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12-04-2007, 07:53 PM   #1
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self portraits, 2 of them

I don't do too many of these. what do you think? Any suggestions?






Thanks
-Jeff


Last edited by jshurak; 12-04-2007 at 09:04 PM.
12-04-2007, 08:17 PM   #2
McD
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To me the lights look very nice, but they draw alot of attention away from the main subject which is you. They are the first thing that grabs my attention when I look at the photo.
12-04-2007, 09:57 PM   #3
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I really love the second one, maybe not so much as a self portrait but just as an image. I love the feel of it, and all the emotion. Great pic!

The first one is just a little too busy.
12-05-2007, 05:44 AM   #4
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Don't much care for the first one.

But, on the second one, get rid of the lights and crop tightly on the handsome face in the shaddows - now that's a portrait, self or otherwise.

12-05-2007, 05:51 AM   #5
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I kind of have to agree with the others. Maybe if the lights were directly behind you or your face was clowing from the lights it would work better. If I have to chose #2 is the better of the two.
12-05-2007, 06:17 AM   #6
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thanks everyone. Everything you said makes perfect sense. These are things I need to think about during the shoot. But that's why I take a lot shots!

The first one is really busy. The lights do distract a bit.
12-05-2007, 07:37 AM   #7
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It seems to me you are trying to create a different kind of portrait, not necessarily the traditional kind with a face. You seem to be trying to impart a mysterious quality to the subject, and I think these are good attempts, but the lights are too dominant, rather than playing the secondary role of accentuating the mysterious personality. Keep trying, the second one in particular, is almost there.

JMR

12-05-2007, 08:00 AM   #8
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Hmmm, yeah scrap number one as after going back to it multiple times your hooded self looks like a blob until my eyes adjust to the whole image and pics you out from the lights.

The second on is very cool and actually you could make that work. Try firing an off camera flash from at medium power (1/16) snooted from below to give you some light to balance the background lighting. If you could stand out more then it would work that much better.
12-05-2007, 08:05 AM   #9
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Again, thanks for the comments.

QuoteOriginally posted by codiac2600 Quote
Hmmm, yeah scrap number one as after going back to it multiple times your hooded self looks like a blob until my eyes adjust to the whole image and pics you out from the lights.

The second on is very cool and actually you could make that work. Try firing an off camera flash from at medium power (1/16) snooted from below to give you some light to balance the background lighting. If you could stand out more then it would work that much better.

Codiac, that will have to wait until Friday, when my flash arrives! For now though, the facial lighting in the second shot is the left tree from the first shot.
12-05-2007, 10:43 PM   #10
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The eye is drawn to bright spots - the darker parts of the image need to stand on their own. I think you need to tonedown the background highlights, emphasize the face or the contours of the hoodie.

Is this supposed to be menacing, a feel good image or a contrast between the two. I am sort of lost. I like the 2nd one best, but I would have tried to barely outline the back of the person and tone down the blue lights. Bring out the face - get the viewer to move their attention to the face. Or I would crop the thing to just include maybe one or two rows of lights.

keep working on the concept - it poses and interesting contrast between tension and the "happy" effect of the lights.

The Elitist - formerly known as PDL
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