I went to the Renaissance Festival today and snapped this casual portrait.

Comments? Anything for improvement? Critiques? Everything is welcome

[Dewman]

I don't know what you could possibly do to make it better! Great exposure and certainly a GREAT subject!

[alamo5000]

I don't know what you could possibly do to make it better! Great exposure and certainly a GREAT subject!

Thank you Dewman. You gave me all the warm fuzzies! LOL!!!

Sometimes I kind of wonder if I am progressing in my picture taking or not It's always a good idea to get feedback. When I was post processing I wasn't sure if I nailed it or not. I try to be a minimalist in that regard if at all possible. That said it becomes a lot easier if the capture is pretty close to right from the get go...

I took 30 or 40 shots today and this is one of them... I figured it turned out well enough LOL

---------- Post added 10-10-15 at 11:51 PM ----------

A little back story... the light today pretty much sucked for photography. It was STRONG overhead light that left really strong shadows across everything from faces to the ground...and it also led to many photos being 'blown out'. I started to get frustrated with it so I started to walk in the shade and went peeking in windows of the shops or whatever. This shot was taken on the porch of a pub. It was just another lesson that was reiterated...'shoot into the shadows'...

Another thing that I noticed (aside from the guy's friendly demeanor) and something that I tried to include was symmetry and balance. The elements of the shot are all relatively balanced. One window on each side... the same number of bottles on each side etc etc. I did not arrange this! It just happened! Both of those things are things that I personally have tried to incorporate more into my shots. It doesn't happen a lot... in fact it happens almost never... but it does happen. Honestly this is one of my first shots where I intentionally was able to capture that....

[Dewman]

Thank you Dewman. You gave me all the warm fuzzies! LOL!!!

Sometimes I kind of wonder if I am progressing in my picture taking or not It's always a good idea to get feedback. When I was post processing I wasn't sure if I nailed it or not. I try to be a minimalist in that regard if at all possible. That said it becomes a lot easier if the capture is pretty close to right from the get go...

I took 30 or 40 shots today and this is one of them... I figured it turned out well enough LOL

---------- Post added 10-10-15 at 11:51 PM ----------

A little back story... the light today pretty much sucked for photography. It was STRONG overhead light that left really strong shadows across everything from faces to the ground...and it also led to many photos being 'blown out'. I started to get frustrated with it so I started to walk in the shade and went peeking in windows of the shops or whatever. This shot was taken on the porch of a pub. It was just another lesson that was reiterated...'shoot into the shadows'...

Another thing that I noticed (aside from the guy's friendly demeanor) and something that I tried to include was symmetry and balance. The elements of the shot are all relatively balanced. One window on each side... the same number of bottles on each side etc etc. I did not arrange this! It just happened! Both of those things are things that I personally have tried to incorporate more into my shots. It doesn't happen a lot... in fact it happens almost never... but it does happen. Honestly this is one of my first shots where I intentionally was able to capture that....

The lighting couldn't have been any better if you had had a studio set-up! Perfect! And, the sharpness is equally as good. I think you ought to print this off and present it to the guy. I think he'd appreciate it a lot! Nice work, my friend.

[alamo5000]

The lighting couldn't have been any better if you had had a studio set-up! Perfect! And, the sharpness is equally as good. I think you ought to print this off and present it to the guy. I think he'd appreciate it a lot! Nice work, my friend.

I might print it but I have no idea who that guy in the photo is. He was the dude getting drunk in a pub on Oktoberfest weekend.

[GeoJerry]

I like the shot a lot. My suggestion would be to open up the aperture a little bit to place the background bottles and wall patterns just a little out of focus, in order to add more emphasis to your subject. But that's just a personal taste. Nice one.

[volley]

I like the shot a lot! Good composition, great expression and colour. As Jerry suggested opening up the aperture a little more might have resulted in an even better picture. Thanks for sharing!

[alamo5000]

I like the shot a lot. My suggestion would be to open up the aperture a little bit to place the background bottles and wall patterns just a little out of focus, in order to add more emphasis to your subject. But that's just a personal taste. Nice one.

I think you might be on to something there. This is honestly the first time I have ever did a walk about with the 77mm so I am sort of still figuring out the lens. Based on what I see now I am thinking about f4 would provide really good background separation. If anyone knows or has experimented around with it of course chime in

I like the shot a lot! Good composition, great expression and colour. As Jerry suggested opening up the aperture a little more might have resulted in an even better picture. Thanks for sharing!

Thank you! Honestly I did very minimal post processing on this one. Just a little bit of crop around the edges and a touch of this and that to give it a slight bit more pop... but the straight out of the jpeg was pretty close.

In ways I am experiencing a bit of satisfaction with this one. I've been trying to get better at taking shots, but like most people sometimes I wonder if I am getting any better or not.

Overall I am pretty pleased with this one. I just wish I had more chances to shoot more pictures!

[hjoseph7]

Very good environmental portrait, but it would not fit in a Portrait Insert since I think it was taken in Landscape mode. Whether that's really important ?

[alamo5000]

Very good environmental portrait, but it would not fit in a Portrait Insert since I think it was taken in Landscape mode. Whether that's really important ?

I've never done a formal portrait before. I like the 'environmental portrait' concept a lot though. It's definitely a direction that I want to incorporate more of into my overall shooting. There is a number of reasons for that, but mainly I like images that have more depth of meaning attached to them vs just a cool looking shot.

It might mean gaining an insight into the person. It might be telling a subtle story. It could be anything. Some how or another it needs to connect to the viewer or convey and emotion or any number of things.

[CreationBear]

He was the dude getting drunk in a pub on Oktoberfest weekend.

Yes, I was going to suggest that you selectively sharpen his eyes a bit, but this might be "photorealism" at its finest.
(FWIW, I'm thinking that if you're an early FF adopter, the FA43 might be great as a "story-telling" lens if your previous work with the FA31 is any indication.)

[alamo5000]

Yes, I was going to suggest that you selectively sharpen his eyes a bit, but this might be "photorealism" at its finest.
(FWIW, I'm thinking that if you're an early FF adopter, the FA43 might be great as a "story-telling" lens if your previous work with the FA31 is any indication.)

Thank you!

I absolutely love the 43mm lens. For an all around walk around lens that one is at the top of my list That said there isn't anything to complain about with the 31 or 77 either. All three of those lenses will easily deliver the goods if you do your part.

Honestly my main issue is not gear, it's finding subjects. It's honestly really challenging finding subject matter. It's not like I live in a city... I could take up shooting pictures of squirrels ala Rupert but what I want to shoot is just as you said, 'photorealism'.

I am learning just like everyone else. I am a relatively new photographer. I have been taking pictures for 3 years since I laid my hands ever on anything other than a point and shoot. That said when I do get the opportunity to shoot pictures I have to make an effort to capitalize on it.

With the picture above... it was shot when there was super bright sun out and it was really dusty. I was getting frustrated honestly because the conditions were not cooperating with my opportunity... then I remembered something I read from Steve McCurry in an interview he did...more or less he basically said 'you will never catch me walking on the sunny side of the street, I am always in the shadows'...

So that's what I did... I went to the buildings that had the sun to their backs and were casting a shadow out front...I decided to walk in the shadows and within 5 minutes I took the picture above. I wish I had thought about that 2 hours earlier

---------- Post added 10-12-15 at 05:58 PM ----------

I was going to suggest that you selectively sharpen his eyes a bit, but this might be "photorealism" at its finest.
(FWIW, I'm thinking that if you're an early FF adopter, the FA43 might be great as a "story-telling" lens if your previous work with the FA31 is any indication.)

As for the selective sharpening of the eyes that is something to think about for sure. I noticed the eyes as well.

For the FF thing I will probably wind up with one eventually. I won't be pre ordering or anything like that but it would be nice to have some of the sensor advantages of a FF camera. That said I am trying to concentrate on getting myself better at taking photos. Looking around, seeing the light, finding a subject, and capturing a compelling composition and subject takes a lot of know how.

---------- Post added 10-12-15 at 06:15 PM ----------

I was going to suggest that you selectively sharpen his eyes a bit

You know, the more I think about it the more I think you bring up a very valid point.

What I will throw out there to the forum is this: how does different types of light effect perceived sharpness of an image?

I am thinking that has an effect here, specifically on his eyes.

[CreationBear]

I really like how you're approaching the learning curve--I'm a few steps behind, already! As for subjects, I don't think either of us lives in a "target rich" environment compared to folks like Kerrowdown, but there are of course narratives all around us--little eddies of work-a-day life replete with their own rituals and language--waiting to be documented. Here's a link to a fellow I follow on Flickr, for instance--check out his "railway" series, for instance...


https://www.flickr.com/photos/charliepeek/