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

[Alis]

I was suggested to make a B&W on this image.
I keep liking it. Stronger in B&W...
More in synchrony with their work if I may say so

Fantastic, Antonio!

This is Ansel Adams B&W quality!

Only comment: extra space on the left side, too dark anyway too add anything to the composition. I would get rid of that, otherwise, specially the B&W conversion is great!

Thank you for posting

[richard amora]

I was suggested to make a B&W on this image.
I keep liking it. Stronger in B&W...
More in synchrony with their work if I may say so

This is really nice antonio!

will care to share your processing steps on this photo?

[Clactonian]

Great shot Antonio. I actually like the burnt in corners, which help to accentuate the figures.
Mike

[Antonio Correia]

Fantastic, Antonio! This is Ansel Adams B&W quality! Only comment: extra space on the left side, too dark anyway too add anything to the composition. I would get rid of that, otherwise, specially the B&W conversion is great! Thank you for posting

Come on Ali... Don't over do it
You are probably right about the extra space and the dark areas
I have been looking at the image over and over and - excuse me my friend - I decided to keep it this way. It doesn't mean - at all - that I don't like your comments, no. I do like them even if you don't like my pictures.
Thank you for commenting
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This is really nice antonio! will care to share your processing steps on this photo?

Very easy Richard
I started from the colored version. On LR create virtual copy and V key and there we have B&W ready to go.
Then, - after a pause to adapt the eyes to the new picture - a little adjustment in the Brightness, Exposure and Export.
There it is
Thank you for commenting
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Great shot Antonio. I actually like the burnt in corners, which help to accentuate the figures.
Mike

Hello Mike. Thank you for commenting
I worked a bit the image on CS to darken the background and make them pop. Slowly... very slowly...

[carregwen]

Hi Antonio

Really good portrait shot. I did an edit (if that's OK) in Silver Efex Pro to see how it came out. It seems to have given more light on their faces?

[Antonio Correia]

Hi Antonio Really good portrait shot. I did an edit (if that's OK) in Silver Efex Pro to see how it came out. It seems to have given more light on their faces?

Indeed Rob they have more light on their faces.
Of course it is OK. How could you ever think that it would not be OK ??

Thank you for the work.
Cheers

[Alis]

I took this shot inside a tent during a recent camping trip. The white part of the tent acted as a nice diffuser. The border between the the white part and the black part came out diagonal in the shot and I think, as Colin likes it, give the shot more energy. Also the tent ceiling/dome is reflected in her eyes and has created a nice catchlight...So there you go, everything completely accidental and you have a nice kid shot

[Antonio Correia]

...everything completely accidental and you have a nice kid shot

Very nice effect indeed.
Luck is also part of the "business" when I shoot.

[Antonio Correia]

No I don't. At all.
I must impose a rule to myself: only in SOS I shoot under harsh light. Period/final.
However, this light is according to the kind of work he is doing...

[Antonio Correia]

Let me show you what I found and also let me tell you how wrong - yes wrong - I am when I say I don't like harsh light. How naive I am...

Please have a look at this gorgeous image shot in Angola.

I couldn't copy the link of the photo, sorry.

[Alis]

Let me show you what I found and also let me tell you how wrong - yes wrong - I am when I say I don't like harsh light. How naive I am...

Please have a look at this gorgeous image shot in Angola.

I couldn't copy the link of the photo, sorry.

Looks nice of course, but you don't know how they have overpowered the sun. I think that is the big question. If you can use a powerful enough light and basically create studio like lighting setting, nothing can stop you to take pictures under the harsh sunlight.

Also, in this particular case, the dark skin of this African woman/girl helps a lot, since there is not much that can go wrong. taking picture of a fair skin person under that much light would be a whole different story!

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Antonio,

I agree with Ali on both points - the sun has been 'nuked' into submission by another, more frontal, fill light source.
The EXIF shows the flash was on and fired.

Yours is an interesting picture, initially I thought there is 'too much bar, not enough person' (and the person is well shaded).
However, the glove helps and the eye contact is crucial.

I just hope they let him out before pouring the concrete

Cheers,

[Alis]

[richard amora]

Nice bokeh Here! Yum2x!

[Alis]

Nice bokeh Here! Yum2x!

Thanks! Why do we all love bokeh?

[carregwen]

Thanks! Why do we all love bokeh?

Because like low-level lighting in restaurants it hides a multitude of sins. Good shot.

[Antonio Correia]

All the pictures in this post don't belong to me. They belong to the persons mentioned in the text.
Brent Williamson for the first and Eric Lafforge for the other two.

From myself

Let me show you what I found and also let me tell you how wrong - yes wrong - I am when I say I don't like harsh light. How naive I am... Please have a look at this gorgeous image shot in Angola. I couldn't copy the link of the photo, sorry.

Now that I have seen the images of this French I could recall some I have seen also on Flickr and I must go back in my statement.
This guy - from New Zealand - also makes very nice pictures under harsh light. Look at this example of one of his pictures.

I can remember that some of his pictures were rather different but they are not on line now. Or I have not found them...
So, I would like to clarify that as I said - somewhere before and not in this thread - we have to take advantage of the situation, whichever it is and take a decent picture. make the most of it whichever the situation.
So, I stand that to shoot under the harsh light is not advisable unless you are obliged to or have something special in your mind.
I really don't change my positions this easy but this time and on this matter, I must.
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Now, look at this picture by the same French guy Eric Lafforge mentioned before.
And... what is he using ? Ah ah... a tupperware yes. A Gary Fong thing.

And even a ring flash in this one.

it is also true that Eric Lafforge - the French guy - has behind him someone who "works" his images the best way. Well, no one told me so but I came to that conclusion and one thing is certain: He has someone to do the job and I don't. I do it all by myself.
But... it doesn't mean that I try not to reach his level of Photography. At least I try.
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Looks nice of course, but you don't know how they have overpowered the sun. I think that is the big question. If you can use a powerful enough light and basically create studio like lighting setting, nothing can stop you to take pictures under the harsh sunlight. Also, in this particular case, the dark skin of this African woman/girl helps a lot, since there is not much that can go wrong. taking picture of a fair skin person under that much light would be a whole different story!

But Ali, don't say so. I think you are underestimating the knowledge of Eric. OK I may be wrong and it's me who is making a misinterpretation of your words.
Let me be - as usual - honest: have you tried to make a shot like this ?
Well, I do. It really is not that difficult I must agree. I hope to be able to post some in a near future.
In fact, what strikes most in the images is not only the technical aspect of it, colors and so on but the meaning of the image, the message it transmits. This happens with many of my own pictures which may not be technically perfect but have contents, meanings.
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Hi Antonio, I agree with Ali on both points - the sun has been 'nuked' into submission by another, more frontal, fill light source.
The EXIF shows the flash was on and fired. Yours is an interesting picture, initially I thought there is 'too much bar, not enough person' (and the person is well shaded). However, the glove helps and the eye contact is crucial. I just hope they let him out before pouring the concrete Cheers,

I see that it is me who is misunderstanding the words of Ali. English to Portuguese for me sometimes...
About my own picture:
Here the use of a flash would have caused nasty shadows. It was shot with the 70-200 and the central point. As I was not using the monopod, the camera was always slightly moving and the focusing was changing all the time. Sometimes the focus was on the rod, others on his face. When the focus was on his face he was not looking at me.
I asked him to stand in the middle of the rods and perhaps you are right about too many rods and too little face.
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Back to Alis.
Thank you for posting one of your nice portraits with... nice bokeh.
Only good lens return flattering bokeh

Thank you all for the comments. and the patience of reading all this. That is ... if you have...

[Sahil]

Wow! Looks like a great discussion here on harsh light. Would love to read about it when I get a little more time.

What say about this one? I know the head & elbow are cut about which I think I will clone the head at least, from other shots I took of him.

[Colin Southern]

I think I will clone the head at least, from other shots I took of him.

Cutting parts of heads off is pretty much the norm these days (just look at just about any magazine).

[Sahil]

Oh! Then its cool... The elbow? Is that a concern? & can his hairy fore-head be taken care of? Or its better left like that?
Thanks