NON Square Cropped Portraits - (nSCP's) - Archive

[Antonio Correia]

I think this is very good actually. The shadows and colors suits the subject very well. Very artistic! About the noise, I have to learn how to use the Noise Ninja too. Or the Neat Image. I have both of them but everytime I open them I get lost and never had the time to learn it systematically. One day I will do. Right now, I just need to work on the skin tone!

Nah ! I see it in "real" size and it is not good.
This is one of those I don't like.
And he is floating ! ....

[Antonio Correia]

I like this one.
He is "seated" and the photo is sharp.
The 70-200 was on a mono-pod as the shutter speed was 1/25 and this is the second of a set of 3 shots in a row. With the 20D. 3.200 ISO !!!
The white light was coming for a moment from the camera of a guy who was making video.

EXIF

[Dave Humphries]

Or the Neat Image. I have both of them but everytime I open them I get lost and never had the time to learn it systematically. One day I will do. Right now, I just need to work on the skin tone!

OK, I can help here - but not tonight

I´ll provide a 5 step process for Neat Image when used as a plug in for PS Elements (PS should therefore be similar)
I agree it´s not intuitive!

I´ll stick it in a new thread and link from here

I´m back home tomorrow night, but with over a thousand holiday snaps to work through

Cheers,

[Antonio Correia]

... a thousand holiday snaps to work through :eek Cheers,

Where have you been Colin ? That is if I may ask and if you care to say ...
Got any portraits ?

[Colin Southern]

Where have you been Colin ? That is if I may ask and if you care to say ...
Got any portraits ?

Um - he's Dave - I think Colin is the other dude

[Antonio Correia]

Um - he's Dave - I think Colin is the other dude

I am sorry. I had just came from the shower and my brain was not working as it should...

[Dave Humphries]

Where have you been "Dave" ? That is if I may ask and if you care to say ...
Got any portraits ?

Hi Antonio,

I thought of you this afternoon as I flew back from Tenerife and glanced in 'your' direction, only to see nothing but cloud tops

Portraits, hmm, few I am ashamed to say; I had intended to take some more, but never quite did. I seemed to spend a bit of time on people silhouttes instead - you know, sea, sunset, etc. even some surfing ones (but no match for Kevin's shots - I was just too far away).

I will post something in one of these threads when I have sorted myself out - little disk space to download my 36GB of pics too

Cheers,

[Antonio Correia]

Hi Antonio, I thought of you this afternoon as I flew back from Tenerife and glanced in 'your' direction, only to see nothing but cloud tops Portraits, hmm, few I am ashamed to say; I had intended to take some more, but never quite did. I seemed to spend a bit of time on people silhouttes instead - you know, sea, sunset, etc. even some surfing ones (but no match for Kevin's shots - I was just too far away). I will post something in one of these threads when I have sorted myself out - little disk space to download my 36GB of pics too Cheers,

Hello Dave.

I understand you made a safe return home. Good.

My wife and myself we have thought going to London this Summer for a couple of days but the flew pushed us away...
We are not hypochondriacs but care should be taken and also unnecessary risks avoided.

Some day, when things get better, we will go. Then I will let you know. Maybe we can meet.

I longing to see some of your images...

[Antonio Correia]

EXIF


EXIF

[Dave Humphries]

Some day, when things get better, we will go. Then I will let you know. Maybe we can meet.

Yes, that would be good, do make contact (whenever that maybe).

Still not downloaded the new pics yet, trying to shuffle my older pics around (off PC) and getting frustrated in the process

[Amberglass]

Okay, here are my entries:

Taken with 40D with 50 1.4 set at 200 ISO, f2.8, shutter speed 1/60th. Soft A Hoya filter which is one of my all time favorite effects filter that I brought over from film. Soft filters are wonderful if you have uneven or fine blemished skin like my son.

My kids have gotten tired of me taking photos of them, but they will make an exception when we're on vacation or trips.

[Amberglass]

One of my daughter and another square composition for you, Antonio.


Canon 40D with 50 1.4: settings of ISO 200 at f4, 1/125th.

[Colin Southern]

One of my daughter

Putting your last two posts in this forum together, I've reached the conclusion that your at Oshkosh to check out the aircraft?

[Antonio Correia]

Thank you Elsie for posting these pictures in this thread adding value - as I said before - to it. Making this thread more interesting.

However, I kindly ask you to post the square photo into the SCPs thread where it belongs.
Please don't erase it from here as it is so nice, beautiful and well done.
It is now a SCP among the nSCP's to confirm that the exception confirms the rule.

It looks like the 50 f/1.4 is a great lens.
The lens may be real great but without a good photographer it is nothing, useless.
Tell me please: which software do you use ?

It seems like you use it very well getting superb results.

[Amberglass]

Putting your last two posts in this forum together, I've reached the conclusion that your at Oshkosh to check out the aircraft?

LOL. Oshkosh is a children clothing line like GAP Kids. These were taken in Orlando Florida at the Hard Rock Hotel and Universal Studios amusement park. I'm not a big fan of extreme rides and neither is my daughter, so she models for me while we wait for my husband and older son. I spend a lot of time looking at how light falls about me (crazy I know) and look for interesting photo ops.

On this particular trip, while shooting my daughter (image below) a small crowd actually lined up behind me. The people in line thought that I worked for the park and was taking professional portraits! Wow! Where they embarrass when they discovered that I wasn't.

Same image but original composition, and still one of my faves. Comparing the two images also stress the importance of proper cropping for a more dynamic image. My only mistake here is that didn't tell my daughter to move her necklace clasp behind her neck, but then again we were just having fun shooting.

[Amberglass]

Thank you Elsie for posting these pictures in this thread adding value - as I said before - to it. Making this thread more interesting.

However, I kindly ask you to post the square photo into the SCPs thread where it belongs.
Please don't erase it from here as it is so nice, beautiful and well done.
It is now a SCP among the nSCP's to confirm that the exception confirms the rule.

It looks like the 50 f/1.4 is a great lens.
The lens may be real great but without a good photographer it is nothing, useless.
Tell me please: which software do you use ?

It seems like you use it very well getting superb results.

I use both Canon and Nikon, the two really shouldn't be compared. I like them both. You don't always have to buy L's lenses to get great results btw. In fact the 50 1.2L and the 85 1.2L are what I consider specialty lenses because of the extreme shallow depth of field. You really have to be spot on focus to make these primes work wide open, and speed is not a factor in the shot. (Careful, just because you can shoot wide open doesn't mean that you should). Canon's 50 1.4 and 85 1.8 (great bargains in my book) will achieve very similar results (not as creamy of a bokeh but still pleasing) at a fraction of the costs and much faster too.

I use Adobe Lightroom 2.0 but also have Aperture 2.0 initially (both will achieve the same effect). I pretty much very rarely use Ps CS4 in my work. I try to do every thing right "in camera" (old school); meaning I take multiple shots and inspect each one (zoom and pan around for focus and sharpness, histograms, exposure).

A torso shot of my daughter with ISO 200, 24-105 f4L IS at F5, 1/60th shutter speed.


Yes, you can achieve almost studio quality images without flash and studio equipment. You just have to "find the right light and put them in it" and pay attention to "details". Note the natural rim lighting on her shoulder/hair/arm just by standing within a shadow of a bamboo grove at NOON. Absolutely no fill flash involved.

[Antonio Correia]

I use both Canon and Nikon, the two really shouldn't be compared. I like them both. You don't always have to buy L's lenses to get great results btw. In fact the 50 1.2L and the 85 1.2L are what I consider specialty lenses because of the extreme shallow depth of field. You really have to be spot on focus to make these primes work wide open, and speed is not a factor in the shot. (Careful, just because you can shoot wide open doesn't mean that you should). Canon's 50 1.4 and 85 1.8 (great bargains in my book) will achieve very similar results (not as creamy of a bokeh but still pleasing) at a fraction of the costs and much faster too...

Interesting opinions. I really think that a good equipment is important for the quality of the results you get.
As I said somewhere before in this forum, it is in the middle that the balance resides.
I explain myself:
A good photographer with a poor camera can - and probably will - get good results.
A poor photographer with a great camera - which ever it may be - also can get nice pictures with some luck.
But, if you are a reasonable photographer you can get good results with top and low equipment.
I myself, I consider to be medium photographer. I do know some stuff but I want to learn more and more all the time.
Once I thought I should have one of those 50mm to use with the 5D on a project I have of shooting hands in the hospital, before and after surgery.
Unfortunately it is not on the run. Not yet anyway. I'll try to post some pictures of it when and if it ever begins.
-

...I use Adobe Lightroom 2.0 but also have Aperture 2.0 initially (both will achieve the same effect). I pretty much very rarely use Ps CS4 in my work. I try to do every thing right "in camera" (old school); meaning I take multiple shots and inspect each one (zoom and pan around for focus and sharpness, histograms, exposure)...

LR yes I use it. Nice isn't it ? Aperture I have never tried. I also am on a Mac.
But now that I use often LR I tend to jump more into CS4 for the "mixing" of images.
You try to do every thing "in camera". Sure.
-

... A torso shot of my daughter with ISO 200, 24-105 f4L IS at F5, 1/60th shutter speed...
Yes, you can achieve almost studio quality images without flash and studio equipment. You just have to "find the right light and put them in it" and pay attention to "details". Note the natural rim lighting on her shoulder/hair/arm just by standing within a shadow of a bamboo grove at NOON. Absolutely no fill flash involved.

I think the use of fill flash is very flattering for our pictures. Even if it is bounced to the most strange areas. Yes, yes we must be careful about the casts and so.
However you do have nice results without it.
But let's consider this picture of yours.
You could have used a flash from behind to get some shape on her head and detach her from the background. It looks like her hair is a bit too dark or is it my monitor ?
When I use flash one of my problems is that I don't have a voice activated one. They are the best indeed.
I have to go and set it at the right place and come back to fine tune its position.
It is out of the question - for me that is - to use it on camera unless bounced.

Than you for posting. Please keep the good work.

[Antonio Correia]

EXIF

With fill flash.
Voice activated 580 EXII triggered near the man with ST-E2, a 70-200 IS f/2.8 and a 20D.
LR worked.
Elsie: what do you have to say ? Whip me.

[Amberglass]

But let's consider this picture of yours.
You could have used a flash from behind to get some shape on her head and detach her from the background. It looks like her hair is a bit too dark or is it my monitor ?
When I use flash one of my problems is that I don't have a voice activated one. They are the best indeed.
I have to go and set it at the right place and come back to fine tune its position.
It is out of the question - for me that is - to use it on camera unless bounced.

Than you for posting. Please keep the good work.

I think it may be your monitor, Antonio if her head appears dark. Let me explain a very unique way that I photograph. When I travel long distances from home, I like to travel light. 2-3 memory cards, one or two lenses, extra battery, and one camera. No strobes, including use of built in pop up. I like to challenge my skills and push my camera to make things work; using only what's available to me. To be resourceful artist. It's a very old school methodology with results that one (I hope) can appreciate. I don't shoot for myself, I shot for others to enjoy. Even at 30+ years, I'm still trying to prove myself like Avedon.

[Colin Southern]

A good photographer with a poor camera can - and probably will - get good results.

A poor photographer with a great camera - which ever it may be - also can get nice pictures with some luck.

I tend to look at it from a slightly different angle ...

I think it's all about limitations - the photographer introduces one set and the equipment introduces another set (which may interact or they may be an entirely different set). They who can remove as many limitations from BOTH sets will have the best images, but in reality it's usually a case of a potentially perfect creation being dragged down by one more than the other.

This is why when someone wants to learn photography by using the very best money can buy then I don't shoot them down in flames because right from the start it removes one set of limitations - AND - it gives them something to grow into (that's not to say I'd recommend that everyone does it that way, but if you WANT to do it that way - and money isn't an obstacle - then I think it's a perfectly valid approach).

... Just wish I could have learned to drive in a Ferrari instead of a Morris 1000 minor