Challenge: "The Cherished Portrait of a Child" 6yrs-16yrs Studio lit. Post your best!

[Asher Kelman]

The Cherished Child Portrait

Do you have pictures you have taken of children with something of their special nature, charm, character or aspect that is so quintessential of how they seemed to be? This is a case where the photographer must establish the safe milieu, lighting and rapport to allow the child to be comfortable.

So free that that something of their personality shows.

We all can take snapshots. Some may be prizewinners for sure. Here, however, we are looking for images, which, by bringing out character so well, might perhaps escape the particular and resonate with all of us.

Who knows, we might even get some photograph that is iconic! However, that is not the goal. Just pictures you are proud of or else want help with. Perfection is not a necessity, just feelings! Composition does not have to be classical, but then feel free to address that if this seems important to you. Lighting does not have to be uniform.

This challenge is "Open" meaning a portrait that is free from "The Rules", just know what rules you are breaking and give your best!

Good luck!

Asher

[Will Thompson]

Hi Asher, Here are two that come to mind.


85MM f1.2L 1/250 f3.5 ISO 50 1DsMKII


85MM f1.2L 1/250 f4.0 ISO 50 1DsMKII

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Will,

Thanks fro bravely jumping in! Yes, I've always loved both these images. Both fit in well. Could you share your lighting? It seems pretty even.

Asher

[David A. Goldfarb]

May I push the age limit back a bit?

Here's the most formal portrait I've made of Melchi, aged just short of 6 weeks.--



It was a good time for studio portraits, before he started moving around too much. Now I do mainly candids, because I want to show what kinds of things he's doing, and it's harder to keep him from walking over to the tripod to see what daddy's doing.

I didn't want to use strobes and we had good window light, so I just set him up in his bouncer seat and oriented it at an attractive angle to the light--a little broader than Rembrandt style. I was using a soft lens, which benefits from harder light, so I didn't use a reflector.

The lens is the 205mm combination from a Busch Vademecum Set II--a seven element nineteenth-century lens set that can be combined in different ways for different focal lengths--that I've had mounted in a Copal Press #1 shutter, so it has a wider maximum aperture than it was designed to have, which makes it possible to get this diffused effect. I'm at f:8 in this shot, and if I remember correctly, Melchi was good enough to hold still for 1/15 sec, or maybe 1/8.

The camera is an 8x10" Sinar P with a 4x5" reducing back and a 4x5" sliding back. The film is Polaroid Type 55 P/N, and the scan is from the negative.

[Rachel Foster]

Taken last August or September...still my two best portraits.



Age seven.




Age eleven.

[Asher Kelman]

Originally Posted by David A. Goldfarb

May I push the age limit back a bit?

Here's the most formal portrait I've made of Melchi, aged just short of 6 weeks.--

I like this portrait of Melchior as it really uses well the qualities of the round white top baby crib/seat and the eventual round softness of the lens to highlight at the center his eyes. The 205mm lens works well with the 4x5 reduction back. I intend to do the same with my PS 945 Cooke lens on the Chamonix 8x10 with it's 4x5 reducing back. Just a very non-cheap way of doing the sane physical thing.

Have you stocked up on Polaroid or you will just switch to Fuji?



Rachel,

This is a good contribution. Kudos! Your portraits are ahead of you river! I think because you might be more used to looking at people!

Originally Posted by Rachel Foster

Taken last August or September...still my two best portraits.



Age seven.




Age eleven.

I like them both. The first is most impressive. What lighting did you use and what camera and lens...just for the record!

Asher

[David A. Goldfarb]

Originally Posted by Asher Kelman

Have you stocked up on Polaroid or you will just switch to Fuji?

Alas, the current Fuji offerings don't substitute for the Polaroid products I use--Type 55 positive/negative and Type 809 8x10" color.

Ilford is talking with Polaroid about making a replacement for Type 55, but meanwhile I'm using monobath processing as a way to get a quick negative with something of the look of a Type 55 neg. After experimenting with monobaths a bit, I'm coming to realize that monobath processing (developer and fixer in one solution) was as important to the Type 55 look as the emulsion of the film, which was a version of the otherwise discontinued Kodak Panatomic-X. I can also process any format this way, which is an interesting thing. Monobaths were one method of proofing before Polaroid.

It would be great if Fuji could come up with replacements for Polaroid 4x5" and 8x10" sheet films. I gather something is in the works to keep 20x24" Polaroid alive, and I'd assume that would involve Fuji, and if they could do that, 8x10" would be a possibility. For 4x5" sheet films, they would need to take the 4x5" pack films that they make currently and repackage them in single envelopes like Quickloads, which are similar to the Polaroid 4x5" sheet film packets.

[Rachel Foster]

Thanks, Asher! I was just beginning with those, so it was table lamp, flashlight, and Kodak v550 point and shoot (no flash). Lucky shots.

[Kathy Rappaport]

a bit soft, but, I like the softness and the quiet moment - This is Connor and he rarely slows down

[Rachel Foster]

Kathy, I'm not seeing the image.

[Kathy Rappaport]

I forgot to turn on linking permission.

[Asher Kelman]

Originally Posted by Kathy Rappaport

a bit soft, but, I like the softness and the quiet moment - This is Connor and he rarely slows down

Kethy,

A sweet child! Good job. I hope you paid him well! The picture has in itself a new presence in the rose hue that seems to overlay everything. The little design in the right? Is that part of what's essential to you? I find it detracts from the very soft image.

How did you get the soft effect and that color? and the lips?

Asher

[Kathy Rappaport]

The thing in the corner is my watermark - it's my logo - it will not print on the image. It's doing it's job!

This is actually ambient light in a room with soft peach color walls, some candlelight and the image is straight out of the camera. Shot with the 24-105 at 105mm F4 and the softness is from shooting at 15 shutter speed and iso 800. It was one of those days when almost every image was a keeper even if there was a technical issue like this one.

[charlotte thompson]

Peyton upon discovery of my river rocks last night early evening-

[Asher Kelman]

Charlotte,

You challenge me! I find it hard. I am drawn between liking it as it is and then wondering "Why on earth you have stretched your camera to the limits? The picture, given it's lack of detail could be 2/3 the size. Still there is something impressively unprepared about everything from Peyton to the photograph itself. I think it's awfully unbalanced then I see the bright yellow ribbon does indeed counterbalance the asymmetry of her questioning cocked head. If it were smaller, just 2/3 I'd get it all on my screen with a margin and then look at it without it being hemmed in.

I'm impressed, troubled and unsure, but if I had to decide now, which, despite being reluctant, right now, I really like it!

Thanks for adding this unique image.

Asher

[charlotte thompson]

Asher

I'm delighted- I do like filling up with most shots I do and of her especially-
this thread is just filled with beautiful shots of children-I love most to take children and try to show who we as adults forget to remember our own inner child-the beauty and excitement of living- thank you for stopping in and as always your thoughts on my work.

Charlotte

[Shane Carter]

My youngest...

Being silly with her fav old cat...



Goofing around during a shoot last year...little bit o'drama...

[Bill Miller]

(c) FotosNow



This is copied and placed in the "Portrait with available light thread", here.

[Erie Patsellis]

Here's one of my grandaughter I shot a few years ago, she was about 1, and the devilishness was showing through already.



and another from the same shoot with our dog Princess:



erie

[Asher Kelman]

Erie,

That look in your grandaughter is devilish! The second one shows that the dog is the reliable friend! Now was that 4x5 film or the nikon and how did you light her?

Asher

[Erie Patsellis]

would have been the F3 with a 135 f2. lighting was a single XL soft box, to the left of camera, probably aobut 2' from the subject, I tend to do the more dramatic type portraiture, as this one of my stepdaughter:



erie

ARLO picture moved here for your comment and more of your pictures of famous musicians!

[Marcel Walker]

Here a few of my first studio shots.

They are meant to be dark.

[charlotte thompson]

marcel
amazing beauty of 2 captures of boys" the second boy has such strength! what determination in his eyes
it is my favorite- beautiful* I adore the uncontrived natural look" you have it! in these pictures

Charlotte-

[Marcel Walker]

Thank you so much for your kind words Charlotte.

My son and his friend came in from playing this last week. They were both covered in dirt and they both began to tell me about the design of their new plane. I was impressed as they were telling me how the wingspan needed to be twice the length of the body. The boys also discussed where to launch it, a back deck about 12 feet off the ground. They both have fallen from this area before without much injury so they feel it's a pretty good place to try it out. Also, they figure they can pull the tramp up to the deck if they need to for added protection. You see, they plan to be "in" the plane.

The plan is fairly outrageous but I wanted to capture the intensity and "authenticity" that these boys feel of being young inventors.

I just used a flash and shot through a sixty inch umbrella. Very easy.

[Jim Galli]

caedon, grandson ii

[Kathy Rappaport]

I take it this is MF or LF or (sorry) maybe a lensbaby?

Very nice. I love selective focused images. Cute little one - and I am referring to whichever one you think I am)

[Asher Kelman]

Originally Posted by Marcel Walker

Here a few of my first studio shots.

They are meant to be dark.

Hi Marcel,

these poses remind me so much of the work of my late father-in-law. This is how he loved to pose people, right head on, and I do like the look. May I call it a 50's image? In any case, the pictures have character and the kids are distinguished.

Asher

[Asher Kelman]

Originally Posted by Jim Galli

caedon, grandson ii

Caedon seems like a great kid. I imagine he spends a lot of time in sports and so you have endless photography opportunities. Somehow I think that guy should go fishing too and even have a camera!

The soft focus is very smooth and the rendering of his face is sharp enough for me and I'm perfectly happy not seeing sharply defined features. That after all is the idea of these images. When everything is perfectly defined, there's less room for imagination..... except for pictures in Vogue, but they're just fantasy, whereas this young fellow is real. One can meet him and learn a little more. The girl in Vogue, likely will disappoint. Yes she will!

Asher

[Jim Galli]

Originally Posted by Asher Kelman

Caedon seems like a great kid. I imagine he spends a lot of time in sports and so you have endless photography opportunities. Somehow I think that guy should go fishing too and even have a camera!

The soft focus is very smooth and the rendering of his face is sharp enough for me and I'm perfectly happy not seeing sharply defined features. That after all is the idea of these images. When everything is perfectly defined, there's less room for imagination..... except for pictures in Vogue, but they're just fantasy, whereas this young fellow is real. One can meet him and learn a little more. The girl in Vogue, likely will disappoint. Yes she will!

Asher

Thanks Asher. Of my 3 (soon to be 4) grandson's this one is mini me. That means he's mischievous to distraction, and of course has a marvelous intellect that renders him bored about 98% of the time.

Originally Posted by Kathy Rappaport

I take it this is MF or LF or (sorry) maybe a lensbaby?


Very nice. I love selective focused images. Cute little one - and I am referring to whichever one you think I am)

Hi Kathy. This was done in the field with an 11X14 camera. Nearly impossible in that size to get these little ones to stay still and in position for the dof of a 375mm lens. In a perfect world his nose and mouth might have been slightly better focused at the expense of something else behind that plane. Thanks both!

[Asher Kelman]

Originally Posted by Jim Galli

Thanks Asher. Of my 3 (soon to be 4) grandson's this one is mini me. That means he's mischievous to distraction, and of course has a marvelous intellect that renders him bored about 98% of the time.

Jim,

Now three years later, does he have a camera?

Asher