Self portrait, one year later...

08/06/2007 01:13:42 AM · #1

Two self portraits, separated by 50 weeks, $1000 in camera gear, and no more than 200 metres...

Last august, Canon S3

Two days ago, Pentax K10D, converted in lightroom

I see a marked improvement... does DPC agree?

*edit*
I didn't mean to highlight the difference in my kit, but rather my progression as a photographer. The better gear helps (hello RAW!), but at the end of the day I feel I'm a much better photographer than I was a year ago (and DPC has certainly played a large role in my improvement!)

Message edited by author 2007-08-06 01:36:10.

CassieDoodle

Sigma 50mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro for Nikon

08/06/2007 01:15:14 AM · #2

agreed, what a cool location!

jerowe

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

08/06/2007 01:16:35 AM · #3

great job, congrats on the "new" purchase :D

JeffDay

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

08/06/2007 01:18:18 AM · #4

Leaps and bounds better, but you added text.....DQ

surfdabbler

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II

08/06/2007 01:22:21 AM · #5

Better colours, better contrast, better framing, better pose, better depth. The difference is very obviously not just your new hardware and software, but a much better eye as a photographer. Really great job!

Message edited by author 2007-08-06 01:23:05.

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

08/06/2007 01:25:38 AM · #6

Originally posted by surfdabbler:

The difference is very obviously not just your new hardware and software, but a much better eye as a photographer.

I didn't actually mean to highlight the differences in equipment quite as much (although they do help), but rather my progression as a photographer...

levyj413

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

08/06/2007 01:26:21 AM · #7

Yep. :)

Where do you work?

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II

08/06/2007 01:29:56 AM · #8

Originally posted by levyj413:

Yep. :)

Where do you work?

About 15km north of the BC / Alaska border...

ShannonLee

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

08/06/2007 01:37:17 AM · #9

splendid, i might say :)

took a look at your blog... this shot is soooo cool, i love the way the road below trails into the board. very awesome! i like your stuff, you see beautifully! keep it up :)

david_c

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

08/06/2007 02:44:40 AM · #10

Originally posted by option:

The better gear helps (hello RAW)

-----------

The S3 does RAW these days.

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

08/06/2007 06:45:14 AM · #11

The first one I wouldn't call a portrait ... more of a snapshot that just anybody could have taken. The second one ... way to go! The composition, the pose, the exposure, the processing. WELL DONE!

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II

08/06/2007 09:53:46 AM · #12

Originally posted by david_c:

Originally posted by option:
The better gear helps (hello RAW)

-----------

The S3 does RAW these days.

Oh hell yes! I am so looking forward to fiddling around with that...

EducatedSavage

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

08/06/2007 03:22:31 PM · #13

Wow, what a difference! You're a new hero of mine - I hope I can improve that much! Not only that, but you look more satisfied in the later picture... looks like a year has done good by you!

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

08/06/2007 04:07:59 PM · #14

Originally posted by EducatedSavage:

Wow, what a difference! You're a new hero of mine - I hope I can improve that much! Not only that, but you look more satisfied in the later picture... looks like a year has done good by you!

A hero, but not a favorite photographer?? Come on! (kidding, kidding!)

Another thing separating those two photos: somewhere in the range of 20,000 shutter clicks. If you don't improve a little after shooting that much, well... maybe its time you found a new hobby :-P.

As for looking more satisfied... Engagement can have that affect on people! ;-)

SteveJ

Canon EOS-7D

08/06/2007 04:14:14 PM · #15

I've looked at them closer, and no, no difference, you are just as ugly, only you have a camera that captures it in more detail :))

There is an improvement, quality will out. Good shot!

08/06/2007 04:20:01 PM · #16

Originally posted by formerlee:

I've looked at them closer, and no, no difference, you are just as ugly, only you have a camera that captures it in more detail :))

There is an improvement, quality will out. Good shot!

Funny guy! I'm surprised no ones commented on my flowing locks yet, it was the first thing my friends pointed out... :-P

MikeJ

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

08/06/2007 05:55:25 PM · #17

The first one you did better on the background and sky. The 2nd one you washed out the snow and the sky. You have the same backlit situation in both and didn't use a reflector or fill light so you have dark shadows on your face. Your second one is better posed and you seem to be a bit more comfortable in front of the camera than the first one.

A reflector or fill flash would help open up the shadows and lower the contrast between the dark areas and your face. If you can't set up one of those, does your camera do bracketing? If so, set it to bracket and let it take a shot over exposed and under exposed as well as exposed for your setting and then merge the images together later. That way you get the exposure for the background and can over expose a bit to open up the shadows on your face.

That does look like some gorgous scenery around there though.

Mike

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

08/06/2007 05:59:38 PM · #18

For the style of portrait that it is ... I don't mind the dark shadows in the eyes at all. I don't think a reflector is needed. It gives you a more rugged look.

Now if I were shooting a bride ... I'd pull out the reflector! :-)

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

08/06/2007 06:46:29 PM · #19

Originally posted by MikeJ:

I don't have a calibrated screen to work off of up here, but according to my histogram there is no blown snow in the new version, and the original is definitely underexposed... (although playing a little in lightroom, I managed to pull back my highlight intensity while still maintaining my white point, that might work a little better...)

I also cant carry my external flash with me (well, I could, but that would mean giving up one of my lenses in my pelican, something I'm not willing to do) so the fill here was just with my pop up flash cranked to max power. Working with the natural light, I would have liked to have the light fall a little higher on my right eye, as opposed to my upper cheek, if I had the time to get the pose just right. I also tend to agree with David in that a full on lighting setup, in addition to being impractical here, would also take away from the rugged, one-with-natureness feel of the photo. Like David said, I'd only want a more elaborate lighting setup for someone a little prettier than myself :-P.

As for bracketing... I could do that, but I dont want the HDR look here; I could've done that from the original RAW had I really wanted to.

BeckyT

Nikon D300s

08/06/2007 06:50:36 PM · #20

Wow, you can tell how much you have improved as a photographer in the past year. What a wonderful composition and a fantastic location.

MikeJ

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

08/07/2007 01:43:37 AM · #21

Well... you did ask. We all look at things differently and I guess the answers you got from the others were more in line of what you were looking for. Maybe I'll see next years differently. ;)

By the way, if you do HDR correctly, you don't get the HDR look that some people create. But I've seen some pretty obvious image merging so know what you mean.

Mike

Message edited by author 2007-08-07 01:45:22.

08/07/2007 02:21:08 AM · #22

Originally posted by MikeJ:

Hey, no worries... maybe next year I'll have a lighting kit with me!

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

08/07/2007 06:26:07 AM · #23

Originally posted by MikeJ:

Well... you did ask. We all look at things differently and I guess the answers you got from the others were more in line of what you were looking for. Maybe I'll see next years differently. ;)

One thing I decided long ago was that everybody's opinion matters. How an image hits them is unique to them because it's based on their own past experiences and tastes.

So while I disagreed with you, I tried to phrase my disagreement in such a way as to say that the image works for "me". ("I don't mind the shadows") And explained why it works for me.

But even if I'm lucky enough to get someone else to see things my way, I hope to never change "their opinion" because it is uniquely their own.

Hope that make sense. :-)