Exercise : Focal length

What a difference focal lengths make ...

Have to say that I was surprised and fascinated by the outcome of this exercise.. I used my Sigma 18-250mm lens  to take a the same framing of an image at different focal lengths..

P748: F8 @ 1/13  250mm  ISO 100

From this distance facial features are regular with no distortion..a flattering distance and definitely acceptable.

 

P749: F8 @ 1/30 128mm  ISO 100

Not a lot of difference at 128mm (P749 )...still acceptable..

P751: F8 @ 1/15  51mm  ISO 100

At 51 mm above facial features are changing i.e. the face seems slightly elongated ..narrower and more oval in shape..the hairstyle looks a little different now. Still acceptable though - and strangely more flattering and attractive ...less lines which may be of course due more to the relaxed expression..

P752: F8 @ 1/20  18mm  ISO 100

Definitely distorted ...my model's face is now very oval in shape ..the nose much more pronounced and spreading more across the face..Hair is somehow flatter and almost looks a totally different cut! Very much 'in your face' from the observer's point of view. Not a flattering look!!

Exercise: Reviewing a portrait sequence....

Here again I took my camera to a friend's house using her sitting room as the location for the portrait shoot - a decision based on convenience for my 'model' rather than a location best suited for the actual shoot. It was a needs must decision but offered a chance to work with someone I know well and was likely to have a more relaxed approach than in my previous attempt. I don't think that this was a 'cop out' more an opportunity to learn from my earlier portrait shoot. 

Helped by Charlie the dog, we agreed that the settee was the best bet after moving it slightly to remove a picture from appearing to emerge from Vanessa's head and taking the light coming in from the right into consideration..Charlie lost interest very quickly 
( fortunately ).

I talked over with Vanessa what I wanted to do and how it might pan out. Using a tripod allowed me to come back to a comfortable distance for Vanessa and as our chat ranged over a variety of topics, Vanessa relaxed into the session making it easy to take a range of facial expressions and angles.I was looking to capture a few poses that 'summed up' Vanessa, including a particular pose very much her own. I guess I had in mind images that would be good to share with her family.This idea came from Vanessa mentioning being delighted that her nephew had taken an image of her off Facebook and printed and framed it for her as a photo gift .

There were two expressions that came through the photo shoot which seemed at the time to be what I was looking for. These came and went but after I had captured a number of versions I decided that it time to call it a day.

Back at home, reviewing looking at the images in Lightroom, I came down to four images that came out best ....difficult to say which was the best single shot.If pushed I guess that I would opt for P745. I think it fair to say that the later review was slightly different to how I saw it at the time of shooting probably more due to there being more time at home and more images easily accessible to consider...and of course, no model to consider...

P744: F6.3 @ 1/30 128mm  ISO 1600

P745: F6.3 @ 1/30  155mmm  ISO 1600

P746:F6.3 @ 1/25  128mm ISO 1600

P747: F6.3 @ 1/30 155mm  ISO 1600

Exercise: Eye contact and expression...

How challenging can a portrait session be?

A friend agreed to stand in as my model and we opted to do the shoot at her home...Knowing that she had wanted to be reassured that the final images would not appear on Facebook, I thought carefully about how to play the shoot ; how best to put her at ease and tease out images that reflected her personality...

I knew the location i.e her sitting room facing south would prove difficult if a sunny day and yes, the sun shone and the lighting was a challenge. Also aware of my friend's physical challenges, I did spend some time trying to find a spot which would work OK for my model as well as me the photographer.

Using a tripod and 'live view' , gave me a good opportunity to chat with my friend to relax her and see how her expressions changed...talking about BBC's 'The Apprentice' which we both watch seemed to be the key..the challenge was getting my model to stop talking and moving her head around..

So, I took far more images than anticipated as interesting expressions were marred by movement and the need to stoke up the conversation to keep my very patient model relaxed...Two thirds through I captured an image that I thought would be the final one- then just missing a lovely smiling expression, I carried on trying to capture that 'magical image'. A few more passable images on I decided that both model and I had done enough...never did get that smile unmarred by movement though.Below are the images that got through the first process of rating all the images taken...

Interestingly and annoyingly, afterwards back home and looking at the shoot in Lightroom and rating the images ,I picked up another problem that I should have picked up at the time...my friend wears glasses which looking left picked up reflections from the sunlight...not picked up during the shoot when looking at the camera screen.

P736 : F6.3 @ 1/13  155mm  ISO 1600

I think this mistake comes from my not feeling particularly comfortable as yet taking pictures  i.e. portraits in a formal way which feels as if it brings certain expectations from the 'model' even if these are not ever expressed and the sitter knows that the session is a learning experience for me.That said, I shan't make the glasses mistake again!

The following are the images that I think best conjure up my friend...... 

P737: F6.3 @ 1/30  155mm  ISO 1600

P738: F6.3 @ 1/13  155mm  ISO 1600

P739: F6.3 @ 1/10  155mm  ISO 1600

P 740; F6.3 @ 1/13  155mm  ISO 1600

P741: F6.3 @ 1/10  155mm  ISO 1600

P742: F6.3 @ 1/13  155mm  ISO 1600

P743:  F6.3 @ 1/25  155mm  ISO 1600

And overall, I'm pleased with these results as a first 'go' so to speak...

Is photography art?

I meant to post this article earlier in the month but life and Christmas overtook me...Jonathon Jones  stirred up a lot of comments on his Guardian article 'The $6.5m canyon: it's the most expensive photograph ever' on 10 December 2014 at http://ow.ly/GynXi  .. I also picked up on some debate re his view of photography on the OCA student website on 11 December...

What kick-started the furore was the news that Peter Lik, a landscape photographer, had sold the above image ( Phantom ) for £4.1m, setting a new world record for the most expensive photograph of all time. In Jones' view this image is  ' derivative, sentimental in its studied romantiscism, and consequently in very poor taste. It looks like a posh poster you might find framed in a pretentious hotel room'. 

Personally, 'Phantom' does nothing to stir my emotions ( a strong criterion when I visit exhibitions or look at works of art) but using it as Jones does as a' classic' example of why photography is not art does irritate and annoy me. To my mind it is more a 'classic' example of more money than taste. I very much welcomed Sean O'Hagan's firm rebuttal of Jones' claim also in the Guardian http://goo.gl/dhmeJF 

I agree with him when he says that photography is 'about a way of seeing, not technology'...And I like the fact that by way of illustrating his rebuttal, he includes Jane Bown's magnificent portrait of Samuel Beckett...if that amazing image is not art than 
what is..

Samuel Beckett . Photograph : Jane Bown

Exercise: Varying the pose

Back from holiday and in search of a model, friend Chris popped in from Liverpool...persuaded or  whatever, she agreed to help out with this exercise on varying pose and stance.
Limited by time, I decide to use our conservatory and build a backdrop beforehand to avoid the many visual distractions. Apart from a minor hiccup - I mis-remembered how tall Chris was (!), the backdrop worked reasonably well..

I came up with a number of different positions sitting ( with and without chair) , standing (with and without chair and with brush ) and lying down on the floor which we tried out against the backdrop. 

I think these poses worked best, allowing Chris to relax into the pose without feeling too self conscious and resulting in an attractive image.

P 727: F5.6 @1/30  22mm ISO 200

 

P721: F4 @ 1/30  22mm  ISO 200

 Think P727 and 721 work the best ...though I like P724 below as well since it captures Chris' sense of fun ...


 

P724: F4 @ 1/10  26mm  ISO 100

 

P723: F5.6  @ 1/25 18mm ISO 100

These last two below are less successful - with hindsight P726 seems very contrived  and Chris looks less than comfortable in P722...
 

P726 :F5.6 @ 1/30  22mm  ISO 200

 

P722: F4 @ 1/25  22mm ISO 200

Thought this exercise an interesting one, not least in that it is not easy to move from a pose in your mind to reality via a 'model' ...very difficult to sometimes get over quite how you want someone to sit, stand etc.