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Self Portrait

Taking the advice of those that know, I tried some more self portraits using only a single light source. I still have not really figured out how best to use multiple lights and keeping it simple with only one gives me a better chance at figuring out what does and does not work. The hardest part for me is getting the focus right. I did this one alone, while my wife was still at work, otherwise I would have had her focus for me. I had to take a great number of different shots just trying to get my face in focus. It's still not the sharpest in this photo either but I think with the lighting the way it is and the look I got, it works pretty good anyway. At first I tried a little tighter crop because my face looks rather lost in the large expanse of black but then, in the end, I decided this was the way I liked it best. Maybe it's because I really do feel lost a lot of the time and this image feels the most natural to me.
Is there an easier way to pre-focus for something like this rather than just the hit and miss way that I was doing?
James

01-08-09.jpg
 
Well thank you Rachel. Of all the words I can think to use in describing my face, amazing would not be one of them:) I wanted it to be dark but it may actually be a little darker than intended. I have not profiled my new monitor yet. I am about to tonight. I was told by a friend that my photos processed last night on the new monitor look a tad dark to him too. I will see what happens after I profile. Thanks for looking.
James
 

oli murugavel

New member
Cool

Wow... you have a very interesting eyes and beard... And nice lighting too.. Try to throw more light to your face so that you might get out of the background for a bolder look.... I post my version of your photograph... Sorry if you feel bad about my edit in photoshop....

CopyRight James Newman

newman_copyright.jpg


CopyRight James Newman
 
Do not worry. Anyone is always free to edit my photos however they wish. I enjoy getting the feedback and suggestions from different viewers. You did exactly what you set out to do by adding more light and bringing out more details but my own, darker image is still more in line with what I was after.
James
 

janet Smith

pro member
Anyone is always free to edit my photos however they wish. I enjoy getting the feedback and suggestions from different viewers

Well you wished it so here it is.....

1JS.jpg


My take, BTW I think it's a very good self portrait, very expressive, but I've made you B&W, dodged and burned your face a bit, a couple of tweaks here and there..... painless I hope! ;)

What do you think?
 

charlie chipman

New member
Hi James,

I like your first version more so than the brightened and B&W versions, the light and muted colours of the original make it appear more real and more sad. You are right that there is a very lost feeling in this as that was my first thought upon viewing, your expression contributes to this greatly....those eyes. If I was to critique anything it would be that the sharp shadow under your right eye is a little distracting though that is minor concern in the grand view.

As for prefocus what I have done is use something that can be set to eye level and can be swung out of the, for me that is a microphone stand. I will focus on the head of the mic stand and put my eye right in place of it and swing it out of the way. I suppose you could do the same by hanging something from the ceiling. Another method would be to use a tape measure and set the distance on your lens and make sure you get back to that same position (mark the floor or similar).

Thanks for sharing.
 

Charlotte Thompson

Well-known member
James

I have to say I like the original and then Janet's take-
you look like you can't believe what you are seeing
or musing a bit

great shot and face!

Charlotte-
 
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