Some B&W Studio Portraits.

[pentaxpete]

I learnt 'Studio Portraiture' many years ago by belonging to Camera clubs -- I used to get some work from people who wanted to be TV actors or on Commercials -- now it has all finished -- no more work ! I have several lighting set-ups gathered over many years -- some 1950'-1960's Braun Hobby Automatic units with extension flashes ( working on the mains only}, a German Multiblitz outfit with two heads, several British 'Bowens' units some given free -- the background is either my curtain in my lounge or a 'Lastolite' borrowed from Brentwood Photographic Club where I am the Past President . Metering is by an old Bowens meter or a Shepherd FM900 using the Incident Light Method -- Some background lighting is by a Sunpak + a slave unit plugged into the mains -- I have many small flashes gathered free over the years. I also have some 'Tungsten' lights used with PhotoFloods -- I started out in the 1950's with home-made lights in a biscuit tin and kept fusing our lights but my Mum had plenty of patience -- I won some awards with my Biscuit Tin lighting !!!
Lee Tuson TV actor -- 1971 Pentacon Six with my 1943 Kodak Aero-Ektar lens, FP4 film, Bowens Lighting

Lee 1 by pentaxpete, on Flickr
Julie : 1968 Mamiya Press Super 23 + 150mm f5.6 Sekor lens, ORWO NP22 film, Bowens lighting.

Julie D 2 by pentaxpete, on Flickr
KGB Comrade : an actor who wanted to look like a 'RUSSIAN' - 1978 Canon FTBn+10mm f2.8 Canon lens, Ilford Pan F film processed in ID11, Multiblitz + Braun hobby on background and hair.

KGB-Comrade by pentaxpete, on Flickr

[rpcrowe]

That last shot is great! I can almost see the hammer and sickle tatooed on his forehead!

[DeepWater]

Peter
When I saw your photos and read your post two things came to mind immediately
One is the timeless nature of the photo - a great shot is just that, no matter when it was taken.
Secondly is that two things in photography never change: the art of getting a great capture, and the fact that the technology of cameras is always changing. What is state of the art today will be yesterdays news very soon!
Congratulations on some great shots and a long career of making memories.

[Colin Southern]

Hi Peter,

Nice work. My only observation is that - personally - I don't like having faces crammed up towards the edge of the frame with "nowhere to look".

I appreciate that may just be your style, but have you considered adding some negative space?

Eg

[pentaxpete]

Colin :usually the scanner 'clips' some off the negative if it is from a neg scan such as the top one of Lee Tuson -- I know what you mean -- will try to allow more '-ve Space ' next time !