Emotive Portrait shot

tonyeck · Jun 13, 2006

Hey, I'm new here! Some fantastic shots on this board and I will definately stick around

Here is one of my recent portrait shots

Camera: Canon Digital Rebel XT
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 100mm
Shutter / Aperture: 1/20 @ f2.8
Lens: Canon 100mm Macro F/2.8

Any advice or critique, let me know!

Thanks

Holly · Jun 14, 2006

For me.. Its to dark and the crop is a bit tight. KEEP them coming though!!

elsaspet · Jun 14, 2006

I think it's beautiful. I actually like the darker portions as the tears add to the tension of the "darker side". I say excellent, and I wouldn't change a darn thing, except to maybe add a slight grain to add to the darkness.
Well done and I look forward to seeing more.

tonyeck · Jun 14, 2006

Thanks a lot guys, I have a few versions of this photo set up in Aperture (for macs) and one has grain added and it does indeed add to the darkness.

I have has a few people say its too dark but printed it looks great. I'm going to blame different color calibrations on different machines

What kind of emotion do you think she has right at the point? Happy, sad, scared, nervous?

elsaspet · Jun 14, 2006

It's hard to say, but I'd say sad. It's hard to say though, so let's just leave it as emotional. At any rate, it works.

fotophia · Jun 14, 2006

id say frustrated and sad. i dunno the first thing i think when i look at a story is fight with the boyfriend. The way the month is open makes me feel like shes just sort of.. huffed.. if you get me.

anyway great image. reminds me of one of the help advertisments. i feel it is cropped a little too tightly but yeh love it

tonyeck · Jun 14, 2006

fotophia said:
id say frustrated and sad. i dunno the first thing i think when i look at a story is fight with the boyfriend. The way the month is open makes me feel like shes just sort of.. huffed.. if you get me.

anyway great image. reminds me of one of the help advertisments. i feel it is cropped a little too tightly but yeh love it

Interesting story

Thanks for the input.

The image hasn't been cropped post shot, I framed it that way, but a few people have said similar things. Maybe I can set up a similar shot again.

Your from Manchester UK? I was born there

LaFoto · Jun 14, 2006

To me she looks nervous. Not so much sad.
Apprehensive, too.
Her mouth and eye brow line does not indicate "sad" to me, despite the tears.

She could, by the way, also be RELIEVED! Deeply relieved...

highbred3d · Jun 14, 2006

Nice start Tonyeck... Some things that you could do REALLY pack some emotion in there, the lighting could be punched up more contrasty throught the value range, as well as warm / cool.

Personally I'm dying to see those eyes open, in animation eyes are the clinchers, they are really the only things that REALLY bring any chracter to life, they are rich with emotion, and combined with gesture and lighting are unstoppable... that is just my opinion tho! Use of gesture and other emotive body parts like the mouth can be extremely effective as well.

You could do one step further and disorient the audience with some off angle compositions.

The only thing that I think is missing from that compostion, is that I'd like to see the tear come forward as a focal point.

tonyeck · Jun 14, 2006

highbred3d said:
Nice start Tonyeck... Some things that you could do REALLY pack some emotion in there, the lighting could be punched up more contrasty throught the value range, as well as warm / cool.

Personally I'm dying to see those eyes open, in animation eyes are the clinchers, they are really the only things that REALLY bring any chracter to life, they are rich with emotion, and combined with gesture and lighting are unstoppable... that is just my opinion tho! Use of gesture and other emotive body parts like the mouth can be extremely effective as well.

You could do one step further and disorient the audience with some off angle compositions.

The only thing that I think is missing from that compostion, is that I'd like to see the tear come forward as a focal point.

Thanks, I'll give it a shot punching up the lighting.

In the shoot I have a few with opened eyes, and will try and explore them a little more tonight. I really appreciate your advice on why eyes are important (learn this too during animation classes at University) and maybe it would make this image more effective.

It was definately hard getting tears as the main focal point. Getting the right expression timed with real tears was very challenging. I was very impressed that she could cry on command

Thanks for the advice

tonyeck · Jun 14, 2006

LaFoto said:
To me she looks nervous. Not so much sad.
Apprehensive, too.
Her mouth and eye brow line does not indicate "sad" to me, despite the tears.

She could, by the way, also be RELIEVED! Deeply relieved...

Interesting observations

Thanks

highbred3d · Jun 14, 2006

I haven't tried shooting tears myself, but I image that they would be hard! Also, try to images why she is crying, whats on her mind, where does she look and why? Just have fun, and expirement! Thats what it's all about!

tonyeck · Jun 14, 2006

When we set up the shot we discussed the emotions I wanted her to portray. When I look at the shot, the emotion was achieved, but it was interesting to see what others saw...

Some good ones included her being kidnapped and being held but we can't see the kidnapper, yet she is hoping she wont get hurt etc. Its the open mouth that does that for me