Informal portrait

[Ady]

Hi all,

It's odd, I have no problem showing galleries to clients (mostly corporate/commercial and 'art' commisions) but I find myself strangely uncomfortable showing the images I create for myself. However I love this photograph of my partner of fifteen years and counting so much that I would like to share it with a wiser audience. That was a typo (Freudian slip?) I meant wider audience, but I'll let wiser stand!

The photo was grabbed in the moment, Helen was trying on a dress and just happened to look up at me while I had camera in hand. That sounds a bit dubious now I read it back

I am planning to recreate the shot as part of a new set of portaits (which are not my strongest suit) so I welcome any feedback.



It was taken handheld at 40mm, 1/30th sec, f/4, the speedlite which was on-camera fired. The settings were entirely random, I pointed and clicked without thinking and got lucky, I think I was just doing inventory/equitment check the evening before a job.

Thanks,
Ady

[ShaneS]

I think that this is a lovely high key portrait and think that luck was definitely on your side. What does she think of it?

[Bobobird]

It is a lovely shot almost like a mirror of the left into the right or vice versa. The other thing I like is its overall balance and symmetry not just left/right but top/bottom, the lines etc.

Very good one. I think this style will make for a great set of portraits for clients.

Oddly enough I was trying for something similar but of a kid but he just would not be still for a second. Will try again now that I have a better idea of what to go for. Thanks for that.

[Ady]

Thanks for your feedback Shane.

When I first showed it to Helen all I got was stunned silence, which was a bit worrying. Fortunately it was a good silence, she loves it. Any yes it really was all luck and no judgment, I just hope I can recreate it.

Thanks,
A

[Ady]

It is a lovely shot almost like a mirror of the left into the right or vice versa. The other thing I like is its overall balance and symmetry not just left/right but top/bottom, the lines etc.

Very good one. I think this style will make for a great set of portraits for clients.

Oddly enough I was trying for something similar but of a kid but he just would not be still for a second. Will try again now that I have a better idea of what to go for. Thanks for that.

Thanks Bobo, I'm glad you like the balance. When I took the shot the space over her shoulders was filled with a pale wall so the background in the top third was almost white, which I thought made the image feel very bottom heavy so I filled in with the black.

I'm keen to try it with a client or two but I do worry about portraits, usually when I'm shooting people it's in the context of their working environment, so while I may direct them a bit I'm generally stalking a moving target rather than posing and positioning.

Photographing children is great fun, I've done a number of shoots with groups of kids from pre-school up to 16, but 'still' is definitely a concept they to struggle with!

And if it has helped you at all that makes me more happy to have plucked up the courage to post it.

Cheers,
A