Firstly, congrats to your Dad for making the three digits!
This portrait fits squarely into the category of 'environmental' portrait, you're showing more than just the person, and they are in their own environment, interacting with it...
If this were strictly a portrait of him, I'd say to get closer to the window. The closer you are to the window, the higher contrast you get between the side near the window, and the side near the room. This enhances the 'modeling' and character of the shot.
Importantly, it also increases the surface area of the 'light' relative to your subject, and reduces the 'hot spots' you can see here in his forehead.
Play around this this window/light to subject spacing.. If you haven't got a crash-test model, use a basketball, orange, pillow... Whatever. Get a feeling for what difference the distance of the window to subject makes.
As an environmental portrait, and a record of your father it's a neat shot, showing his left hand with the wedding band is a very subtle touch you might not have noticed, but it tells us something about the man...
I'd have loved to see him looking at the camera, although he may not have been keen on that, I dunno. If you get someone involved with an activity, and distract them so they flick you a look, or maybe a grin it's magical, it gives you the context of the moment, and a solid connection through the eyes...
Also you need to think about what's behind your subject... There's a flower and something else black growing out of his left year, and a sofa in line with his eyes on his right.
When you want to take someone's photo like this, spend some time talking to them, and observe their environment. If you want the person to be the center of attention, check mentally what is behind them, and in front before you lift the camera to your eye. This is sometimes important, as you only get two or three shots before the person becomes aware of the camera, and either annoyed, or poses for you, which ruins the candid and relaxed nature of the shot.
As I said a way back in this thread, you can improve your portrait taking without spending any money on lights. One of the best things you can do with this type of shot is observe, and that is definitely free!
Thanks for sharing, and keep up taking photos of your Dad!
Message edited by author 2007-06-30 06:02:03. |
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