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Post Your Best Portrait Shots!

This post has 371 Replies | 45 Followers

Top 25 Contributor
Posts 326
Benjamin Posted: 03-18-2009 9:29 PM

Hi guys,

Like taking portrait shots? Just post them and share with us!

This is, as I consider, one of my best portraits I've ever taken. On campus of University of Toronto (University College Building), Canada, in early 2008. Feel free to comment and give suggestions Smile

 

Canon Rebel XTi + 17-85/4-5.6 IS @ 17mm, F5.6, 1/50s, ISO200, no flash.

Benjamin

Top 25 Contributor
Posts 250

I did these emotionless static whitened portraits for a film festival campaign in 2008:
I basically broke every rule of portrait photography LOL.
(PS I see that the first guy and the first girl are whiter in the lo-res jpg conversion than they are in print. All photos have white faces but here on my computer all facial marks and details are subtle, but intact).





And here is a portrait I did of a Dutch fashion designer:

Top 10 Contributor
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Top 25 Contributor
Posts 250

Sean: that second shot is amazing. The lighting is fantastic!

Top 50 Contributor
Posts 166

I hope this is OK.  I like taking portraits, but I don't shoot people.  Surprise

 

Top 10 Contributor
Posts 1,068

Thanks Madison.  I shot that with a Vivitar 285HV bounced into a reflective silver umbrella placed low and on each side of the subject (so two flashes total).  I triggered them with Cactus V2s receivers.  At f/7.1 and 1/200 sec, I killed alot of the ambient light to give him a more menacing look.  He's actually a big goofball.  ;-)

Top 10 Contributor
Posts 562

Don-

What do you mean, you don't shoot people?  I thought that was a picture of my Uncle Bob...

Well, even if it isn't Bob, it's a great shot.  I'd be interested to know what focal length and f.

 

 

Top 75 Contributor
Posts 105

oops.

Top 50 Contributor
Posts 166

Jon Ruyle:

Don-

What do you mean, you don't shoot people?  I thought that was a picture of my Uncle Bob...

Well, even if it isn't Bob, it's a great shot.  I'd be interested to know what focal length and f.

 

]Sorry Jon, I normally include the particulars:  Canon 40D; 100-400L @ 235mm f/6.3 AV+1/3 1/30sec ISO 800 monopod

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Top 10 Contributor
Posts 562

Awesome, Alan.

I normally don't like black backgrounds (prejudice maybe came from macro), but this works perfectly.  I love how the baby's face is in full light and the woman (mother, I assume) is in a bit of shadow.  I also like the just visible hanging hair.  Finally, I like the composition.  I always go way tighter, so when I see people pull back and include a plain background and have it work so well, I think "I never would have thought to do that" :)

 

Top 25 Contributor
Posts 232

John, thanks.

Since I knew the mother was going to wear a black dress, I switched to a black background.  I used a soft box on the right, to highlight the baby's face, and a reflector to the left to lighten the mother's face just a bit, but to also keep it in the shadows, as you pointed out.  I wanted her hand in the picture and I told her to look at a fixed object, to help give her a contemplative look.  The baby cooperated, fortunately, since she was looking all over the place up to this point.

Top 100 Contributor
Posts 72

Here's a couple of my favs from my nearly 3000 photo library in Lightroom, who knows how much more I had before I got Lightroom. And I use the amazing 85mm f/1.8 USM for just about all instances whenever I'm shooting people.

Canon Rebel XT, 1/200 second , F/2.2, 85 mm, ISO 400

Canon Rebel XT, 1/60 second , F/1.8, 85 mm, ISO 800

Canon Rebel XT, 1/1250 second , F/1.8, 85 mm, ISO 1600

Canon Rebel XT, 1/640 second , F/1.8, 85 mm, ISO 200

Canon Rebel XT, 1/800 second , F/3.2, 85 mm, ISO 200

Canon Rebel XT, 1/250 second , F/5.0, 85 mm, ISO 200

 

sowwie if the amount of images is a little excessive, I just had the time to broswe my library and upload them. ^_^

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