Informal Portrait (Part VII)

[Digital]

I shot this two nights ago at a photography meeting. This young lady is one of our members.
This pic was shot with a flash bounced off the ceiling.
I really like taking informal photos of people since I believe you get a more natural expression of their personality.
C&C most welcomed. Bruce

[Digital]

#2

[Brownbear]

Hi Bruce,

Although your 2nd image (the first seems soft) seems to be photographed very well, ie; lovely natural expression, good exposure, sharp, nice lighting, depth of field, et... for some reason I feel that there is something that is not quite right... ie; angle of her pose, looking into the camera. The background looks very formal but she is dressed very casually?

I don't know enough about portraiture to offer any truly helpful advice but something seems to be off even though you photographed her well... perhaps it is just that the angle of the image seems a bit odd to me.

[Digital]

Christina, thanks for viewing, and your comments.
Now that you mentioned it, the pic does seem a little odd. She was sitting at that angle when I photographed her. This was in a conference room which had a plain gray background, hence the look of formality.
Pic #1 does seem a little soft so I sharpened the pic in Photoshop CS6, hence #2.

Bruce

[Brownbear]

Hi Bruce,

I commented only because no one else has, yet. Sorry, that I can't be of more help... Hopefully someone with some experience in portraiture will comment... It could be just be that I'm odd.

[Digital]

Hi Bruce,

I commented only because no one else has, yet. Sorry, that I can't be of more help... Hopefully someone with some experience in portraiture will comment... It could be just be that I'm odd.

Christina, it is not that you are odd. The photo does tend to look "different". I like it because of the informality of the shot - it was not posed.


Bruce

[rpcrowe]

I try not to shoot people from a low angle. I don't think that shooting up the nostrils is at all flattering. I tend to want to get a good looking portrait even with informal ones.

However, the very most important parameter of any image is whether you like it and, if you do, then it is a nice image. Of secondary importance (often competing closely for primary importance when shooting people we know or when shooting for pay) is whether the subject likes the portrait...

[Digital]

Richard, I agree with everything you said. This photo was not well thought out. I do like taking informal portraits since, as stated earlier, because of the natural expressions I get.


Bruce

[Digital]

#3 This is another person who belongs to our photography club. Again, I like the naturalness of the expression on this person's face.

[Brownbear]

Hi Bruce,

I think this is a fantastic shot... I adore his pose and the expression on his face. The lighting is nice and I also think it is very well photographed. The only thing that I can think of that for me would make the photo perfect, is to either to have moved the gentleman over to the left or taken down the picture in the top right hand corner.

This is my favourite portrait of yours thus far. Very well done...

[Digital]

Hi Bruce,

I think this is a fantastic shot... I adore his pose and the expression on his face. The lighting is nice and I also think it is very well photographed. The only thing that I can think of that for me would make the photo perfect, is to either to have moved the gentleman over to the left or taken down the picture in the top right hand corner.


This is my favourite portrait of yours thus far. Very well done...

Christina, thank you for viewing, and your kind comments. In keeping with the informality of the shot I did not do anything with the picture on the wall. I did bounce the flash off the ceiling though.

Bruce

[rpcrowe]

Somehow, I kind of like the picture on the wall. It adds depth to the image. I do love the serious expression on the man's face...

[Brownbear]

My pleasure Bruce... I adore this image, and Richard makes a wonderful point about depth...

[Digital]

Thank you Richard, and Christina for your very kind comments.


Bruce