SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

CO, this is a very nice image. And yes, if you had just moved back to about 10 feet probably would have doubled you DoF then just cropped to what you have now! The leaves on the chair are sharp, you could've focused on the top flower and maybe still got the eyes!?
I like her hair and the background! I would have added a bit more light in the eyes, or at least the long side!
In my shot I wanted the ring to not be in good focus. I didn't want anything competing with those stunning green eyes! Not a color I run into very often.
CO, thanks for posting!!!
SS

jkatpc Loc: Virginia Beach

Thanks for posting this, SS. I'm very interested in portraiture but have not done much of it. I'm going to concentrate on honing my skills and practice. Here is one of a couple of my granddaughters (with my wife holding a gold reflector since it was a dreary, grey day).

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DebAnn Loc: Toronto

It's a beautiful portrait.

eshlemania Loc: Northern Indiana, USA

First off I want to say that I have enjoyed all the portraits presented. A lot of excellent work. It has been a learning experience for me. Looking to hone my skills.

Love your portrait of your granddaughters. Gold reflector. . .hmmmm. That's a new one for me, but I love the effect.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

My observation in reading many posts on this forum is that there is not a resentment of so called "rules" or traditional methods but rather a misunderstanding or misconstrued interpretation of the concept of certain aesthetics and technicalities in portraiture. Whether the portrait is traditional, more contemporary, environmental, casual or formal, made in a studio or on location, out of doors, with artificial or natural light there are certain aesthetics that should apply across the board. Observing good aesthetics in you portraiture is not tantamount to making stiff unnatural images. The art is in making a formal, planned and controlled portrait look entirely natural.

Simply stated, bad posing, lighting, camera positions and use of inappropriate focal lengths cause distortions and misrepresentation of a person's features and physical structure. If hands, arms and limbs are not posed gracefully or naturally, the appear elongated, missing or awkward. If the camera position is too low in relation to the face, the nostrils become a dominant feature of the image. If not posed correctly, hands become “claws” elbows become “stumps” and and facial features are poorly represented. The foremost attribute of a good portrait is a good likeness!

There is all the talk about psychological portraiture, capturing character, telling stories about a person's lifestyle and that is all good. Problem is, sloppy technique causes distractions from all that good stuff so the idea is to study the craft, practice hard, and make some of the so called “rules” second nature so that you CAN concentrate on bringing out expressions, showing character and telling stories. The same idea goes to camera handling and image management- exposure, focus, depth of field, “bokeh” selective focus, and background and foreground management. If you want peak expressions and natural poses, you can't be there messing around with your gear- too much fiddling. You need to standardize certain aspects of your methods and make them second nature as well.

Lighting? Once you understand the basic concepts of formal studio lighting, as boring as some may think it is, you can find effective portrait LIGHT just about anywhere. You can make an award winning masterful portrait with a candle! A simple reflector can do wonders. So many photographers are just too preoccupied with gear! I have seen folks with $10,000 worth of electronic flash gear and they can't make a decent portrait! I can show you how to make a fine portrait with a cheap old photo-flood bulb in a 12 inch parabolic reflector- if they still sell that stuff in the camera stores. Got an old movie or video light in the closet? Any DSLR with n 85- to 105mm lens or zoom setting will do the job- you don't need a $3,000 lens. I can even show you haw to create a great environmental portrait with a wide moderate angle lens. If you know what you are doing, your post processing will me minimal and you can look after softening and such, right at the camera.

My advice...first learn the “BOX” and stay in it until you grasp all the basics and then jump in and out as per your own creativity. Don't mistake sloppy, lazy or inapt work as “out of the box” it's just poor photography. Learn to analyze and criticize you own work. Things like multiple catch-lights in the eyes MAY be an indication of a disunity of lighting- that's how they get in there. Don't get hung up or against impactful compositions- cutting into the top of the head , hat or hair is fine if it places the eyes in a strong position in the composition.

And don't y'all be telling me that you ain't a professionals and you don't do it for the money! I have see masterpiece portraits done by amateurs, brain surgeons, plumbers, auto mechanics, secretaries and pros alike. If you love it, you will do it right for your own edification.

eshlemania Loc: Northern Indiana, USA

Wonderful post. Thank you.

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

Good points E.L. Are you a teacher?

Rolk Loc: South Central PA

This one might be a little more "out of the box" for DSLR users, especially if you, like me, don't do a lot of post processing.

This was taken almost 40 years ago of my son when he was 4 or 5 with a 35mm Canon SLR. The "image" was a double exposure done IN the camera, something you can't do (to my knowledge) with today's DSLRs.

The silhouette was taken with back lighting, slightly underexposed for the face, and the second, smaller picture was taken with front fill flash. The original photo was in color, which took the blue ribbon at the York Co. Fair in 1972 or 1973. It was originally printed on matte paper, and I've since scanned it into digital format, thence the "soft" focus.

Hope you enjoy...and sure wish I could do this in the camera, or learn how to do it in PP.

(Download)

bengbeng Loc: Houston, Texas

[quote=Rolk]This one might be a little more "out of the box" for DSLR users, especially if you, like me, don't do a lot of post processing.

This was taken almost 40 years ago of my son when he was 4 or 5 with a 35mm Canon SLR. The "image" was a double exposure done IN the camera, something you can't do (to my knowledge) with today's DSLRs.

The silhouette was taken with back lighting, slightly underexposed for the face, and the second, smaller picture was taken with front fill flash. The original photo was in color, which took the blue ribbon at the York Co. Fair

Absolutely love this double exposure. Very creative and really well executed.

I can only imagine your anticipation waiting to get this developed and not knowing until you see it.

one shot Loc: Pisgah Forest NC

Would like to see a head shot of your son now with the smaller picture superimposed on it. Would be a fantastic "memory" shot. Or better yet, a shot of you and your son looking at each other now with the little picture in your head. Would probably be a tear jerker for us old folks as we remember when they were young.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Fujifilm digital cameras, and probably other DSLR makes as well, can create multiple exposure images in the camera - it’s just a case of reading the -fine- manual. In the case of my Fuji X100F, for example, I select the “Drive” button and scroll down to “Advanced” and choose “Panorama” or “Multiple Exposure”. /Ralph

Rolk Loc: South Central PA

Thank you so much, bengbeng! I really appreciate you taking the time to view and especially for the very kind comments! And you're right, before digital, you couldn't wait to get your hands on the prints. Of course, I remember when I was doing wedding photography, I did a wedding with over 200 shots on film that were sent off to the lab for processing, and while there, their shelves collapsed and destroyed all the film and negatives.

I don't miss those days!

Again, thank you!

Rolk Loc: South Central PA

Unfortunately, my Canon EOS 60D doesn't have that capability.

Rolk Loc: South Central PA

I like the way you think, One Shot. Great idea, indeed.

So, I can take the pics and send them to you to merge the images?

one shot Loc: Pisgah Forest NC

I sure would if I could. I'm not what I call a technogeek. Most of mine have very little processing. Maybe I can learn some of the stuff.