Natural light portrait.

ulrikftulrikft Registered Users Posts: 372 Major grins
edited August 4, 2008 in People
Trying a tight crop portrait this time, all natural light! C&C appreciated :)

Evening_portrait_by_cainadamsson.jpg
-Ulrik

Canon EOS 30D, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Sigma 70-200 f/2.8, Sigma 18-50 f/2.8, Tokina 12-24 f/4. Sigma 1.4 TC, Feisol 3401 Tripod + Feisol ballhead, Metz 58 AF-1 C, ebay triggers.

Comments

  • Scott_QuierScott_Quier Registered Users Posts: 6,524 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2008
    I love her look and the light is quite sweet (is it a touch dark thoughne_nau.gif).

    While I love tight crops of facial portraits, but this is maybe just a little too tight - especially as your DOF doesn't keep her nose or lips in focus (eyes are tack sharp thoughthumb.gif).
    Scott
    My Photos
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  • Darren Troy CDarren Troy C Registered Users Posts: 1,927 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2008
    Agreed....maybe a little too tight. The light, however, is great and with such a pretty subject, it leaves me wanting to see a little more of her headshot. I like the expression as well....she's comfortable.
    http://DarrenTroyCphotography.com/
  • pyrtekpyrtek Registered Users Posts: 539 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2008
    Scott_Quier wrote:
    That having been said, I

    Come on, come on, don't leave us hanging... :)
    Bernard
    http://bertold.zenfolio.com
  • Scott_QuierScott_Quier Registered Users Posts: 6,524 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2008
    pyrtek wrote:
    Come on, come on, don't leave us hanging... :)
    That last part should not have made it into the post. I (usually) write my posts where I can get a spell check done and then copy-paste into the page. That last line was an edit waiting to happen. Sorry...
    Scott
    My Photos
    Thoughts on photographing a wedding, How to post a picture, AF Microadjustments?, Light Scoop
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  • urbanariesurbanaries Registered Users Posts: 2,690 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2008
    You're almost there! Scott is right about the DOF being awkward. I love shallow DOF, tight cropped portraits but shooting angle is definitely key. One way to work with this effect is to shoot from a different plane. Right now you're shooting her square on and if you were shooting from above her (as easy as having her squat down below you) her eyes could be what are in focus and the nose and mouth (and shirt) would be farther away from you, and from the viewers perspective this makes more sense to us than having an out of focus nose protrude. Hope this makes sense, and look forward to seeing more attempts!!! She's a gorgeous subject.
    Canon 5D MkI
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  • tanyBUGtanyBUG Registered Users Posts: 35 Big grins
    edited August 4, 2008
    urbanaries wrote:
    You're almost there! Scott is right about the DOF being awkward. I love shallow DOF, tight cropped portraits but shooting angle is definitely key. One way to work with this effect is to shoot from a different plane. Right now you're shooting her square on and if you were shooting from above her (as easy as having her squat down below you) her eyes could be what are in focus and the nose and mouth (and shirt) would be farther away from you, and from the viewers perspective this makes more sense to us than having an out of focus nose protrude. Hope this makes sense, and look forward to seeing more attempts!!! She's a gorgeous subject.

    i agree.

    Its a good shot though, and I really like how it looks as though she is really looking at me. and Very intensely.
    you need a funky camera strap
  • ulrikftulrikft Registered Users Posts: 372 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2008
    Hey guys and thank a bunch for your comments!

    I really see what you mean about the angle, it is a bit too square on, and the nose does look a bit nomansland right now, I guess I should have it inside the dof if i want it like this, or better: change and mix up the angle! I'll try to experiment a bit with shooting from above and getting a more interesting focus-plane!

    Thanks again, all of you! really appreciate it. My learning curve is so much better when having guys like you to bother :)
    -Ulrik

    Canon EOS 30D, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Sigma 70-200 f/2.8, Sigma 18-50 f/2.8, Tokina 12-24 f/4. Sigma 1.4 TC, Feisol 3401 Tripod + Feisol ballhead, Metz 58 AF-1 C, ebay triggers.
  • ladytxladytx Registered Users Posts: 814 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2008
    Those eyes are awesome!
    LadyTX
  • Scott_QuierScott_Quier Registered Users Posts: 6,524 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2008
    urbanaries wrote:
    You're almost there! Scott is right about the DOF being awkward. I love shallow DOF, tight cropped portraits but shooting angle is definitely key. One way to work with this effect is to shoot from a different plane. Right now you're shooting her square on and if you were shooting from above her (as easy as having her squat down below you) her eyes could be what are in focus and the nose and mouth (and shirt) would be farther away from you, and from the viewers perspective this makes more sense to us than having an out of focus nose protrude. Hope this makes sense, and look forward to seeing more attempts!!! She's a gorgeous subject.
    Not only is this an excellent analysis, but it provides pointers on how to "correct" the issue in future shoots. Gotta love it when people apply their expertise to a problem and offer up solutions!clap.gifthumb
    Scott
    My Photos
    Thoughts on photographing a wedding, How to post a picture, AF Microadjustments?, Light Scoop
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  • evorywareevoryware Registered Users Posts: 1,330 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2008
    urbanaries wrote:
    You're almost there! Scott is right about the DOF being awkward. I love shallow DOF, tight cropped portraits but shooting angle is definitely key. One way to work with this effect is to shoot from a different plane. Right now you're shooting her square on and if you were shooting from above her (as easy as having her squat down below you) her eyes could be what are in focus and the nose and mouth (and shirt) would be farther away from you, and from the viewers perspective this makes more sense to us than having an out of focus nose protrude. Hope this makes sense, and look forward to seeing more attempts!!! She's a gorgeous subject.

    good thought process. thumb.gif
    Canon 40D : Canon 400D : Canon Elan 7NE : Canon 580EX : 2 x Canon 430EX : Canon 24-70 f2.8L : Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L USM : Canon 28-135mm f/3.5 IS : 18-55mm f/3.5 : 4GB Sandisk Extreme III : 2GB Sandisk Extreme III : 2 x 1GB Sandisk Ultra II : Sekonik L358

    dak.smugmug.com
  • ulrikftulrikft Registered Users Posts: 372 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2008
    Really, really appreciated!
    -Ulrik

    Canon EOS 30D, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Sigma 70-200 f/2.8, Sigma 18-50 f/2.8, Tokina 12-24 f/4. Sigma 1.4 TC, Feisol 3401 Tripod + Feisol ballhead, Metz 58 AF-1 C, ebay triggers.
  • urbanariesurbanaries Registered Users Posts: 2,690 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2008
    evoryware wrote:
    good thought process. thumb.gif

    highly suspect!!!rolleyes1.gif
    Canon 5D MkI
    50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 24-70 2.8L, 35mm 1.4L, 135mm f2L
    ST-E2 Transmitter + (3) 580 EXII + radio poppers
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 4, 2008
    RE: shallow DOF/nose OOF issue
    The most common culprit, in addition to those mentioned by Lynne, is a very short shooting and focal distance, usually called by a tight shooting space. Not only it becomes a source of the paper-thin DOF, so only one area of a typical human face is in focus, but it also often makes picture least flattering for the subject, especially a female one.

    FWIW I'm trying to shoot portraits at 100m or longer focal length (typically using my 70-200/2.8 IS at f/2.8..f/4) from a distance of 15..20ft, thus acquiring a DOF about +/- 1/3ft in worst case scenario, which means if you focus on one eye you'll get both eyes, nose, lips and both ears in focus. And if this means shooting through the hallway and a couple of door frames - so be it. mwink.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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