Several girls went to a bar...

[Zachquiel]

Hello fellow DPS members!

This is my first post, although I have been around the site for six months, and most of what I know about photography was picked from the main site and forums.

Well, without further delay, I would like to ask everyone who sees this post, how would you make this picture better?

Thanks in advance

For further reference, every picture was taken with the following settings:

Camera: Canon Digital Rebel XSi
Exposure: 1/200
Aperture: f/10
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Flash: Flash fired (reflected)

[fletch]

Good editing skill. I can't see the joins! Ithink the placement of the girl(s?) could be better. At the moment it looks very un-natural so you imediately notice it is the same girl duplicated. IMO it would look better if all the different versions looked like they were interacting rather than posing separately. Like a whole bar full of the same person rather than a photoshop exercise.

Hope that make sense!

[Zachquiel]

Thanks for the input!

How about this?

I think this one looks more natural...

[300busa]

The second one looks very well done to me! Nice work.

[Jim Bryant]

The first one submitted is really an interesting picture. Good work!

[WolfD60]

Nice , what did you use ???
to do this ?

[xxpinballxx]

I think the second works better only for the fact that it looks like the girl on the right is looking at the girl passed out....I think doing with a couple grouping of girls would work better. Being that its girls in a bar, I never been in a bar where girls didnt stick to each other at the hip!

[Crystal Dawn]

I'm not qualified to comment on the technical aspects of the photographs. That being said, I love both of them, but the second does look more natural. Very nice work. Now, I'm envious and I haven't even had my coffee yet! lol

[Giya]

Very cool composite! I also think it would be cool if they were "interacting more." For me the second version is more interesting as a result. But I do like how you are showing off different moods in the first one. Try throwing in some different clothing elements/accessories into the mix too (take the scarf off for some, give someone a martini glass, etc.). You're doing that with the cigartte, but more would enhance the effect.

Is it a tad dark/underexposed? You are losing a lot of detail in her clothes, hair, etc.

[Zachquiel]

Thanks everyone for your compliments and input!

I made this using my trusty Canon XSi and a a Canon Speedlite 430ex bounced from the bar white ceiling at an angle of about 60 degrees to the left of the camera lens. All of it mounted on a tripod, firing from a laptop.

After the shoot, I compose the final picture in Photoshop using mostly basic masking.

Giya:
That´s a great tip, I´ll try to mix more clothing/accessories next time.
About the underexposure thing, I tried to focus a bit more on the faces, all the while trying to keep the mood that the bar had, maybe I should have used a lower f/ stop though.

xxpinballxx:
Nothing more true, they are always that close I will have that in mind next time, even if it makes it a tad more difficult.

Thanks again everyone!