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DPChallenge Forums >> Individual Photograph Discussion >> First portrait attempt...lemme have it.
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 04/06/2005 10:36:59 AM · #1




Here's a couple of self-portraits I did the ther day--my first attempt at trying to get something studio-like. Since I'm no pro, I don't have a big collection of supplies for such. Simply, the lighting is a bright desk lamp on the side, and the backdrop is my bedroom wall. Te thing I'm holding is my tenor sax, which I already know is difficult to identify in the b/w shot. Yes, it's blue, that wasn't weird Photoshopping. In Photoshop, I did a bit of spot editing on my face (I had done a dumb thing which needed some work: forgotten to wipe of a milk moustache before shooting), adjusted brightness/contrast, overall color, and a smidge of cropping.

What I want to know is...
-What else should I do now to make these look good?
-What SHOULDN'T I have done?
-What SHOULD I have done during the shoot that I didn't?

Also, just to get a general consenses, which one of these two poses is more flattering, and why? I'm wondering which of the two, edited to the max of as close to perfect as I can make them post-shoot, is a 'better' picture.

Thanks.

-Annette

Message edited by author 2005-04-06 10:41:10.
 04/06/2005 10:46:06 AM · #2
nice lighting, the photos are a little noisy though.

try noise reduction in photoshop, or a program like neat image.

did you have your camera set on a high ISO? that will cause noise also.

04/06/2005 10:48:14 AM · #3
with neatimage...


04/06/2005 10:50:06 AM · #4
I don't really care for the total blackness on the one side. I'd have at least used a little reflector so you can make out some details. I also feel the camera shutter speed was too slow, as the images appear to have camera movement.

Just my 2 cents

-danny
 04/06/2005 10:59:03 AM · #5
NeatImage certianly did clean it up quite a bit. I'll have to run them both through later, for sure. Thanks.

Message edited by author 2005-04-06 11:06:03.
 04/06/2005 11:12:59 AM · #6
Gotta post the disclaimer first; I've done no portraits so I'm not even as far along as you are. But I have an opinion.

I really like the B&W portrait because of the strong light. I agree that most portrait practices eschew black shadows, but the photo sets a strong mood. Unfortunately the saxaphone kind of interrupts the simplicity of the photo. Something with simple curved lines and no details would have produced a stronger image, IMO.

On my monitor the dark areas on the second photo are not black. This gives the photo a really low contrast sense which I think detracts from the efffect. Tweeking 'Levels' in Photoshop would fix this. I like the idea of the blue lighting or reflections in the saxophone more than I like the final effect, not sure why. I think the shadows cast by the saxophone on the face add unecessary clutter to very precious subject space -given that half of it is lost to shadow already.

Even though its 'just not done' I happen to believe that strong, directional light works really really well for your face and expression. But for some reason I cannot articulate it seems not to work for the saxophone.

Just my opinon. Hope this helps a bit.
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