Portrait of Blacksmith C&C please

[KimC]

This is my blacksmith; one of the kindest men I know. A couple of years ago, he saved my pony's life (animal he is working on); for which I will forever be grateful. Was chatting with him yesterday with camera in hand... as I prefer more candid images. A flash was not used as it would have scared the pony and put him in danger.

C&C would be appreciated - I am looking to improve...

ISO 8000; F1/60s; F5; 55mm

[Manfred M]

A very nice image, given the conditions you were shooting under. I like the framing and I like the lighting; for the most part.

I expect that you are right and fill flash would have been dangerous to use, but it would have been nice to push a bit more light into the blacksmith's face. I might suggest a touch of dodging in his face just to brighten that up a bit. I normally like catchlights in the eyes, but somehow, it looks a bit strange in this image (again a fairly minor point).

The only part that I don't really care for is the bright light coming in from the window, but again, there is really not much you can do about that either, and it not distracting me all that much. It really is a very nice image.

[Shadowman]

Nice capture, if shot in portrait mode I would have included more of the blacksmith's hands. Also, consider cloning out the fan between the horse's legs.

[Mike Buckley]

Agreed with all of the above.

I'll add that the position of the hands don't do a very good job of indicating what he is doing unless you study that part of the image carefully. That's because the hoof and lower leg are mostly hidden from view. So, if this image was mine, I would crop much, much tighter to make the very appealing expression on his face front and center. Doing so would also minimize the problematic bright light and horse in the background.

I think the most important thing to take away from this photo is that it makes it clear that it would be very worthwhile for the two of you to plan a shoot that places you more in control of everything.

Does he forge his own metal? Can you explain how a blacksmith came to save your horse's life?

[KimC]

I appreciate your comments Manfred - thank you.

I agree about the catchlight. I opened a large door behind the pony trying to get more light in there. I dodged his face a smidge -- is this what you were thinking? If I took it further, it quickly became unnatural.

A very nice image, given the conditions you were shooting under. I like the framing and I like the lighting; for the most part.

I expect that you are right and fill flash would have been dangerous to use, but it would have been nice to push a bit more light into the blacksmith's face. I might suggest a touch of dodging in his face just to brighten that up a bit. I normally like catchlights in the eyes, but somehow, it looks a bit strange in this image (again a fairly minor point).

The only part that I don't really care for is the bright light coming in from the window, but again, there is really not much you can do about that either, and it not distracting me all that much. It really is a very nice image.

[KimC]

Thanks for commenting John. I'm afraid my cloning skills (with the software I have anyways) are still not acceptable... so will not be cloning out the fan at this point. I did capture one where I focused on "his work" more, which I have included. I shows just how small the pony's hoof is.

Nice capture, if shot in portrait mode I would have included more of the blacksmith's hands. Also, consider cloning out the fan between the horse's legs.

[KimC]

Thank you for commenting Mike. I agree that his hands are not in the best position. Ideally, I would have liked it to look more like the image I posted in my response to John above.

I would definitely like to shoot more images of him. As a matter of fact, his father lives with him, and I would love to shoot his father, the blacksmith, and the blacksmith's son. Yes, he does forge his metal... so that would be cool as well.

As far as how he saved the pony - a couple of winters back, the pony became very sick (he foundered, which is a really terrible thing - the bones in their feet turn and it causes a great deal of pain). It can be fatal in many horses. The care of the feet become critical when this happens. The angle of the hoof has to be changed, and frequent hoof trims are required (every 2 weeks). Because the pony was so sore, Nacho (blacksmith) got down on his knees to trim the pony's hoofs (it was below freezing on many of the days he was assisting the pony and he can't wear gloves to trim). I will never forget the care and compassion he had in caring for the pony's feet. He was a key participant in the pony's recovery. We later learned the reason this happened to the pony is because he's insulin resistant (similar to diabetes in a human). So he's now on a special program for care and takes a pill every day.



Based on your comment, I did work a bit with the crop; is this what you were thinking?

Agreed with all of the above.

I'll add that the position of the hands don't do a very good job of indicating what he is doing unless you study that part of the image carefully. That's because the hoof and lower leg are mostly hidden from view. So, if this image was mine, I would crop much, much tighter to make the very appealing expression on his face front and center. Doing so would also minimize the problematic bright light and horse in the background.

I think the most important thing to take away from this photo is that it makes it clear that it would be very worthwhile for the two of you to plan a shoot that places you more in control of everything.

Does he forge his own metal? Can you explain how a blacksmith came to save your horse's life?

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks for sharing the info about your pony's hooves. I had never heard that can happen.

The crop I had in mind:

[KimC]

Thanks for showing me what you were thinking Mike. I had a tough time with the crop as it was feeling cramped to me.

IMHO it feels like it is missing something without his hands in the image.

[QUOTE=Mike Buckley;525892]Thanks for sharing the info about your pony's hooves. I had never heard that can happen.

The crop I had in mind:
QUOTE]

[Manfred M]

Kim - in spite of the previously mentioned shortcomings, your original crop still works best for me. The others just look too cramped. Yes and the bit of dodging has brightened up his face a touch.

[KimC]

Thanks Manfred. I agree, the original crop is my preference.

Kim - in spite of the previously mentioned shortcomings, your original crop still works best for me. The others just look too cramped. Yes and the bit of dodging has brightened up his face a touch.

[William W]

Nice shot.

. . . I prefer more candid images . . . C&C would be appreciated - I am looking to improve...

You should have dropped lower - you should have shot from floor level, laying down on the hay.

> the cap is problematic.
> the light through the window is problematic.
> this is one shooting scenario where the Portrait Subject's HANDS, and FOREARMS are as important or more important that his Face.

If you had dropped lower:
> you would have got underneath the peak of the cap and extracted more of his face;
> you probably could have framed the shot such that his body blocked more / or all of the window;
> the horse's hoof and his HANDS would have been more dominate.

WW

[KimC]

Bill, thank you for your comments - most helpful. I was on the right path as I was sitting on the floor when I took this, but I do see, if I got even lower, it would have been beneficial. I plan to shoot him again while he's putting shoes on a horse (my horses are barefoot), so I will remember that.

[William W]

Also you would have to balance getting farther back (increasing the Subject Distance) with the upward angle being smaller.

Getting further away, would be good in so far as it would change the PERSPECTIVE, compressing the Hand/Hoof to Face perception, that would be more 'inclusive' - but - the farther back you move the smaller the upward angle of the camera, so the more the cap's peak is a problem and the smaller area of the window the Blacksmith would block.

Yes it was definitely a good idea getting low and sitting on the floor.

Another option would be to exclude the face - in that case one could shoot from an high Viewpoint and even consider shooting from behind the 'Smith, over his shoulder, (including the back of head or some of it).

Also consider that, shooting from behind, you would be shooting with the light and not into it.

A portrait without a face usually has to be very strong, both compositionally and also Subject-wise. A 'Smith's Hands and Forearms, with sheen of sweat and a bit of dirt and in strong hard light should be available to displaying that strength of Composition and Subject Character.

That is a difficult shot to pull, but I suggest that you think outside the box.

I think it is time to take your candid portraiture outside your comfort zone and experiment and to see each shooting scenario with wider options.

Good work. Much improved strategy and thinking, when contrasted with the images of the Little Girl and the Sheep.

WW

[DEAN01]

Very nice shot, Kim. I agree with the others about showing more of the hands on the hoof, but still a very nice shot. FWIW, I have photographed horses for the past 50+ years, mine and others, under various conditions—barn, show ring, outdoors—and have found the horses do not react to the flash.

[KimC]

Thank you for the additional information Bill.

I did get further back, but quickly noticed the problematic light was blocked even less. I also tried shorting him from the back, however the composition did not work for the angles I could get - looked blob like ;-) I didn't try from a higher viewpoint... I could have got my step ladder and that might have worked - next time. Bottom line, get more creative and shoot from all different viewpoints!!!

Thanks again Bill.

Also you would have to balance getting farther back (increasing the Subject Distance) with the upward angle being smaller.

Getting further away, would be good in so far as it would change the PERSPECTIVE, compressing the Hand/Hoof to Face perception, that would be more 'inclusive' - but - the farther back you move the smaller the upward angle of the camera, so the more the cap's peak is a problem and the smaller area of the window the Blacksmith would block.

Yes it was definitely a good idea getting low and sitting on the floor.

Another option would be to exclude the face - in that case one could shoot from an high Viewpoint and even consider shooting from behind the 'Smith, over his shoulder, (including the back of head or some of it).

Also consider that, shooting from behind, you would be shooting with the light and not into it.

A portrait without a face usually has to be very strong, both compositionally and also Subject-wise. A 'Smith's Hands and Forearms, with sheen of sweat and a bit of dirt and in strong hard light should be available to displaying that strength of Composition and Subject Character.

That is a difficult shot to pull, but I suggest that you think outside the box.

I think it is time to take your candid portraiture outside your comfort zone and experiment and to see each shooting scenario with wider options.

Good work. Much improved strategy and thinking, when contrasted with the images of the Little Girl and the Sheep.

WW

[KimC]

Thank you Dean.

I agree with your comment for most horses but not all. My horse is a very spooky Throughbred cross. He thinks there are monsters around every corner.

Very nice shot, Kim. I agree with the others about showing more of the hands on the hoof, but still a very nice shot. FWIW, I have photographed horses for the past 50+ years, mine and others, under various conditions—barn, show ring, outdoors—and have found the horses do not react to the flash.