photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
ctfchallenge | all galleries >> Challenge 138 - Grain it up! >> Challenge 138 - Eligible > 3rd: Rustic Portraiture by jstrong
previous | next
29-JUL-2007 jstrong

3rd: Rustic Portraiture by jstrong

Canon EOS 5D ,Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
1/25s f/4.5 at 55.0mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
comment | share
ctfchallenge31-Jul-2007 02:17
Rod, it's hard to escape the past. You and I have seen too much art and the template is cast: one eye on the center line. That's what they've been doing for centuries. Your crop springs from that tradition, and I agree that it works best. The hat brim is too powerful a frame and needs to be disgarded or leave a superfluous, dark off-center blotch. Your crop gives focus to the face and makes it much more poignent.

Jano, this is a beautiful raw portrait that could use some processing. One is to eliminate the sharply detailed pattern of the collar which competes with the slightly less sharp eye. I placed a blurred collar revision in pending to illustrate how everything is in the eye (if Rod's crop is included). -tv
janewigginsphotography30-Jul-2007 23:56
Thanks Aam, Neo and Lee for your comments. jano
Guest 30-Jul-2007 16:27
very good.
Guest 30-Jul-2007 14:13
Fantastic portrait. I prefer this version with more of the brim showing than the tighter crop you have in pending.
aam1234 30-Jul-2007 12:52
Excellent job.
janewigginsphotography30-Jul-2007 10:42
Thanks everyone for the comments :) Rod - thanks also for the critique. I am confused as to which one I like better also. Perhaps the right side is unnecessary - guess I thought it gave some perspective as to location. The catch lights in the eyes didn't bother me but perhaps only one is preferred? I would have loved to have spent more time with shooting Amber as it's been some time and this is the first portrait with the new cam... unfortunately I took her away from Hannah Montanna (her fav tv show) and only got about 5 shots off before the CF card was full.. and she wasn't a bit disappointed. lol jano
Rod 30-Jul-2007 07:39
Nicely done Jano it's a great shot of Amber. At first I was troubled by the top right corner & the wooden wall & thought it would look better cropped out also the double catch light in the eyes. I did a clone & a crop & stuck them in pending but after seeing them side by side I became totally confused as they sort of became different shots as this one seems to have an innocent charm & the cropped one has a touch more sophistication. So I'm buggered if I know now:-)
Amber seems to photograph really well but it was an old rule of thumb in film days that a focal length of about 100mm was the most flattering for portaits so I imagine the same goes for full frame sensors, this may have blurred the wall more too.
Thanks for confusing the L out me Jano even though the missus reckons I confuse meself:-)
sue anne30-Jul-2007 03:07
Beautiful and I like the looks of the eyes.
ctfchallenge29-Jul-2007 23:13
Oh, this is just lovely! Perhaps your finest portrait yet! Kudos!!! ~ Lonnit