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The Portrait Thread.

Discussion in 'Street, Documentary, and Portrait' started by Vidar, Sep 30, 2010.

Top Rated
  1. Vidar

    Vidar Mu-43 Top Veteran

    545
    Dec 31, 2009
    Bergen, Norway
    "The most difficult thing for me is a portrait. You have to try and put your camera between the skin of a person and his shirt."

    -Henri Cartier-Bresson



    I love good portraits. But it is not easy to take them...

    I want to learn how to take better portraits, and I think we need a good portrait thread here on :43:.com.

    I would be glad if you will share your portraits here so we can learn from each other.

    Please allow me to start with two pictures of two friends (I appreciate all feedback)

    E-P1 with Kit-Zoom:
    17.jpg
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    E-P1, Voigtlander Nokton 35mm at f1.4
    2.jpg
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    Vidar, Sep 30, 2010
    #1
    • Like Like x 1
  2. dulaney22

    dulaney22 Mu-43 Regular

    106
    Aug 18, 2010
    Love that first one. Do you mind saying how you made the effect or what kind of filter/software was used?
     
    dulaney22, Sep 30, 2010
    #2
    • Like Like x 1
  3. Streetshooter

    Streetshooter Administrator Emeritus

    5,138
    Dec 15, 2009
    Phila, Pa USA
    Vidar,
    The 1st one has the stuff on the top edge... It draws away from the image.
    The 2nd works......
    Now it's time for eye contact....
     
    Streetshooter, Sep 30, 2010
    #3
    • Like Like x 1
  4. Vidar

    Vidar Mu-43 Top Veteran

    545
    Dec 31, 2009
    Bergen, Norway
    Thanks. I Processed the image in Lightroom 2.5, tweaked the "temp" and "tint" untill I got the colours I liked. Then turned "clarity" down to -75..

    Yeah you are right, maybe I can crop it a little better!

    Eye contact? I agree.
     
    Vidar, Sep 30, 2010
    #4
    • Like Like x 1
  5. WT21

    WT21 Super Moderator Subscribing Member

    6,358
    Feb 19, 2010
    Boston
    I really like the first one, and the pp is great. Good use of monotone filter, and I also find that a high-key approach works very nicely on m43 (or at least on my EP1).

    Here's one of mine that is a bit more high-key. I think I've posted this before, but I get lazy, and I don't like to upload pictures much, lol.

    EP-1 with 50mm OM macro 2.0
    View attachment 150638

    On the second one, I personally find a blur/soft focus approach on a man, and especially one so scruffy, to be counter-intuitive unless, there is some tongue-in-cheek there. I like the treatment, just not for this subject, but that's just my opinion. Someone else might love it.

    C'mon folks -- Vidar has invited us all to post, so let's see yours!
     
    WT21, Sep 30, 2010
    #5
    • Like Like x 3
  6. WT21

    WT21 Super Moderator Subscribing Member

    6,358
    Feb 19, 2010
    Boston
    I agree (though didn't notice it at first). The tricky part is the leaves on the left add some framing, which might disappear with a crop. Maybe clone out the stuff on top (I'm easy with other people's time :)  ). Or perhaps just a local brush work to blur or contrast the top stuff out. Maybe even increase the EV on that stuff, so it blends in more with the bright hill just below it.
     
    WT21, Sep 30, 2010
    #6
  7. Vidar

    Vidar Mu-43 Top Veteran

    545
    Dec 31, 2009
    Bergen, Norway

    Thanks, no problem, that is helpfull, thanks for feedback. You are right, he IS scruffy! You feel his expression is humourous, I feel it is concentrated, but maybe thats because I know he was looking for motifs to shoot with his Nikon...

    The picture you posted is beautiful, good eye contact (as Shooter mentioned), it is sharp, but not too sharp, and the B&W is nice, I like it.
     
    Vidar, Sep 30, 2010
    #7
  8. kevinparis

    kevinparis Cantankerous Scotsman Subscribing Member

    3,871
    Feb 12, 2010
    Gent, Belgium
    A couple of self portraits from me - admittedly with a olympus 510, but with legacy lenses

    camera on tripod, light from south facing window - maybe a reflector on the first one

    Nikkor 50/1.2 - think
    4787777126_da4645c7dd.jpg
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    Self #2 by kevinparis, on Flickr

    If you want scruffy I can do scruffy :) 

    View attachment 150641
    Self #1 by kevinparis, on Flickr

    Nikkor 105/2.5
    4904451458_574aa42c06.jpg
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    self #15 by kevinparis, on Flickr


    more of my experiments here - starting to play around with flashes and umbrellas

    selfs - a set on Flickr


    Kevin
     
    kevinparis, Sep 30, 2010
    #8
    • Like Like x 1
  9. Vidar

    Vidar Mu-43 Top Veteran

    545
    Dec 31, 2009
    Bergen, Norway
    Yeah that IS scruffy:thumbup:

    Love your selfportraits mr. Paris.

    Whenever I try to do a selfportrait I just feel stupid and give up..
     
    Vidar, Sep 30, 2010
    #9
  10. antithetic

    antithetic Mu-43 Regular

    150
    Jun 7, 2010
    City of Angels
    I got a rare chance to tagalong with some much more talented photographers than myself on a shoot for a local magazine/newspaper. I took the opportunity to use some legacy glass for the shoot. They didn't move around much will allowed me to work on my focusing skills. =]

    [​IMG]

    PA034311.jpg
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    Few hundred more still to sort and process but these were some initial standouts in my eyes. Still learning so many thanks for any comments/criticism.
     
    antithetic, Oct 3, 2010
    #10
  11. WT21

    WT21 Super Moderator Subscribing Member

    6,358
    Feb 19, 2010
    Boston
    The first shot is spot on. Great use of natural light. The second one is good. Of course, her face is in a bit too much shadow. A reflector would have helped.

    Nice opportunity and nice shots. Share more if you get them!
     
    WT21, Oct 3, 2010
    #11
  12. Jamus

    Jamus Mu-43 Regular

    131
    Apr 18, 2010
    Peter Jamus
    Good idea, Vidar!
    Here's a recent one of mine which I really like...
    Maybe it's because I rarely dabble in B&W.
    [​IMG]
     
    Jamus, Oct 3, 2010
    #12
    • Like Like x 1
  13. ajramirez

    ajramirez Mu-43 Veteran

    212
    Jan 16, 2010
    Caguas, Puerto Rico
    51518451.jpg
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    6072195.jpg
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    8152854.jpg
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    Comments welcome. Thanks for looking.

    Regards,

    Antonio
     
    ajramirez, Oct 3, 2010
    #13
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