Loose canons portrait power talk

[Lost]

So not to hijack EM's thread I have started a new thread to help Mick with a portrait photo.

Originally Posted by Lost
maybe you should; there would be some wonderful subjects up your way. Some would certainly not want there faces on www in case the law fellas saw the photos but I reckon it would be good hunting ground.


Posted by Mick
Soon as I clicked post reply I thought 'never say never' lol.

One of my dearest friends is an older Aboriginal woman, she's my neighbour and pops in for a beer and chinwag from time to time. Totally illiterate and lost between the two cultures she struggles through life and has come to rely on me somewhat as a sort of bridge between the two conflicting worlds she finds herself in. There is a lot of violence and "humbug" in her life and she comes to my place to chill out and relax when it all gets a bit much. A proud and strong tribal woman with the pain of a tough existence written all over her face, but she has a wicked sense of humour and a killer smile.

I've felt a few times that I'd like to have a go at capturing her character but feel I'd only produce happy snaps and she deserves better than that. She's perfectly comfortable with having her image taken, no probs there, it's more a lack of confidence on my part.

But you have sown a seed Ian, thanks for that, I'll give it some thought.

[Lost]

give it a go Mick; just watch what she does naturally and work with that.

Don't make a fuss about it; just have the camera handy and ready

I would think a face/head shoulders thing would work best

maybe outside in the shade. A bit of fill flash maybe needed; but that can be added via LR

Photograph loose and crop later

make face at an angle to her body

[loose cannon]

Thanks for the tips Ian, and for the thread. I do tend to waffle on a bit and didn't realize I was hijacking em's thread.

Outside in natural light is the way to go for my mate Gerry, probably down on one of the local beaches doing what she loves best, fishing. Getting her to relax in front of camera will be a challenge, getting me to relax behind the camera will be another, lol.

The salmon run during the colder months (now,brrr!) and the best tides are late afternoon or early morning so the light should be good. I'll see if she is up for it. Might even catch a fish!

[Lost]

Thanks for the tips Ian, and for the thread. I do tend to waffle on a bit and didn't realize I was hijacking em's thread.

You were not hijacking any thread; but I was a little concern that more may given you pointers and idea to do some portrait photos and that may have distracted from EM's great educational thread.

I find it near impossible to ask someone if I can make a photo of them; but many are flattered at being asked.

[loose cannon]

I find it near impossible to ask someone if I can make a photo of them; but many are flattered at being asked.

Too true!!

I'm feeling the urge to branch out a bit with my photography. The band images I took initially started me thinking along these lines as I enjoyed the experience. I wasn't trying to capture performing musicians so much as capturing the personalities of the performers themselves. It helped that they are all friends and I knew what I wanted to capture of them before I even fired the first frame.

It's a fascinating genre of photography but I find it daunting. Dealing with people in the real world is not something that I do well but as I said you have planted a seed Ian and I'm seriously thinking of getting my toes wet.

I need to procrastinate a while longer yet.