My First Attempt at a B&W Portrait

[speedneeder]

I'm sure I have converted one to B&W before, but this is the first time I set out with the intention of creating a B&W portrait. I only got off a few pics before my model wanted to go climb a tree with her brother

[MiniChris]

I would like to see more of her and less of a background which is doing nothing to tell the story at hand...For me, this composition would push her further into the limelight...where she belongs.

[speedneeder]

Chris, I absolutely see what you mean!
For some reason, I think all of my photos need to be 3x2?
This is probably an error on my part.

[MiniChris]

I crop to the best format for the scene...I've never bought into absolutes in either shooting or framing. I do prefer to go longer than wider, but if the foot is in need of a wooden shoe, I don't give it Nike's. In that same breath, I will say that I try to frame in the camera as much as possible and leave that out of the PP equation. Sometimes, such as is the case when shooting sporting events, you have to leave enough margin for horizontal'vertical realignment. That is to be expected.

[speedneeder]

I guess I'm thinking in terms of framing prints. I tend to frame the shot in the viewfinder as well. With 18 MP now, I find myself intentionally shooting a little wider so I have more options later. In this photo, I actually shot it in landscape, so it is cropped quite a bit to be in portrait already! My intent was the same as yours, more area filled with the subject and less filled with the drab background.