Notable Citizens

Notable Citizens of Setubal, Portugal - my home town - is my new theme to start 2013.
This will be a collection of portraits of people either born in Setúbal or with much influence in town.

Welcome to the citizens of Setubal, Portugal! We have a chance of getting glimpses inside the homes and workplaces where tourists would never have the opportunity to visit. We'd go the the beautiful beaches, nature reserves, dine on grilled fish and visit ancient monasteries and cannery factories. The ability to peep inside beyond tourist attractions is a special treat!

So, Salutations to the first notable, Antonio Alves!

Thanks,

Asher

Asher Kelman said:

Welcome to the citizens of Setubal, Portugal! We have a chance of getting glimpses inside the homes and workplaces where tourists would never have the opportunity to visit. We'd go the the beautiful beaches, nature reserves, dine on grilled fish and visit ancient monasteries and cannery factories. The ability to peep inside beyond tourist attractions is a special treat!
So, Salutations to the first notable, Antonio Alves! Thanks, Asher

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Thank you Asher fro the kind words.

I will do my best !

A few words of introduction to each character would help. I imagine your first choice is the head of the Food Bank that subsidizes essentials to a large population passed by the staggering economic hard times.

Asher

Note

A small biography will be included in a separate document.

I am the one who chooses the persons. I am not including - well, this is the idea at the moment - any political but rather people important in sports, social assistance, charity etc.

Just to name a very well known example, José Mourinho lieved, studied and has strong connections to Setúbal.
I think I will not be able to make his photograph as his images are managed by someone and I am not an important photographer.

Asher Kelman said:

A few words of introduction to each character would help. I imagine your first choice is the head of the Food Bank that subsidizes essentials to a large population passed by the staggering economic hard times. Asher

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Yes Sir, you are right.

In this time of crisis, the first person - António Alves whom knows me since I was 10 - is the President of the Food Bank of Setúbal at the moment.

A small bio will be published with each portrait when time comes, perhaps at the end of this year.

This was photographed a couple of hours ago.

I have printed the image on Ilford Gold Fiber Silk paper. The subtle tonality towards sepia is great. It is not so hard as pure black and white.

Printed is better than on screen. Absolutely !

Tomorrow I will call and meet him to offer the image. I am sure he will like it.

As a people and portrait photographer, I know that I will find this thread interesting to follow.

I will do my best I assure you !

The printed version is far better

Correct! much more dimensional and energetic!

Good job, Antonio.

Asher, I do not like it that much.
I think I will start from scratch and ask him to pose again.
I do not like the bouquet behind his head - the other image was much more clean - I do not like the great shadow of the bouquet, I do not like the reflexion on the door, I do not like the strong - too strong - reflection of the candles at the background, I do not like the strong light on his back...

I hope to be able to photograph teetering next time. It will give me a better and more precise glance of the final product

All this is leading me to compose on location, carefully: remove the table or note, place his coat, chairs etc

I am not the kind of guy - have I told this before ? - who waits for the person to come to the right spot (if ever) or even fake it, I am more the quick guy who photographs using feelings and momentous sensations, caught at a glimpse.

I will start this over. Next week !

I agree Antonio - your first image is a far stronger shot with the man's head in a nice clean space of wall. It actually works better as a fine portrait and the triangular shape of his body and the billiard balls in the center and his head in the upper third of the frame is pleasing to me.

I am not the kind of guy - have I told this before ? - who waits for the person to come to the right spot (if ever) or even fake it, I am more the quick guy who photographs using feelings and momentous sensations, caught at a glimpse.

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I am a quick shooter like that as well who generally likes to keep the look natural - - - and so those situations instead of trying to adjust the person and change the mood, I am constantly adjusting my physical position and camera height. In actuality, I am far more aware of the backgrounds and surroundings of my subject - while shooting - than I am of the subject. Even though the subject is primary in the final image, in some ways they are secondary when I am shooting.

In my view, there always has to be some kind of "control" when photographing - whether that be adjusting my position or exerting some influence on what the subject does, or both - - - otherwise I find images are really just snapshots if there is none. There is already control in your situation here as the man knows he is being photographed and even adjusting what he does based on his own awareness and expectations of what you want. So I think that you could still stay true to your style of shooting, while adding a few directions to the subject that would improve the image while not looking fake.


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Robert Watcher said:

I agree Antonio - your first image is a far stronger shot with the man's head in a nice clean space of wall. It actually works better as a fine portrait and the triangular shape of his body and the billiard balls in the center and his head in the upper third of the frame is pleasing to me.



I am a quick shooter like that as well who generally likes to keep the look natural - - - and so those situations instead of trying to adjust the person and change the mood, I am constantly adjusting my physical position and camera height. In actuality, I am far more aware of the backgrounds and surroundings of my subject - while shooting - than I am of the subject. Even though the subject is primary in the final image, in some ways they are secondary when I am shooting.
In my view, there always has to be some kind of "control" when photographing - whether that be adjusting my position or exerting some influence on what the subject does, or both - - - otherwise I find images are really just snapshots if there is none. There is already control in your situation here as the man knows he is being photographed and even adjusting what he does based on his own awareness and expectations of what you want. So I think that you could still stay true to your style of shooting, while adding a few directions to the subject that would improve the image while not looking fake.------

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Thank you Robert for your lines

Much appreciated !

One of these days I will be taking photographs of a poet and translator whom I know since we were kids of 10 or less.
He didn't want to be photographed at the beginning but for me he would open an exception.

But one day I saw him paying table tennis in a photo on Facebook. I told him: You listen to me, if you appear on Facebook paying you must allow me to photograph you doing so.
He agreed. In a few days he is going to tell me where he will be paying even being only for training, and I will be there.

But this time I will be far more careful. I will make essais without him, test the lights and so forth.
It's a new and different challenge: he will be paying table-tennis. I will you the right technique to take him in action. I will use one of my best lens - 70-200 - with my old 20D ! Does it matter ? Yes , it does !

However, I will not post his or any other images of this project any more. Neither here, nor anywhere else.
I want to use the factor Surprise. Will I be able to keep this promisse ???!!! LOL LOL

I still do not like the shadows on the door.
Useless to insist on this serie of photographs. I have to start it over.

I post these two images as an experiment which I'll talk you about later on.

Apart from the size can you see any difference ? The tone is a little bit different. Is the right one not so "harsh" ?

Antonio Correia said:

Notable Citizens of Setubal, Portugal - my home town - is my new theme to start 2013.
This will be a collection of portraits of people either born in Setúbal or with much influence in town.

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Antonio,

In this first picture, I was taken in by the pose and his focus and concentration. That seemed to be all consuming. I made no analysis of the lighting or your technique as non was needed. I accepted the image as just the first of a series.

However, with the arrival of the new ones and discussion of lighting, technique now comes to the fore! I'd simply correct what was needed in the picture if it was digital and re-plan the lighting if it's on film.

Is there a window to the right or do you have a second light there?

Asher

Thank you Asher for your comment.
Technical aspects are only a way to achieve the image we create/conceive/ imagine and should be considered when and if, we have not reached the target/goal.
Curious your question about the window on the our right (his left). And it is curious because it is precisely the other way around, the window is at our left and the light coming from the right is from a snooted flash I placed hanging on a door.
I even thought that it was too strong on his back and that would be something to correct.

On the other hand and what puzzles me more - in this image of mines - is the too dark shadow on the left, projected on the door by the bouquet.

But let us look at this one supposedly from Sebastião Salgado. I couldn't verify the authenticity as I got the URL from a blog where it stated the image is from him. The blog is reliable for me.


Does the big white spot on the background bother us ? Or doesn't it just because it is an image from Sebastião Salgado ?! If it really is ...

Let's look at another one which happens I do know the author


Isn't this image at the same level ? Of quality I mean...

A couple of hours ago I asked someone I know from 10 years old if he would let me take his photograph as he is important enough to my theme.
He told me that he would think about it. It is his right, indeed.
But would he say the same if I were Sebastião Salgado ? No he would not.
This makes me smile and let's come back to the dark spot.

When I made the treatment on this image I almost didn't noticed it and give it little importance. Someone else later told me about it and I agree.
OK. I do agree but I wonder if that spot ever justifies the repetition of the session.

Just some thoughts Asher...

Antonio,

One's first meeting with an image, (yours or Salgado's for that matter), is one of feelings , the recruitment of passion, relationships and then more structured thoughts. As I pointed out in post # 16 above, when the content is presented powerfully enough, technique might never come to mind. Of course, a scholar of photography would also be looking at the build of an image.

When you point out "deficiencies", them we will weigh then against the value to us of the image content and how it feels significant to bring more to our lives. You can, if you wish make perfect pictures, but perfection can murder your offspring!

I, myself don't worry about the odd shadow in the first picture. If I did, I'd retake the picture or correct it in post. All you have to do is let your work go free when it works to evoke in your heart what you wish to express or reveal to the viewer. You are the father of the picture. If it works for you, then trust us.

Asher

Asher Kelman said:

Antonio,

I, myself don't worry about the odd shadow in the first picture. If I did, I'd retake the picture or correct it in post. All you have to do is let your work go free when it works to evoke in your heart what you wish to express or reveal to the viewer. You are the father of the picture. If it works for you, then trust us.

Asher

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I agree totally with you Asher. When I first visited this thread and commented - - - I had not even paid attention to the shadow beside the flower. The image to me is strong at pulling the attention to where it should go, the man and his involvement in what he is doing.

The second attempt - for me - is not as strong with the focus and composition, and is overall more confusing. But that is just my own personal viewpoint and not defacto.


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@ Asher
Curiously it is precisely when I am trying to make "better" photography that I am more meticulous and detailed than before.
Thank you for those words. Wise and sensible advice.

@Robert
Thank you
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Cheers