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by **macka** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 9:27 pm

I've been playing with the new lens (50mm, 1.8 ). I missed the focus a little with this one, would have liked the eyes a little sharper, but I had a play in photoshop anyway. I really like this lens.

Any thoughts?

by **vort** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 9:31 pm

Gorgeous!
The focus would be better on the eyes as you mentioned but it isn't too bad like that. It gives it a very subtle kind of dreamy effect. Very nice!

I gotta get myself a 50mm/1.8

by **Geoff** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 9:33 pm

Very nice - dreamy

by **Alpha_7** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 9:38 pm

Wowsa, I'm really impressed the focus is off a little but I love the dreamy affect and the B&W really suits it.

by **Nnnnsic** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:01 pm

Nice shot. :up:

Great eyes.

by **leek** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:05 pm

If that's a self-portrait, then you're doing really well :-)

by **sirhc55** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:05 pm

Self portraits are not easy but you have accomplished a beautiful shot that will be a stand out in your portfolio.

by **Dug** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:13 pm

Self portraits are so much easier if you look good

It is a beautiful shot, I would spot out the tiny white spot in the corner of you eye. Apart from that dreamy and great.

Do you find it confronting to look at photos of yourself?

What lighting did you use it is beautifully soft.

by **Zeeke** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:44 pm

Evil Dug wrote:Self portraits are so much easier if you look good

Gotta agree with you Doug, after seeing this, i wont be attempting self portraits ever again... beautifully done Macka, looks like youve hit the lens on the head and got it working to a T.. i agree with doug, just clone out the white spot in the corner of your eye, its a lil distracting.. but brilliant image

Tim

by **marcotrov** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:50 pm

You have that lens working brilliantly for you. The overall effect works a treat. The result is a well balanced and exposed image Macka congratulations

cheers
marco

by **rokkstar** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:52 pm

Very nice - very engaging eyes.

by **Dug** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:01 pm

Zeeke have you tried the Balaclava for self portraits?

It works for me

by **Zeeke** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:09 pm

But you look like a terrorist... :oops:

Might have to give the balaclava a go

Tim

by **SteveGriffin** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:14 pm

Very nice.

by **Slider** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:16 pm

Very nice Macka. Perfect lighting and well suited to B&W. Well Done

by **Mal** on Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:17 pm

Excellent. Well done. did you use the timer? or was this a shutter press?

by **Killakoala** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:42 am

Extraordinary, high calibre self portrait. Your B&W process has brought out a visually appealing skin tone. Great work, i like it a lot.

by **gstark** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:52 am

What was your lighting setup for this? It's beautiful and soft, and I'm sure that many others would love to know.

by **macka** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:55 am

Thanks for your comments everyone.

For the lighting I did nothing spectacular. I positioned myself near an open window where there was enough natural light coming in to produce what you see here. I don't have anything other than the on-board flash, so that had to be it.

Don't have a timer either - yet - so it was a shutter press. My arms are just long enough!

Dug- I never used to like having my photo taken, but around my house there is nothing interesting to photograph, my partner is not often a willing subject, and I don't have a macro or anything to play with in the yard - so on that day, I was it, and I decided to get over my dislike of photos of myself.

I think the softness in the image has mostly come from the selective Gaussian blur I applied in photoshop.

Thank you again for all your encouraging comments.

-macka

by **Greg B** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 8:27 am

Excellent portrait macka, congratulations.

When you say you don't have a timer, most cameras have a timer of some sort (certainly the d70 does), what sort of camera are you using?

by **macka** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 8:31 am

Of course I have a timer :oops:

for some reason I read 'remote'

by **Oneputt** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 8:47 am

I have just caught up with this thread and agree fully with what has been said. The image has a lovely dreamy quality.

It's funny, when I think of Macka, I think of some big macho guy not a beautiful young woman. What a pleasant suprise

by **wendellt** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:19 am

That's one beautiful portrait. Quite original as well, whoever your partner is they are lucky to wake up to that face each morning

by **xerubus** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:46 am

I think it's a great portrait, and a very fine subject.

I think your eyes tell quite a story in this shot, and personally i'd like to see jut a tad more light on them, and possibly a little more sharpness. Well worth doing a little pp and seeing what you can do.

Please let me know if you want me to remove this edit I've done. All I have done is a little masking and sharpened your eyes and mouth. I have also added just a slight further blur to the skin to help bring out your eyes a tad more. Little bit of level adjustments and dodging/burning on the eyes also.

cheers

by **MATT** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:58 am

Wow, please post more self portraits, as said before it helps when the subject is so perfect. B&W suits it well also.

You have done a good jobl, it would cetainly be hard to get the focus spot on.

Once again thanks for the image

MATT

by **macka** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 6:35 pm

Oneputt wrote:It's funny, when I think of Macka, I think of some big macho guy not a beautiful young woman. What a pleasant suprise

Well, it came about because I originally wanted it to be pronounced mach-ka, which means cat, but the forums don't support special characters

xerubus - I generally don't mind when people pp my images. It's interesting to see what other people come up with. I'll have a go at doing that myself sometime.

Thanks everyone - I am feeling rather encouraged. I wasn't expecting such a response to this photo.

by **PiroStitch** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 6:46 pm

Awesome self portrait esp with the b&w treatment. Any chance of seeing the colour version?

To really nitpick on the photo, I'd like it to be a bit brighter and have more highlights in your eyes to bring a bit more life out of them. Right now, they seem a bit dead with the large and dark pupils. Then again, that's just what I've noticed a lot with portraits - highlights in the eyes.

Wish I wasn't such an ugly mug and could post self portraits like that

by **Manta** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:12 pm

I, too, came in late to this thread but I agree with all the positive comments said herein. A beautiful shot, a beautiful subject. There's something very Audrey Hepburn about your eyes Macka and you've captured it well. Mark was spot on with his PP efforts to accentuate this feature.

Have to agree with Oneputt - I had a completely different image of you too! I fully expected to see photos of your Monaro doing burn-outs!

You have a great sense for this art - keep it up and show us more.

by **dreams** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 8:03 pm

gorgoues photo, esp the POI not the B&w

by **Alex** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:08 pm

Great self-portrait. Well done!

Alex

by **Alpha_7** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:23 pm

I contemplated recreating you style, and trying a similar self portrait, but the idea scared me. What lens did you shoot it with ?

by **macka** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:27 pm

Craig,

50mm/1.8

by **leek** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:16 pm

Alpha_7 wrote:I contemplated recreating you style, and trying a similar self portrait, but the idea scared me.

Please don't Craig... It scares us too... :-)

by **nito** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:20 pm

wow, myself portraits never turn out as good as that,

Nicely done

by **Big V** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:27 pm

That is a nice portrait with the available lighting and the PP work xerubus has done has made it even better..

by **Dug** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:28 pm

leek wrote:
Alpha_7 wrote:I contemplated recreating you style, and trying a similar self portrait, but the idea scared me.

Please don't Craig... It scares us too...

Do It Do It Do It Do It Do It Do It Do It Do It Do It Do It Do It Do It

I double dog dare you

by **Alpha_7** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:37 pm

LOL, well just to humour you

I just took a few give me a minute to check em out..(they are crap me thinks).

by **Dug** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:42 pm

A self portrait competition?

by **Manta** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:42 pm

Alpha_7 wrote:LOL, well just to humour you I just took a few give me a minute to check em out..(they are crap me thinks).

Too late Craig - Macka just scored POTW!! (Maybe next week for you!)
:lol:

by **Dug** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:48 pm

Congratulation Macka!!!

A great choice for POTW.

by **Alpha_7** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 10:54 pm

Yeah Congrats Macka.

I have two shots to post, (crap) but I tried. But I'm a little worried now that the shot is POTW, I don't want to discredit your own work.

by **Alpha_7** on Tue Mar 14, 2006 11:09 pm

It just ocurred to me that his would of made a awesome entry for the current challenge as it was taken under Natural Illumination

by **xerubus** on Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:07 am

congrats macka...

by **macka** on Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:11 am

Thanks everyone!! What a nice surprise to wake up to!

by **leek** on Mon Apr 17, 2006 8:16 pm

I was just reading through a book of historic iconic photographs and came across this...

Man Ray - Noire et Blanche

I couldn't help but think of the similarity to macka's brilliant self-portrait...

(Just ignore the ebony idol... and just imagine that the eyes are open)

by **blacknstormy** on Mon Apr 17, 2006 8:21 pm

That is one cool photo John !!!

by **Dug** on Mon Apr 17, 2006 8:32 pm

Did anyone else see the Man Ray exhibition in Brisbane last year?

It was amazing and beautiful.

by **macka** on Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:31 pm

Great minds :?:

I think he's somewhat in a whole other league :roll:

Cool shot.

by **Dug** on Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:41 pm

I loved the tiny contact print of Lee Miller

I would sell my soul for that photo (If I had a soul:-)

by **PALL** on Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:42 am

beautfiul classic looking soft focus.yeah as someone said before "the self portrate is easy if you a good looking.btw macka you looks cute as well.

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