portrait - window light

[Bob G]

One of the guys I have a beer with at the local surf club was over recently
on some business and I asked him to pose for an indoor portrait using window light only.

Wanted a very tight crop to highlight the blue eyes.

The discolouration round the lips is nicotine (bad habit)

C & C invited



Thanks

Bob G

[owen]

G'day Bob.

When I hear about a portrait by window light, I automatically think that the person should be looking out the window... not sure why. Here obviously the window is on the right as that is where it's brightest. (Perhaps a little too bright?)

DOF-wise I think both eyes should be in focus rather than just the closest one, seeing as they are what draws you into the image.

I'm not sure, I feel like the eyes are looking one way and the light side of his face is pulling me the other way.

I like the composition in regards to fitting him so well in the frame.

Hope this helps mate.

Cheers,
Owen.

[stubbsy]

Bob

I like what you've done here and the crop makes the shot. If I was being picky I'd have liked a bit more DOF so we got Bernard's right eye in focus too, but what's here is damn good. Both of you should be happy.

[Bob G]

Those are good constructive comments Owen.
Exactly what I'm looking for.

Stubbsy

Thanks for your comments.
I totally agree.
My new 85mm 1.4 can have extremwly low DOF at the wide end up close.

Hopefully I'll get some additional feedback from some more of the experienced guys as well.

Thanks


Bob G

[ozczecho]

Bob, The tight crop works really well as does the contrast between the blue eyes and white/grey beard and hair. As owen mentioned the DoF could have been wider to have the 2nd eye in focus.

[marcotrov]

Bob a great portrait that I, like the others, also believe would have been greater had the main attraction, those piercing blue eyes(both), been sharp.
I would also have been tempted to really focus on the eyes as the main subject i.e. crop and really zero in but the eyes need to be razor sharp for this approach. The lighting is terrific and the PP is well suited. I think I'd be tempted to have another go.
cheers
marco

[admajic]

Great pic love the contrasting colours. I agree that the left side of the face should be more in focus, being a portrait. Maybe fix the nicotine in PP. But I wouldnt have known if u didnt mention it! Great expression and image, well done.

[gstark]

Bob,

Because the lens has a fast aperture doesn't mean that you need to use that end of the aperture scale for every image.

In this insatance the image suffers because of the lack of DoF, and shooting at f/5.6 or f/8 would have improved this shot's technical aspects much more than you think, as, apart from the increase in DoF, you would have also been shooting within the lens's sweet spot, and this is a very sweet lens.

Beyond that, compositionally, the crop is great, but the eyes should be staring down the lens.

Perhaps moving him a foot or three back from the window so the light intensity on the side of his face wasn't quite as great, but really, this has the makings of a great image.

To which direction, btw, does the window face? N,S, E or W? In Oz, the ideal is a south facing window, btw.

[Sheila Smart]

Nice crop but I agree that the OOF eye is a tad distracting.

Cheers
Sheila

[Bob G]

Thanks Guys for your comments.

Gary the window was facing south.

The shot was basically a very quick try out of the new lens at the time with a rough guestimate of the DOF being a few stops off.

Next opportunity I will set up better and either use a reflector for the other side of the face or have him sit further away as you suggest.

Thanks again everybody


Bob G