Self Portraits

[Bantx]

Still trying to work on low light shots, I've noticed that the D3000 isn't very good in low light, but messing around with it came out with some decent shots.

c&c please and thank you!

 

[Tulsa]

1, I have no clue whats going on
2, lighting is off, how are you using the flash?

 

[kkamin]

1. I think blowing things out at times can be used for creative effect, but here the background blown out looks unintentional and degrades the overall image. I also don't think you can label this as a portrait. You are barely visible and are just being rimmed with light, much like the clothes behind you. It is hard to separate you from the background. The argument could be make that it is an environmental portrait but I don't think showing you with clothes and shoes says much about you; anyone could be standing there. If the room was filled with mounted animal heads you could maybe get away with dissolving into shadow, since you would be communicating that trophy hunting is a huge part of your identity.

2. Whether you are using a flash or there is a light source direct behind the camera, the image is suffering from the "inverse square law" when it comes to the disparity of light on your fist compared to the amount of light falling on the rest of you. The light source is too close to your fist and there is probably 16 times more light falling on your fist. You either need to back up the light source fairly far to even it out, or not have the light come from the front and make sure the distance from the light source to the fist and to your torso are closer. I like the concept of obscuring your face with your fist but find the blown out fist and the hard light source coming from the front work against the image.

 

[RauschPhotography]

I have no idea what's going on in either picture. The second one doesn't look like art to me. It looks more like, drunken facebook photography.

 

[mom2eight]

Keep trying!
Don't let comments like Rausch get to you. You look young so you have plenty of time to learn.

 

[SoonerBJJ]

I have no idea what's going on in either picture. The second one doesn't look like art to me. It looks more like, drunken facebook photography.

This.

 

[Bantx]

It's only been about 10 days with my SLR still learning a lot, and I was just messing around with with some shots. Some tips on how I could get better at night shots? And saying stuff like how it doesn't look like art and calling it a drunken facebook picture is just showing how ignorant some people can be and it's not helping me improve to get better.

Any tips/advice would help a lot, I used a film SLR before making the switch the digital recently.

 

[keith foster]

Good for you that you are experimenting and trying different shots.
As you have discovered the amount and direction of the light determines most of what you are able to do with your camera.

As was pointed out by kkamin the principles of light are what caused your shots to not be considered good shots.

Your 1st shot is interesting but the blown out background is distracting and draws my attention away from anything else.

#2 The blown out hand and harsh shadow don't look like something that you did on purpose. In order for it to work as a photo for us, it has to seem like something you intended to have happen. As you have probably heard before you need to know why you are breaking a rule before it will work in your shot.

 

[keith foster]

As for tips...
Try using off camera lighting. This doesn't have to be expensive flashes and remotes, there are some really good tutorials of how to use flashlights, shoplights and work lighting to create some really good effects.
There are several good ones by David Ziser. Here is the link to his site.

Viddler.com - Browsing ziser's public videos

 

[SoonerBJJ]

And saying stuff like how it doesn't look like art and calling it a drunken facebook picture is just showing how ignorant some people can be and it's not helping me improve to get better.

Next time specify when you don't want an honest opinion and we'll either lie to you or ignore your posts.

 

[Bantx]

And saying stuff like how it doesn't look like art and calling it a drunken facebook picture is just showing how ignorant some people can be and it's not helping me improve to get better.

Next time specify when you don't want an honest opinion and we'll either lie to you or ignore your posts.

Thanks for the tips, and calling it a drunken facebook picture is more of an insult then a critique. I don't mind if you tell me you don't like the picture and all that, but when you say it that manner it comes off as ignorant to me. I didn't come to this forum for that, I came here to get a better knowledge of photography. I'm not going to argue with you about this so I'll stop.

And I'll check out those videos that you linked me to now. Thanks!

 

[SoonerBJJ]

In all seriousness it isn't necessarily being snide to describe something as appearing as "drunken facebook photography."

Describing an image as such implies it to be sloppy, haphazard and seemingly random. Lacking in composition and/or effective lighting.

It's much easier to call it DFP and most people automatically know what you're talking about.

Keep shooting. This is how we get better.

 

[kkamin]

I find your explanation flimsy. My screenwriting teacher in art school told me something that has stuck with me. "Truth can be a sword or truth can be used to instruct." He was referring to the sensitive matter of critiques.

It can be hard to put things out there to be judged. I think if people have nothing constructive to say, they should just pass up commenting. Telling the OP that their work is not art and looks like drunken facebook photography doesn't help anyone. Why does it look that way to you? What can they do to overcome that aesthetic? Isn't that what critiquing is about?

I'm guessing when people just swat things down with derrogatory remarks, it has more to do with their unstable sense of self than about anything they are talking about.

In all seriousness it isn't necessarily being snide to describe something as appearing as "drunken facebook photography."

Describing an image as such implies it to be sloppy, haphazard and seemingly random. Lacking in composition and/or effective lighting.

It's much easier to call it DFP and most people automatically know what you're talking about.

Keep shooting. This is how we get better.

 

[Misfitlimp]

I agree with SoonerBJJ, When the title of the thread is Self Portraits you already come in with some idea of what to expect and when you get those types of images you think one of two things 1. he is joking and or a troll or 2. he geniually thinks these are portraits and you have to correct him on what he needs to fix in said photographs to what you expect to see, and in all reality when someone covers their face and theres cords and laundry in the background you think myspace and facebook pics not portraits. Sorry thats my opinion

 

[kkamin]

It's only been about 10 days with my SLR still learning a lot, and I was just messing around with with some shots. Some tips on how I could get better at night shots? And saying stuff like how it doesn't look like art and calling it a drunken facebook picture is just showing how ignorant some people can be and it's not helping me improve to get better.

Any tips/advice would help a lot, I used a film SLR before making the switch the digital recently.

Some personal opinions on night shots. I assume you mean when the sun goes down and you are working in low light levels.

•if you are shooting indoors, you might not have enough ambient light to get a usable picture unless you have a tripod and the subject can hold really still. You will often be shooting at ISO 1600, lens all the way open and at 1/15th of a second or something. But you might find some brighter spots indoors that won't be as challenging. Or if you have a camera with ISO's in the 12800 you have more flexibility.

•I agree with the other person. Get an off-camera light. Maybe even a 1000-watt continuous light. Practice bouncing it off white boards on to the subject. Bounce it off walls and ceilings. Shine it direct on things. Just play around and learn about how you can change the quality of the light. I'm recommending the continuous light because you can see exactly what it is doing, whereas with mounted flashes you are sort of guessing.

Good luck!