http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d..._splash001.jpg
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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" :)
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.
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.
http://fc21.deviantart.com/fs40/f/20...t_Grimsley.jpg
Canon Rebel XT, 1/200 second , F/2.2, 85 mm, ISO 400
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j7...g?t=1237512442
Canon Rebel XT, 1/60 second , F/1.8, 85 mm, ISO 800
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j7..._1125-Edit.png
Canon Rebel XT, 1/1250 second , F/1.8, 85 mm, ISO 1600
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j7...u/IMG_0180.png
Canon Rebel XT, 1/640 second , F/1.8, 85 mm, ISO 200
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j7...IMG_0010-2.png
Canon Rebel XT, 1/800 second , F/3.2, 85 mm, ISO 200
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j7...IMG_0009-2.png
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. ^_^
Great Thread, I love portraits, I wish I had more willing subjects.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/...56132b1e7c.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/...8be9d6be38.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3288/...2874878748.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3030/...9ee61d0dff.jpg
My kids run now when they see me with my camera.
I am sorry if they havesome technicalflaws. I am blind to them as I can tell I havepreserved some of their souls in these.
a few more http://www.flickr.com/photos/talicoa/
Tom
Tom: sometimes when subjects are camera shy or don't even make contact with the viewer at all, gives photographs something special like your first shot. It's very good. There's a vulnerability and shiness (is that a word in English) that you can feel. I like that shot a lot actually.
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XSi 85mm f/1.8 @ 2.2,1/2000, ISO 800.
In my view, this shot is an example of wrong ISO and shutter speedbeing overcome by lucky timing and composition.
Thanks, Alan, for those details. I see it doesn't happen by accident [:)]
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This is an portrait of Eugene taken in natural late afternoon sunlight during the summer months in the SF Bay Area.