Off the Cuff Portrait

[Bend The Light]

I have bought a 40d which has unfortunately gone off to Santa...but not before I took a few "snaps" to try it out while at my camera club. Had my 50mm f1.8on. Also playing with mono etc. in Nik SilverFX Pro.

Camera Canon EOS 40D
Exposure 0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture f/5.6
Focal Length 50 mm
ISO Speed 500

Your thoughts on this:

Tim at PCC mono by http://bendthelight.me.uk, on Flickr

And the colour version...needed some WB due to interior lights...


Tim at PCC by http://bendthelight.me.uk, on Flickr

Cheers

 

[Alpha]

What sort of thoughts would you like? It looks like a snapshot.

 

[shootermcgavin]

I like it, that black part in the background on the bottom takes away from it a bit though. So Santa takes things from you?

 

[Bend The Light]

What sort of thoughts would you like? It looks like a snapshot.

Well that's a thought. Thanks.

Any thoughts at all...I am playing with nik software, so what do you think of the processing? It wasn't "quite" a snapshot, but by the same token, it wasn't a finely tuned operation to get the portrait either. It's a new camera to me, and your thoughts on the general quality of the image, handheld indoors at ISO 500 etc.

Basically as much or as little of your thoughts as you like.

Cheers

 

[Bend The Light]

I like it, that black part in the background on the bottom takes away from it a bit though. So Santa takes things from you?

Yes, I see that. Cheers.

Well, Santa has to take the 40d because if my 6 year old sees it she will wonder what is happening to my 400d. And what is happening to the 400d is that she is getting it for one of HER Christmas presents! So, the pretence goes on. All part of the magic.

 

[heroes19]

I like the black and white version, good sharpness and the contrast.

 

[Bend The Light]

I like the black and white version, good sharpness and the contrast.

Cheers.

 

[Forkie]

I like the black and white version, good sharpness and the contrast.

I disagree I'm afraid! There's definite motion blur there (as there would be at 50mm and 1/40) and I think the background is distracting. Although it looks as though this was a shot taken on impulse so you could be let off for not adjusting settings for it.

The B&W is better than the colour, but it's a bit grey. Needs more contrast.

If this was my shot it would be filed in "Shots worth keeping as a memento, but not worth exhibiting".

 

[Bend The Light]

I like the black and white version, good sharpness and the contrast.

I disagree I'm afraid! There's definite motion blur there (as there would be at 50mm and 1/40) and I think the background is distracting. Although it looks as though this was a shot taken on impulse so you could be let off for not adjusting settings for it.

The B&W is better than the colour, but it's a bit grey. Needs more contrast.

If this was my shot it would be filed in "Shots worth keeping as a memento, but not worth exhibiting".

Thanks.

Not really a momento...just, as you noticed, a snap to try the new camera. I took a few pictures at varying settings, getting to know where the buttons were, etc.
As for motion blur...I don't really see that, and of several places where I have shown this photo, it is only this forum where people have mentioned it...wonder if the resizing for this forum is making it worse for you?

Cheers

 

[Forkie]

I like the black and white version, good sharpness and the contrast.

I disagree I'm afraid! There's definite motion blur there (as there would be at 50mm and 1/40) and I think the background is distracting. Although it looks as though this was a shot taken on impulse so you could be let off for not adjusting settings for it.

The B&W is better than the colour, but it's a bit grey. Needs more contrast.

If this was my shot it would be filed in "Shots worth keeping as a memento, but not worth exhibiting".

Thanks.

Not really a momento...just, as you noticed, a snap to try the new camera. I took a few pictures at varying settings, getting to know where the buttons were, etc.
As for motion blur...I don't really see that, and of several places where I have shown this photo, it is only this forum where people have mentioned it...wonder if the resizing for this forum is making it worse for you?

Cheers

I'm not sure it's this forum because I still see it on Flickr. I can even see that the camera moved up and to the right at roughly 45°. Look at your large version on Flickr and check out the very fine hairs on the end of his nose. You can see that they are smeared at 45° bottom left to top right.