My teenage cousin

alaios · September 21, 2014

Hi all,
this was one of the days that I did not have my flash or my reflector with me and I had to rely on natural lighting for portraits.

I also tried to find a nice spot that the background can give a bit more information about the subject.

I also had to work with my cameras limitations (my body is of 200euros range) but somehow I liked the results, even though I can still see flaws here and there.

Comments and discussion are appreciated (and especially criticism in the direction of how bad it is)

Regards
Alex

D3Sshooter · September 21, 2014

Looks good, I like the composition.... and the fact that the boy looks away does work in this picture.

Hackbone · September 21, 2014

It is a well composed and lite shot. I might try to crop out the biker.Good job.

alaios · September 21, 2014

you think so? I liked the biker as part of the background. It gives a bit more urban taste. On the other side I see your point that is perhaps a bit distracting and the bikers face does not look so good.
Darn when it comes to these small details

jmphotocraft · September 21, 2014

I agree with Hackbone. I like the setting and the light, but the biker is instantly distracting. If there were a whole lot of people in the bg, it would make it a cool street scene, but as is the biker is more of a photobomb than anything, IMO.

kdog · September 21, 2014

This one isn't working for me. Not only is there no connection to the camera (which is fine in many circumstances), it's actually an anti-connection. The subject's shoulders are square to the camera. The subjects head is slightly away from the camera, at around a 2/3 view, which is normally good. But then his eyes are rotated in their sockets at even a further angle away from the camera. So it doesn't look like a candid moment, it looks like someone who saw the camera and is doing their best to turn away. If his eyes weren't so rotated and were pointing where his head is pointing, it would be a good portrait. If his shoulders were rotated the same way as his head was facing it would be even better.

Hackbone · September 21, 2014

Try to crop it square, it makes a great candid head shot. Handsome fellow.

jonh68 · September 21, 2014

I like the portrait as is.

divamum · September 21, 2014

I'm with Hack - square crop for a great candid portrait

alaios · September 22, 2014

I really like when you guys disagree... Lets see how I would reach a decision though.
Thanks. I will keep bombarding the forum with more portraits soon, some of the ones that would come are shot in film.

Currently I have to see what I should do with my digital camera as the one I have have so few buttons on it (as I wrote I bought the body 200 euros) which kind makes me slow for shooting.

Alex

divamum · September 22, 2014

What do you mean "so few buttons"???? Number of buttons =/= good pictures. If it has a manual mode, then it will serve you just fine no matter what the pricetag was....

alaios · September 22, 2014

Correct. Sometimes I want to change fast from center metering mode to spot. Make histogram dissapear. Connect an external flash. Turn off autofocus and switch to manual focus. Change iso fast withoug dying on the menus. I want to spend most of my time on thinking about the light, the scene and the posing. I found many times dying into menus trying to change a setting

divamum · September 22, 2014

alaios wrote: »

Correct. Sometimes I want to change fast from center metering mode to spot. Make histogram dissapear. Connect an external flash. Turn off autofocus and switch to manual focus. Change iso fast withoug dying on the menus. I want to spend most of my time on thinking about the light, the scene and the posing. I found many times dying into menus trying to change a setting

What camera are you using?! Nikon has more dedicated buttons, I gather, but I'm totally ok with my Canon buttons+menus set up - I have to go into menus sometimes (we all do), but my fingers know EXACTLY where on my camera to push and I can get there fast. Shutter/aperture are of course on wheels so there's are entirely mechanical/tactile.

- we all have to stop to connect an external flash... unless you leave it on your camera ready for use.
- Iso needs to be changed/dialled in on most models unless you have good auto iso (that would be Canon from the 7d onwards; not sure when Nikon started offering it)

I guess my point is that while yes, some models do make these things a little more intuitive/easier/less menu-driven, we ALL have to deal with them. They don't magically go away with a more modern or expensive camera (in fact, the more up the camera tree you go, the MORE menus you have to deal with, because the cameras have more features!!)

alaios · September 23, 2014

I am using a sony nex-f3 and looking for an upgrade so I do not stop the fun but it will not destroy the family economy....(my wife is currently studying and we also have expenses for my daughter) .

I also understand your point that you have pretty much to dig into menus too but I felt jealous when I read the following "but my fingers know EXACTLY where on my camera to push and I can get there fast".

Something like that I am looking for.

Alex

divamum · September 23, 2014

alaios wrote: »

I also understand your point that you have pretty much to dig into menus too but I felt jealous when I read the following "but my fingers know EXACTLY where on my camera to push and I can get there fast".

Something like that I am looking for.

Alex

That's just practice.... the more you do it, the easier it gets and the more your fingers "remember".

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