A few portraits

maddkid53 · Nov 13, 2009

The first one was taken on a Yashica-A, on 120mm black and white film. It was my first ever print.

That is my friend Roger. Hes fabulous.
This picture was originally going to be candid, but he moved before i could get the camera set up right, so i had him move back to how i originally saw the picture. cheating, i know. but it happens.

The second one was taken on a Canon Rebel XS.

http://maddkid53.deviantart.com/art/So-Fresh-and-So-Clean-139991336
That is my friend Mike. He is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet.
for this picture, i had Mike go through his briefcase and try on everything in it, and pose for me. he was modeling the glasses in this picture

The third one was also taken on a Canon Rebel XS.

That is my friend Johnny. He recently moved to Arizona, and I miss him.
this portrait was spontaneous and candid, but i got his permission to use it, of course.

thoughts, comments, criticism?

bigtwinky · Nov 13, 2009

I would recommend you actually post the pictures in thread. Some people, who may have alot to say, are a bit weery of clicking on links. Posting them directly in a thread usually nets more response
1- I find the picture is a bit soft. Nice mood in the image. I'm not keen on the blown out whites though. I also don't like where you cut his hands/arms, looks like he might be peeing.

2- I find the composition isn't nice in this shot. Cutting off his arm and even part of his head makes it look like the photo was rushed, more like a snap shot.

I also don't like the choice of backgrounds, as I find its competing for importance in the image. You also have some ceiling in there that isn't nice. Fill your frame more with your subject, move in closer and make them important, trying to eliminate things in the image that dont add to it.

3- The best of the three, I like the colours in here... the sky vs his shirt vs the tree. Composition is good for a portrait. You moved in nice and close and filled the frame and the subject is not centered.

The one thing I might do differently is try and capture the subject's eyes, which is what makes a portrait more interesting. Its hard to do with candids, as we have a tendency to shoot when the person is not looking.

gian133 · Nov 13, 2009

ahhh smaller pictures please. lol

number 3 is definiatly the best imo. number 2 does nothing for me. like ^ said it looks like more of a snap shot. i like number 1 too, but it doesnt look like anything is really sharp in focus. and the left side being blown out is kinda a downer.

go work. i wish i had a yashica. soon hopefully :mrgreen:

maddkid53 · Nov 14, 2009

Thanks guys =]

I'll try to upload smaller pictures. where do you suggest hosting them?

Bigtwinky, you're right, #2 was a rushed shot. i still liked it but i understand why you do not.

and Gian, numba 1 is blurry cause that was my first week with a Yashica and also my first week working with film, so my focusing on camera was ****e, and just as bad in the darkroom.