[matthew]

"Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter."
- Oscar Wilde

There have always been great portraits posted in the showcase forum, but it seems like there's a surge of creativity and interest in the past few weeks. So, this seems like a good time for an assignment. While taking new images is always encouraged, portraits can also be a craft that takes extensive practice to master. Archived favourites are also welcomed, but I'd appreciate a few words on why you've chosen, or how you produced, your images.

...and speaking of timing, I apologize for missing my usual posting date for the second time in a row. Life's been a little busy recently, and fridays tend to blur.

[shuttertalk]

Haha, no problems, Matthew... thanks again for the great job you're doing!

[R90S]

Here's a photo i took at an all-night card game with my army buddies. I might have overdone it with the colors though.... I just used Picasa for the editing. The guy in the picture looks a bit like an ex or future convict, but he's one of the nicest people i know :-)

[Pops]

This is my daughter. The photograph was taken around an hour after she had a tooth extraction when she was feeling very sorry for herself.

[byrt_001]

hi pops

u cruel.... did she hit you on the head?

christian

[Pops]

hi pops

u cruel.... did she hit you on the head?

christian

Heck no .... at the time she couldn't care less. I took dozens and she never tried to hide once

[wulinka]

one of my favorite subjects, my fiancé... I played with the black and white conversion a bit, still haven't got my "standard protocol" figured out.



uli

[wulinka]

And my friend Petri again, the most patient and versatile subject - or should I say victim? :-)

Petri the thinker:


I'm a big fan of close portraits (as you will have noticed....), and this was taken with my 100mm macro. although it could be considered too long on my crop size sensor for a classic portrait lense, I don't mind the length and love it's tones and definition.

Petri the comedian:


Here I was playing with my new 24-70 lense, I hope Pete, you are still my friend after I post this here! :-))
I like the yellow background and how it emphasizes the comic character of this picture.


And finally, Petri at work, the environmental portrait:


quite honestly, he wasn't working that day, and we went to Coney Island. But we were doing some "community research", and when he isn't spending time with me, Petri is a professional photographer....

So now you know Petri!

[smarti77]

I've been away for a while due to a funeral interstate. While it was a difficult time, it was also good to catch up with family that I hadn't seen for a while. My niece is very photogenic and this is the first shot I took of her...

[EnglishBob]

Got the guy to stand still for me last fall, gave me about 20 seconds to set and shoot. Fill flash used.

[wulinka]

Sorry to hear, Smarti! I love your picture though. It's a little soft, did you do that on purpose? And did you do the B/W conversion from color?

uli

[matthew]

I just want to pop in for a bit to say that I'm really impressed by the photos poster so far, but haven't been able to process any of the shots that I wanted to include here. Life's been a little AOT recently. Thanks for keeping this assignment going.

[smarti77]

Sorry to hear, Smarti! I love your picture though. It's a little soft, did you do that on purpose? And did you do the B/W conversion from color?

uli

Uli - The original came out a little soft unintentionally but I still love the photo because it seems to capture her personality perfectly. The conversion was from full colour to selective black and white and then finally to sepia.

[Irma]

I took this one few weeks ago. The girls were not so willing to pose so I went out to the garden and hide, we started playing hide and seek and I got her...

Daddy wants a print...

[matthew]

Irma, playing hide-and-seek is a great idea. You've captured a wonderful moment.

Here's one that you might like, taken at a local "renaissance fair".

[Wedding Shooter]

This is a bridal portrait I took on Friday while she was getting ready to go to her wedding.

[Irma]

Yes Matt, you are right I like it a lot!
The birdie is beautiful.. I like the costume of the falconer. When I visit this kind of fairs or viking camps I feel like transported in time and I love that...
Your picture tells a story...

Chris...
Very beautiful portrait... The colors and light are great! Love her smile... May I ask if you use flash for this picture, or it was taken with available light?

[Wedding Shooter]

Hi Irma,

She was standing about a third of the way up a staircase. I was at the top and used my on camera flash bounced off the white ceiling. I also used a flash difuser that has a variable bouncing surface that is really great for on camera flash.

I set exposure and flash output manually.

Glad that you liked it - I have had a lot of positive feedback about that image.

[phlip]

This was a test shot to make sure I had the lighting set up the way I wanted for our family Christmas portrait and is of myself (all unshaven and scruffy) and my beautiful youngest girl, Rebekah. It has become one of my favorite portraits.

[Paul.R.Lindqvist]

Alot of nice contributions here, Chris yours stand out though. (to me that is)

Its simply wonderful!

Here is a portrait i took today of Zack. Trying out my new xs softbox Chimera 40x55cm.

I didnt really keep any of them, but i liked this one. Not sure why. Its quite ordinary and dosent look all that great.

PP:
cropped, adjusted wb(intentonally warmer then usual).Also brightened his eyes (maybe to much for some)




/Paul L.

[Wedding Shooter]

Thanks for your kind comments Paul.

I think the distraction with this shot of Zack is the background - the brighter area in one part looks out of place with low key lighting. His eye's are fine.

He looks so serious after the smiling shots you have posted before

[Justphotography]

[Rabid Penguin]

Here's a couple of my better ones (portraits aren't my strong suit).

My friend Christina:




And my fiancee's nephew. I absolutely love his little death-stare in this photo, and the "brr" on his jumper fits so perfectly.