Square cropped portraits (SCPs) - Archive

[Doughboy]

Thank you Antonio for your thoughts

[Antonio Correia]

This image has some time already.
I used two flashes one at each side of the guy. He builds model boats. No I don't have any photo from teh boas.
The flashes were both bounced against white surfaces triggered with the ST-E2.
The one on our right on a door and the other on our left on a simple sheet of white A3.

I told him to work concentrated on what he was doing while I moved around.
The area around was pretty small thought ...

[Antonio Correia]

Raycer. Nice picture this one.

Now we can appreciate because it has a convenient size !
This is one of those cases when a white canvas wouldn't be convenient and a black one would be too dull regarding the subject.

I like the subtle of the forms and general tone as the tender and loving shot.

Buy hey I also have one of those but a "little" bit different

Here I used one flash with an umbrella. Simply.

Thank you for posting Raycer. Hope there is more and we can see her growing up! Health to her, to her mother and to her father !

[Antonio Correia]

Thank you Antonio for your thoughts

Please do not thank me. There is no reason at all.

[Raycer]

Thanks Antonio,

Great health to you and your family too.
You got a great shot as well!

My shot was all natural light - back lit from a south facing window. Window on the sides for key light.

[SRH]

... does this look any better?


PS: It's actually a touch over-sharpened in some areas now; unfortunately, this was a compound effect of my makeover on top of the original sharpening. Was the original shot RAW or JPEG?

Colin, You've opened up another world for me to explore. I'm off to play with sharpening on various shots.

Yes, I see what you mean, and it is better. The original was JPEG using the default Olympus algorithm, with no post processing. EXIF indicates that I had set the sharp setting in the camera to +1. That's what I'm going to play with--the scene settings and the sharp & contrast, in camera. If I make any interesting discoveries, I'll let you know! (Would that be ex camera?)
Thanks.

Stephen

[Colin Southern]

Colin, You've opened up another world for me to explore. I'm off to play with sharpening on various shots.

Hi Stephen,

Glad to be able to help

Just remember that when it comes to sharpening, there's no "one size fits all", and for best results have the camera sharpen as little as possible, and do it all in PP.

[Wirefox]

This was taken some time ago, after a defeat for England after a world cup match

[Antonio Correia]

This was taken some time ago, after a defeat for England after a world cup match

But this is a winner image
Very nice !

I am only sorry that the background is so flat in terms of information... Just a brick wall, you know.
Yes, I understand that is what you had and you made the shot anyway.
And looking at her arms I could almost say that she was not there. But looking at her hair I have to think that I am wrong.
This reminds me the question I was posing the other day about how sharp your contours are...

[Wirefox]

Antonio

Thanks for your comments. I have to admit it does look as if it is superimposed on the background. There is very little control with the DoF on this point and shoot so you do tend to get very hard edges,

I love your boatbuilder by the way. The consistency of your images is superb. What is your keep rate. I could shoot card after card and get nowhere near these.

[Antonio Correia]

Wirefox, I don't know what my secret is
I just work on the pictures and I go on with adjustments until they are the way I like.

When I take the picture I watch the background. Here I shot with natural light using the 24-70.
Please, click on the photo to see the EXIF.
Thank you for watching.

I would like to see more SCPs from you people.

EDIT - I just work on the pictures and I go on with adjustments as they look the way I like them.

[Colin Southern]

Antonio

I have to admit it does look as if it is superimposed on the background.

It can help to put about a 3 pixel select around the foreground subject and then give it a gaussian blur - helps to blend it in to the background.

[Antonio Correia]

It can help to put about a 3 pixel select around the foreground subject and then give it a gaussian blur - helps to blend it in to the background.

My hardest, better: My problem is that I am a lamer selecting on CS4 in spite of understanding how useful that tool is.

Thank you anyway ! May be I will learn some day because I have understood so far that LR is very good indeed for what I can "make the treatment" of a photo but not to manipulate it.

Just a silly translation but I think you do understand what I am talking about.

[Colin Southern]

Wirefox, I don't know what my secret is
I just work on the pictures and I go on with adjustments as they the way I like them.

I think that a LOT of people forget that very simple concept. Often people seem to shy away from RAW processing especially, because they "don't know what to set the sliders to", whereas the reality is as simple as what Antonio and I do ... just move them until it looks the way you want it to look!

[Antonio Correia]

I think that a LOT of people forget that very simple concept. Often people seem to shy away from RAW processing especially, because they "don't know what to set the sliders to", whereas the reality is as simple as what Antonio and I do ... just move them until it looks the way you want it to look!

Great !
And there we are: two antipodes with similar concept.

[Antonio Correia]

The preparation of the shot.
The light was very harsh indeed. Nothing could be done, except run to the shadows. However, one can't tell or gesticulate asking to do so to people who hardly understand you ...
I do my best...

EXIF embedded in the SCP

[aia21]

I don't tend to crop square but on this one occasion I think it worked well. You be the judge!



Best regards,

Anton

[Antonio Correia]

Anton. This is very nice indeed.

Would you care to repeat the "treatment" on the photo introducing more density/darker/more detail on the young girl's face and a little vignetting ?
You could also lighten up the eyes just a little bit ...

That is, if you want and wish to...

Thank you.

[Antonio Correia]

I shot this picture a few hours ago.
I used two flashes via Canon ST-E2.

[Colin Southern]

You people should comment my pictures and say something about them from time to time

I wasn't going to say anything, but since you asked ...

Fear not my fearless collegue! To be honest, I'm impressed with your consistent quality; your images are always technically perfect (meaning exposure, toning, sharpening, presentation etc) - a sure sign that a person understands how to get the most out of both their camera and computer.

In terms of "artistic merit" they look great too, although I'm really not qualified to pass any further form of judgement on them as what you shoot is a completely different genre to what I specialise in.

Work to be proud of for sure.