covered in the French Lace line, Hue. The product in this post is Hue Backseams.

Jana channels her inner ballroom dancer in Hue Backseams (raw photo)

Retouched

According to Hue and other makers of backseam hosiery, the seam both lengthens and narrows the appearance of the leg. They're also a bold statement and make an outfit look more formal, especially in the off-black color modeled by Jana.

Making a statement

Though she couldn't see herself wearing this product for everyday events, the model was a fan of them. Comfort and appearance both scored high, as did support since this particular product has a control top.

Durability was average, although Jana did say they seemed a little fragile. Overall, she liked this product and could see herself wearing it for a dance competition or for a Halloween costume, but as said before they were a bit too bold for everyday wear.

For more information about Hue Backseamed hosiery, check out their page:
http://www.hue.com/Hosiery/Sheer-Hosiery/HUE-Backseam-Control-Top-Pantyhose.aspx

Jessica

Here's another photo from Jessica with a couple of retouches. The first retouch is just a standard one, but for the second one I pulled the midtones back, and I think the result looks pretty sweet.

Jessica on the beach (raw photo)

First retouch (standard)

Second retouch (supressed midtones)

Potluck Fashion: Rachel

Here's another photo from Rachel. Her submissions have been pretty good quality in general, so the touchups I've done have been pretty subtle. Hopefully you can tell that a good amount work still went into them!

raw photo (Photographer: Dupris Photography - https://www.facebook.com/DuprisPhotography)

Retouched

Project Hosiery: Hanes Solutions

Kristina is back for another installment of Project Hosiery. The product in this post is Hanes Solutions. I've already featured the thigh high version of this project in a previous post featuring Stephanie.

Kristina modeling Hanes Solution in tan (raw photo)

Retouched

Once again, Hanes Solutions is typically found at common department stores like Target for around $8 a pair. The model was please with the product, giving it high rating for appearance, support, and durability.

As far as comfort, Kristina said that while they were comfortable, she was definitely aware that she was wearing them (compared to the Calvin Klein pair she modeled, which she praised for being so comfortable she could barely tell they were on). Nevertheless, she said that it was still likely that she would purchase the product.

Overall, my impression of Hanes versus other department store products is that they are usually rated the same as other products that are available for half the price. It could have been model-bias, but it seems that they may be a little overpriced.

Hanes Solutions isn't listed on the corporate site, but I did find them on Target online:
http://www.target.com/p/hanes-solutions-women-s-silky-sheer-control-top-pantyhose-assorted-colors/-/A-14174656

Kayla

Kayla is an example of one of the models I had wanted to work with, but plans fell through the cracks due to scheduling conflicts. I really liked the sample photo I did for her though, so I decided to share it!

Kayla (raw photo)

Retouched

Potluck Fashion: Ashley

As I mentioned in my last post about Ashley, I am planning to do more work with her. While waiting for another batch of photos from her, I thought I would share another of hers I worked on for this blog.

Ashley modeling some formalwear (raw photo)

Retouched

Project Hosiery: DKNY Iridescent Tights

The next installment for project hosiery is a unique color of tights. Made by DKNY, these iridescent tights are a purplish-blue but have a shimmer to them.

Stephanie modeling DKNY iridescent tights (raw photo)

Retouched

This product was quite opaque, and the model gave it top scores for support and durability. Comfort was also rated highly, although Stephanie, who is also a dancer, said the reminded her of dance tights as far as how they felt.

 The appearance of iridescent tights is probably a niche preference, but Stephanie loved them. She said that they made her feel energized and that they would be a great pair to wear to a club.

DKNY offers a variety of colors of tights, and at $14.50 a pair, they are a bit of an investment but will last a long time.

For more information, see DKNY's website:
http://www.dkny.com/accessories/shop-by-category/hosiery/412/opaque-coverage-control-top-tight

Potluck Fashion: Rachel

Here's another photo from Rachel.

raw photo (Photographer: Dupris Photography - https://www.facebook.com/DuprisPhotography)

Retouched version (J Sanders Photography)

The raw photo was pretty dark, so I balanced the contrast and did a pretty routine stray hair removal. I actually kind of liked the dark brick background but opted to get rid of most of it.

Katie

It's back to Minnesota for the next post. I worked with Katie before coming up with the idea for potluck fashion or project hosiery, so my samples from her are just of touchup work. I thought she had some cool photos though, so I wanted to share.

Raw photo

Retouched

Faded/Color isolation version

Project Hosiery: Falke Shelina

The next product for Project Hosiery is from a company with a long history. Falke was founded in Germany all the way back in 1895 as a knitting mill. It wasn't until 1946 however that they entered the legwear industry.

The official name of the featured product is Falke Shelina 12, the number referring to the denier (weight). A low denier, Shelina is branded as a providing a summery, shimmery tone. Hosiery and summer don't necessarily make sense in the United States, but I imagine they go together better in cooler climates.

Jana in Falke Shelina (raw photo)

Retouched

Jana was very please with this product. Shelina comes in a variety of skin tones, the lightest being golden, which the model thought matched her skin very well. Comfort and durability were also rated highly, the latter being a surprise given how thin the material was, even for sheer nylons.

Support was only average, but Jana said the overall likelihood of purchasing the product was high because they felt and appeared like above-average hosiery.

At 10 euros (about $13) a pair, Falke Shelina is a higher priced product, but according to the model it's worth the investment. I found this product, and other non-US brands, through an online reseller called www.MyTights.com.

For more info about the product and brand check out its product page: 
http://www.falke.com/gb/women/fine/tights/falke-shelina-12-den.html

Potluck Fashion: Angela

Angela is an aspiring model from California. She enjoys performing arts as a whole and is looking to break into modeling, dancing, or acting, as long as she can participate in the industry.

The photos she sent me for potluck fashion were lower resolution, but I was still able to clean them up.

Angela models for Potluck Fashion (raw photo)

Retouched

I prefer working with higher resolution photos, but as I said in a previous post, sometimes a lower resolution offers a good challenge. I haven't worked on anything new for Angela for a while but am hoping to in the future (there are one or two other photos I worked on for her I may post later).

Project Hosiery: Hanes Solutions Thigh Highs

So far I've featured both sheer nylons and tights for my posts from Project Hosiery. This next post introduces a new style of hosiery: thigh highs.

Thigh highs use an elastic band at the top of each leg to stay up. This specific product, Hanes Solutions, featured a classic top, but they also come with more a decorative, often lace-top.

Stephanie modeling Hanes Solutions (raw photo)

Retouched

Photo showing the "Classic Top" style

This was Stephanie's first time wearing thigh highs, and she described the comfort to be "a little weird." Overall she found the appearance pleasing, as well as the durability.

Support wasn't rated since there was no way to compare the product to a full pair of nylons, but the model did say she was confident they wouldn't slide down over time. Overall, the likelihood to purchase/wear was mid-range since she wasn't used to them, but she did admit that they could come in handy as they were easy to put on and remove.

While Hanes Solutions appear to have been discontinued, Hanes does offer other lines of thigh high hosiery, and prices range from $8-10 a pair. 

Jessica

Beyond the two main projects I've been posting samples from, I've also done touchup work for models looking to expand their portfolios in exchange for being able to use their pics in my own. One of those models is Jessica.

raw photo

Retouched

Artistic version

I have more photos of Jessica and other models that I did general touchup work for that I will also start posting.

Interested in having me retouch some of your photos? Let me know!

Project Hosiery: Jonathan Aston tights

We're going international with this next post from Project Hosiery! This product featured in this post is a pair of 40 denier opaque tights from Jonathan Aston.

(For those unfamiliar with the term, Denier, pronounced de-neer, is a unit of weight for measuring fabric like silk, rayon, and nylon. Therefore, a higher denier equals a thicker or more opaque pair of hosiery).

Jonathan Aston is a European brand of hosiery, specifically from England. They offer a wide variety of products; in fact they offer over 20 different colors of their 40 tights (Jana modeled them in Burgundy).

Jana model Jonathan Aston (raw photo)

Retouched

As far as appearance, the model thought this pair was fine, although it wasn't a style or color she said that she would normally wear. Comfort and support were both adequate, and durability was not an issue since they were tights (thicker and stronger than nylons).

Overall, Jana said she wasn't likely to buy this product, but only because she said she couldn't see herself wearing them based on her personal style. They're a good deal at around $9 a pair, but you have to add on shipping since they're not available in US stores. Actual price is closer to $15.


Check out the product page for more info on Jonathan Aston tights:
http://www.jonathanaston.com/range?catid1=1&catid2=12

Potluck Fashion: Samantha

Samantha is another Minnesota model I worked with for Potluck Fashion. She is an actress and sometimes model. The photos she submitted were already decent quality, so I took a more artistic approach editing them.

Samantha all dressed up (raw photo)

Artistic retouch

The model was very please with the work I did, and I did a couple other similar edits per her request.

Among her other talents are guitar, piano, gymnastics, and singing. I only did limited work with Samantha and as such only have one or two more pics of her, none of which are quite as glamorous as the one above.

Project Hosiery: Calvin Klein Cool Sheer

This next model, Kristina, did a bit of a crossover between Project Hosiery and Potluck Fashion. While we connected during the first project, her submissions probably fit better into the second project as she did her own modeling with her own wardrobe. One of the products she modeled was Calvin Klein Cool Sheer.

Kristina modeling Calvin Klein Cool Sheer (raw photo)

Retouched

 The down side of working remotely was that the submitted photos were lower resolution compared to other models. Still, it presented a fun challenge to do a touch-up to lower resolution photos.

As far as the product, Kristina was very impressed with Cool Sheer. She said she loved the appearance, and while the midsection support was firm, she could barely tell she was wearing hosiery otherwise.

Durability was good, and overall likelihood to wear/purchase was high. Out of a possible score of 10, Kristina gave these a 9. And at $10 a pair, that's a great deal considering the quality.

 Unfortunately, it would appear that this product may be discontinued. I was unable to find a product page for it, and even third party vendors appear to be out of stock. That's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes!

Potluck Fashion: Ashley

Ashley is another model I've worked with from Minnesota. She may just getting started in modeling, but she's had a passion for it for a long time.

Ashley strikes a pose (raw photo)

Retouched

I have several more photos from Ashley and hopefully will be working more with her in the future, so stay tuned!

Project Hosiery: No Nonsense

The next installment of Project Hosiery is another pair of sheer hosiery. This time it's No Nonsense Almost Bare.

This product is usually found at drug stores, such as Walgreens, CVS, or Rite Aid. At around $4 a pair, they're similar priced to L'eggs Sheer Energy.

Stephanie wearing No Nonsense Almost Bare in nude (raw photo)

Retouched

Although the price is similar, the overall rating by the model, Stephanie, was not. "They were pretty nonsense," she told me. While she rated the appearance equal to Sheer Energy, she said the comfort and support levels were lower. And as far as durability, she discovered a snag in one of the legs by the time she was done modeling them.

Overall, Stephanie said she was less likely to buy this pair over Sheer Energy, and given the price comparison, she didn't see anything to gain from them.

For more info on No Nonsense Almost Bare, check out their product page:
http://www.nononsense.com/product.aspx?productID=94

Potluck Fashion: Maria

Maria is an all-around performing artist from California. Beyond modeling, she has also taught dance lessons, is attending a performing arts academy, and loves cosmetology and anything about fashion.

Maria submitted multiple photos for Potluck Fashion, and not to stroke her ego, but I was very impressed by her fashion sense!

Maria poses for Potluck (High) Fashion (Raw photo)

Retouched

 The red in this photo really caught my eye, so I decided to a black/white/red photo too.

Black/White/Red

 I'll be the first to admit it's a little cliche, but I still like it, and so did Maria. It really highlighted her cool feather earrings and killer kicks.

Is your fashion sense like Maria's? Consider modeling for Potluck Fashion!

Project Hosiery: Hue French Lace

Most of these early posts will be featuring new models, but I will be posting multiple photos per model eventually. This next model is Jana, and she was a part of Project Hosiery.

The product featured in this post is Hue French Lace. Hue is a common brand at more upscale department stores like Macy's and Von Maur. They feature an "invisible" control top and come in three colors. Jana modeled the product in nude.

Jana models Hue French Lace (raw photo)

Retouched

At $12 a pair (or $23 for a 3 pack), these hosiery cost more than the L'eggs nylons in the previous post. However, according to Jana, it's worth the extra money.

While she rated their appearance the same, she also claims that they were more comfortable than L'eggs (which, spoiler alert, she also modeled). Support and durability were adequate, also the model expressed some concern about how delicate they felt. 

Overall, she was impressed with the product but would recommend them for nicer occasions over everyday wear, primarily due to the cost and the concern that they felt easy to run.

Check out Hue French Lace's product page for more info:
http://www.hue.com/Hosiery/Sheer-Hosiery/HUE-French-Lace-Control-Top-Pantyhose.aspx

Potluck Fashion: Rachel

Stephanie, the model from my last post, was one of the first models I worked with. This post's model, Rachel, is one of the most recent.

Rachel is a graduate student from the Twin Cities. She is also a model/actress who participated in my Potluck Fashion project!

Photographer: Dupris Photography (https://www.facebook.com/DuprisPhotography)

 

Retouched version (J Sanders Photography)

This touchup involved centering the model in the photo as well as increasing the brightness and balancing the color saturation. I also did some skin-smoothing and covered up an earring hole.

Rachel has been actively participating in the Potluck Fashion project, so expect to see more of her (and even her husband, Garret).

Interested in participating in Potluck Fashion? Let me know!