Contemplation

[Ewie]

I was sitting on the couch studying some notes from a photography course I'm doing and playing around with my camera and new lens (Zeiss 85mm F1.4 Woo Hoo!!) I confess to never being happy with previous portrait attempts but thought that this one showed promise, it's a totally random shot of my daughter who happened to be in the room at the time and was in my sights so to speak.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwozzie_nz/2220448336/" title="Contemplation by kwozzie_nz, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2350/2220448336_89bbcfb5c7.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Contemplation" /></a>

Camera Sony DSLR A100 + Sony/Zeiss SAL85F14Z 85mm F1.4 (127mm equiv)
Capture 1/160 @ F1.4 ISO200 (Aperture Priority, Spot Metering)

The things I would like critiqued here are;

1. Colour. This is my first attampt at using sepia tones, which I also darkened for more contrast and added some vignetting to bring the focus on the side of the face. Does it work for you?

2. Composition. The composition I was after was a side profile of her face but just as I took the shot she turned her head to look further away from me and out of a nearby window. Is it acceptable to not have the subject eyes in view, generally speaking, for portraits?

3. DOF. I used a wide apeture F1.4, does it work here or could I have stopped down a bit?

4. POST lastly does anyone have any other suggestions of post production improvements that could be made here.

I look forward to your comments.

[cadich]

Promising indeed, but I would have tried to be more sideways, less behind the subject? Her face is all compressed, and you can't really see the eye :(

[clockdoc]

Hi. Congratulations on your new lens. Can you provide us with the EXIF data as suggested in the new forum guidelines? I suspect that since you just got the new f?1.4 lens, that is what you were shooting at. Because of the closeness to the subject, depth of field is minimal and wide open probably isn't going to be as "tack sharp" as most would like it to be.

[Ewie]

Hi. Congratulations on your new lens. Can you provide us with the EXIF data as suggested in the new forum guidelines? I suspect that since you just got the new f?1.4 lens, that is what you were shooting at. Because of the closeness to the subject, depth of field is minimal and wide open probably isn't going to be as "tack sharp" as most would like it to be.

Hi Clockdoc, thanks for the feedback yes it was shot at F1.4. Re EXIF, I am a little confused with this as the EXIF data is with the image on Flickr as it's supposed to be, also got a PM from Jiminy about this.. what am I doing wrong, please help me to understand. Should I be listing the image details in the thread??

[xxpinballxx]

what really we need to give better critique is ISO Aperture and shutter speed....
if flash was used.....you dont need to include all the metadata just the couple major things.

As a beginner in photography I too am anxious to learn a thing or two about portrait but i have no one willing to pose! LOL!
Im sure ClockDoc will have a bit of advice on this one.

[Ewie]

Thanks to all for the feedback, and especially to JC for his guidance on where I was going wrong re the new forum rules.

I am in need of improvement for portrature in general so I have edited the original post, hopefully in line with the rules now, and look forward to your honest critique and suggestions. :)

Ewie

[jiminyClickit]

Ewie,

Imagine what a pleasure it is to get a moment to look at the photo from the standpoint of an interested viewer . . . I go with cadich's point of showing the eye. Would elevate the photo to a portrait with personal appeal (people who hide their eyes are not as "attractive" in photos). The catchlight on an eye in this lighting would pull one in to the face.

[Sandie]

1. Colour. This is my first attampt at using sepia tones, which I also darkened for more contrast and added some vignetting to bring the focus on the side of the face. Does it work for you? Yes, this is a good use of sepia! It adds a real warmth to the shot.

2. Composition. The composition I was after was a side profile of her face but just as I took the shot she turned her head to look further away from me and out of a nearby window. Is it acceptable to not have the subject eyes in view, generally speaking, for portraits? Usually, at leat one clear eye is important to engage the viewer. In this shot, it doesn't bother me because she looks worried or concerned and not seeing the eye adds to the 'story'.

3. DOF. I used a wide apeture F1.4, does it work here or could I have stopped down a bit? Yes, I would have like a slightly deeper DOF.

4. POST lastly does anyone have any other suggestions of post production improvements that could be made here. Cropping, because you have such a small section of her face, the tight vertical crop elongates her face and almost distorts it. I am not sure, but I think it would look better with more of her head (even if it is the back and just hair).

I wouldn't call it a keeper, but I would call it an important learning shot! I really like the 'feel' of the image and would take as many as she would let me by that window.

[Ewie]

Sandie, Thanks for the great feedback and for reassuring me about the colour.

I originally had an excellent view of the side of her eye but (as is her way being a 4yo) she turned her head away from me just enough so the cornea is out of view but I agree with what you say about this and also DOF, I have found the Zeiss glass to be so sharp that short DOF is accentuated. Will remember for next time.

Re the crop, unfortunately there is very little cropping in the shot as I was only about a meter away from her at the time, just inside the minimum focus range of the lens, so there's not too much more to be added by a wide crop.

This is most definately a learning shot...