Old World Gentlemen

sara505 · January 18, 2012

On my way out the door to do afternoon errands, I came upon, within thirty seconds of each other, two of my neighbors, Leon and Dennis, and was thrilled when each of them graciously allowed me to grab a quick portrait in the gorgeous light of the vestibule of our building, and even happier with the results (are we supposed to be boycotting the internet today? Sorry, I can't keep track of this stuff).

Leon

Dennis

RSL · January 18, 2012

Good light and good informal portraits, Sara. Good work.

bfjr · January 18, 2012

feel a bit tight to me, but yes would not pass on the light

sara505 · January 19, 2012

bfjr wrote: »

feel a bit tight to me, but yes would not pass on the light

Thanks for commenting, Ben. I also have slightly wider views that include the hands - I love hands - but these are meant to be all about the faces.

sara505 · January 19, 2012

RSL wrote: »

Good light and good informal portraits, Sara. Good work.

Thanks, Russ - from you, I'll take it :-)

jhefti · January 19, 2012

Sara, to my eye those are lovely shots: great lighting on the subject and a very subtle editorial hand. I like the simplicity of technique, which allows the richness of the subjects to shine through. Really beautiful!!

Richard · January 19, 2012

Both are nice shots. I think the light in #2 is better.

jhefti · January 19, 2012

Sara, I just took a look at your personal website, and love your eye and editorial restraint. You see an interesting subject, capture it very effectively, then let it tell its own story. Really nice work!

sara505 · January 19, 2012

jhefti wrote: »

Sara, to my eye those are lovely shots: great lighting on the subject and a very subtle editorial hand. I like the simplicity of technique, which allows the richness of the subjects to shine through. Really beautiful!!

Thanks, John. Yup, keeping it simple these days, back to basics with just my 5D&50/1.4 slung over the shoulder at all times (thinking I would ever use the G12 in my purse was delusional, for the most part), composing in-camera, no flash, simple BW conversion in LR. Pure drop. Stripping down has changed my photography drastically. So to speak (I still put on clothes when I leave the house).

sara505 · January 19, 2012

Richard wrote: »

Both are nice shots. I think the light in #2 is better.

Thanks, Richard. Amazing, isn't it, what only a slight change of angle will do. Leon had the light coming in from the side, Dennis had the light full-on. I think I like the side light and the drama it adds.

sara505 · January 19, 2012

jhefti wrote: »

Sara, I just took a look at your personal website, and love your eye and editorial restraint. You see an interesting subject, capture it very effectively, then let it tell its own story. Really nice work!

Thanks, John - for looking and for your comment. Much appreciated:D

bdcolen · January 19, 2012

Very nice, Sara. Very nice indeed.

sara505 · January 19, 2012

bdcolen wrote: »

Very nice, Sara. Very nice indeed.

Thanks, BD. Your opinion means a lot.

Quincy T · January 19, 2012

You certainly have an eye for quality light, as evidenced in these and the violinist shot I commented on before.

sara505 · January 19, 2012

Quincy T wrote: »

You certainly have an eye for quality light, as evidenced in these and the violinist shot I commented on before.

Ah, Quincy! Much easier - I like it! Great avatar, too.

Thank you very much for your comment. It's true - I have a fondness for light :-) Which is why I am head over heels in love with BW, because the light is what it's all about.

Quincy T · January 20, 2012

sara505 wrote: »

Ah, Quincy! Much easier - I like it! Great avatar, too.

Thank you very much for your comment. It's true - I have a fondness for light :-) Which is why I am head over heels in love with BW, because the light is what it's all about.

I can only agree with your sentiments. I do love people, down to my core I do. But, if I find great lighting, I honestly don't care who walks into it.

Thanks for the avatar compliment, I was trying impromptu reflectors out, using a big thick piece of white paper. Not sure if it worked out exactly like I wanted, but I still got a good image. You just need to tell the folks over at DPChallenge that it's good, hahaha.

sara505 · January 20, 2012

Quincy T wrote: »

I can only agree with your sentiments. I do love people, down to my core I do. But, if I find great lighting, I honestly don't care who walks into it.

Thanks for the avatar compliment, I was trying impromptu reflectors out, using a big thick piece of white paper. Not sure if it worked out exactly like I wanted, but I still got a good image. You just need to tell the folks over at DPChallenge that it's good, hahaha.

I think that my formative years, with no light-meter (using the guideline on the side of the Tri-X box, which I remember by heart) and shooting everything in manual mode, definitely helped sensitize me to light. I still shoot all-manual-all-the-time, which makes me constantly aware of my surroundings. On some level, I am constantly reading and analyzing the light - direction, quality, brightness, contrast, etc.

Good light is the difference between a snapshot and a photograph in most cases, I believe.

jhefti · January 22, 2012

Quincy T wrote: »

I can only agree with your sentiments. I do love people, down to my core I do. But, if I find great lighting, I honestly don't care who walks into it.

Glad to hear I am not the only one who finds good light, then waits for a subject to walk into it.

I posted this elsewhere on this forum, but it's an example of light that was waiting for a subject. It's not the richest street shot I have done, but you'd never guess this was a bus stop.

sara505 · January 22, 2012

Quincy T wrote: »

I can only agree with your sentiments. I do love people, down to my core I do. But, if I find great lighting, I honestly don't care who walks into it.

Thanks for the avatar compliment, I was trying impromptu reflectors out, using a big thick piece of white paper. Not sure if it worked out exactly like I wanted, but I still got a good image. You just need to tell the folks over at DPChallenge that it's good, hahaha.

Ha ha - Quincy, I just realized that you have inserted my remark into your profile - you are too funny. Just don't let them put it my tombstone

rofl

lensmole · January 22, 2012

I like the these environmental portraits, Leon is the one that stands out to me the most,although it causes me to wonder about the fashion of the hats that these gentleman wear, and is it something that will disappear in the foreseeable future .

sara505 · January 22, 2012

lensmole wrote: »

I like the these environmental portraits, Leon is the one that stands out to me the most,although it causes me to wonder about the fashion of the hats that these gentleman wear, and is it something that will disappear in the foreseeable future .

Probably not, in this Jewish Orthodox neighborhood, the conventions of which transcend more worldly fashion trends.

Old World Gentlemen

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