Portraits: I had it coming eventually :)

Portraits: I had it coming eventually :) · 09:50 AM

It had to happen eventually, as my social surrounding got to know my new enthusiasm for DSLR photography. They have begun asking me to take photos on different occasions, last weekend at my nephew's youngest child's christening.

I have been shy to take people pictures, but this time when asked, I forgot to be humble and just dived into it. It was fun until I got back home to view then on computer. Well actually not that bad considering I only had basic gear (only my newly acquired Metz 58 AF-1 for lighting and Tammy 18-250 attached to my K10D - I was supposed to take my excellent DA *16-50, but it was on repair at that time

Here are some examples (comments most welcome):

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

afelix · 02-10-2008, 02:54 PM

Nice photos gawan!
My preference goes to #2 and #5

Regards

**Canada_Rockies** · 02-10-2008, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by afelix

Nice photos gawan!
My preference goes to #2 and #5

Regards

I'll go along with that, even if the christenee (is that a word?) is only in #5. The little sweetie leaning on the pew back is gorgeous.

fillerupmac · 02-10-2008, 03:13 PM

Good shots!

#1 - makes me wonder what little sarcastic idea is running through his mind...

#3 - those eyes!

Al S.

gawan · 02-10-2008, 03:28 PM

Thank you all, I took ca. 140 pictures that day, the actual christening in the main focus of course and then circling among the guests trying to include them in the final gallery. But what interested me most was portrait like close-ups and the struggle to get the light right in the situation. Here I chose only children as they were so natural.

Originally posted by afelix

Nice photos gawan!
My preference goes to #2 and #5

Thanks afelix!

Originally posted by Canada_Rockies

I'll go along with that, even if the christenee (is that a word?) is only in #5. The little sweetie leaning on the pew back is gorgeous.

Thank you Canada_rockies, the christened is also in #4 of course

I like the little big eyed girl also, so photographic (#2 and #3)

Originally posted by fillerupmac

Good shots!

#1 - makes me wonder what little sarcastic idea is running through his mind...

#3 - those eyes!

Al S.

Agree! Thank you fillerupmac!

rjburgos · 02-10-2008, 08:12 PM

when youm used your metz flash...where you using Pmode , Auto Picture mode or manual mode?
did it synch well with the camera since the shots you took are well lit

gawan · 02-11-2008, 10:14 AM

Originally posted by rjburgos

when youm used your metz flash...where you using Pmode , Auto Picture mode or manual mode?
did it synch well with the camera since the shots you took are well lit

Hi rjburgos, this flash supports P-TTL/TTL, High speed P-TTL-HSS, Automatic, Manual, Stroboscope or Spotbeam modes. The only one I have used so far is the fully automatic P-TTL (I have had this flash only two weeks now).

As far as I can perceive, the P-TTL works perfectly in almost all cases I had. As I was indoors, I mainly used my flash bouncing its light from the ceiling. Metz has a white card that can be pulled from the body to aid in bouncing the light and I found it very useful, and used it all the time. See the picture:

This method produces quite nice and soft light as you can see in this thumbnail:

Last edited by gawan; 02-11-2008 at 10:19 AM.

Confused · 02-11-2008, 04:34 PM

Hi gawan

I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of 'cropping' one of your shots and adding a modicum of sharpening....what do you think ?

Best regards
Richard

gawan · 02-20-2008, 05:01 PM

Originally posted by Confused

Hi gawan

I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of 'cropping' one of your shots and adding a modicum of sharpening....what do you think ?

Best regards
Richard

Of course I don't mind, happy to have concrete comments

These pictures were almost as they were shot...

Anyway your composition seems more balanced, but I also liked the space in font of her, to give room to where she looks kind of...

Mine was not cropped at all, maybe somewhere between mine and yours

And the sharpening, well I am always a little scared to after sharpen faces because it can affect the softness of the skin. You did it gently though.

Mike Cash · 02-21-2008, 04:02 AM

The expression on the first kid's face is priceless. You could spend the rest of your life guessing what he was looking at and thinking and still never figure it out.

gawan · 02-21-2008, 07:41 AM

Originally posted by Mike Cash

The expression on the first kid's face is priceless. You could spend the rest of your life guessing what he was looking at and thinking and still never figure it out.

Thanks, you can guess now why I chose mainly to show you the children's pictures, they don't pose and definitely they don't fake it! See also the mothers expression, as if she knows how clever her child is

gawan
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02-11-2008, 04:34 PM	#8
Confused Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London Posts: 1,067	Hi gawan I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of 'cropping' one of your shots and adding a modicum of sharpening....what do you think ? Best regards Richard Attached Images

02-20-2008, 05:01 PM	#9
gawan Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Helsinki Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,400 Original Poster	Originally posted by Confused Hi gawan I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of 'cropping' one of your shots and adding a modicum of sharpening....what do you think ? Best regards Richard Of course I don't mind, happy to have concrete comments These pictures were almost as they were shot... Anyway your composition seems more balanced, but I also liked the space in font of her, to give room to where she looks kind of... Mine was not cropped at all, maybe somewhere between mine and yours And the sharpening, well I am always a little scared to after sharpen faces because it can affect the softness of the skin. You did it gently though. Last edited by gawan; 02-21-2008 at 07:39 AM.

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02-10-2008, 02:54 PM	#2
afelix Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lisbon Photos: Gallery Posts: 51	Nice photos gawan! My preference goes to #2 and #5 Regards

02-10-2008, 02:58 PM	#3
Canada_Rockies Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,385	Originally posted by afelix Nice photos gawan! My preference goes to #2 and #5 Regards I'll go along with that, even if the christenee (is that a word?) is only in #5. The little sweetie leaning on the pew back is gorgeous.

02-10-2008, 03:13 PM	#4
fillerupmac Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Colorado Springs Photos: Gallery Posts: 124	Good shots! #1 - makes me wonder what little sarcastic idea is running through his mind... #3 - those eyes! Al S.

02-10-2008, 03:28 PM	#5
gawan Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Helsinki Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,400 Original Poster	Thank you all, I took ca. 140 pictures that day, the actual christening in the main focus of course and then circling among the guests trying to include them in the final gallery. But what interested me most was portrait like close-ups and the struggle to get the light right in the situation. Here I chose only children as they were so natural. Originally posted by afelix Nice photos gawan! My preference goes to #2 and #5 Thanks afelix! Originally posted by Canada_Rockies I'll go along with that, even if the christenee (is that a word?) is only in #5. The little sweetie leaning on the pew back is gorgeous. Thank you Canada_rockies, the christened is also in #4 of course I like the little big eyed girl also, so photographic (#2 and #3) Originally posted by fillerupmac Good shots! #1 - makes me wonder what little sarcastic idea is running through his mind... #3 - those eyes! Al S. Agree! Thank you fillerupmac! Last edited by gawan; 02-11-2008 at 10:15 AM. Reason: typo

02-10-2008, 08:12 PM	#6
rjburgos Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: manila, philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 280	when youm used your metz flash...where you using Pmode , Auto Picture mode or manual mode? did it synch well with the camera since the shots you took are well lit

02-11-2008, 10:14 AM	#7
gawan Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Helsinki Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,400 Original Poster	Originally posted by rjburgos when youm used your metz flash...where you using Pmode , Auto Picture mode or manual mode? did it synch well with the camera since the shots you took are well lit Hi rjburgos, this flash supports P-TTL/TTL, High speed P-TTL-HSS, Automatic, Manual, Stroboscope or Spotbeam modes. The only one I have used so far is the fully automatic P-TTL (I have had this flash only two weeks now). As far as I can perceive, the P-TTL works perfectly in almost all cases I had. As I was indoors, I mainly used my flash bouncing its light from the ceiling. Metz has a white card that can be pulled from the body to aid in bouncing the light and I found it very useful, and used it all the time. See the picture: This method produces quite nice and soft light as you can see in this thumbnail: Last edited by gawan; 02-11-2008 at 10:19 AM.

02-21-2008, 04:02 AM	#10
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	The expression on the first kid's face is priceless. You could spend the rest of your life guessing what he was looking at and thinking and still never figure it out.

02-21-2008, 07:41 AM	#11
gawan Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Helsinki Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,400 Original Poster	Originally posted by Mike Cash The expression on the first kid's face is priceless. You could spend the rest of your life guessing what he was looking at and thinking and still never figure it out. Thanks, you can guess now why I chose mainly to show you the children's pictures, they don't pose and definitely they don't fake it! See also the mothers expression, as if she knows how clever her child is