Hey FM! Long time no post. Here was my best effort at a nice, simple portrait of a close friend. Your thoughts, comments, approbation, condemnation, and general reactions are all welcome. Happy to answer any questions you may have.
I think it's a strong portrait. Love the strong base(arm and top of the chair back) and triangular comp. Effective and simple lighting and clean background. Love the square format and B&W treatment kind reminds me of a portrait taken with a Hasselblad B&W film. Nicely done Evan....
Wanted to add that this is one of the best portraits I've seen hear in a while. Really strong...
This is indeed shot on the Hasselblad with the 150mm Sonnar f/4 around 5.6. I think the film is Acros, but it may be Pan F: I was playing with both that night. I will know when I get my negatives back. The light is a single 64" PLM and a large white reflector.
Great shot that looks realistic. Two things are noticeable, perhaps intentionally. The first is the small wrinkle where his knuckles hit his forehead. The second is that the palm of his hand distorts his eyebrow. Changing either (or both) of those could, of course, destroy the realism.
You've succeeded admirably in creating a simple but very effective portrait. I agree with benee regarding his engagement with the viewer. He comes across like someone I'd like to know; an interesting and kind individual.
There are some classic portrait elements at work here, all handled well. I like the subtle gradation of the background with the darker side behind the lighter side of the subject and the lighter side behind the shadow side.
Thanks Lisa and Steve! This expression was prompted by us talking about how proud we are of his amazing sons (my God-children). We had just spoken about his eldest son's homerun hitting prowess.
Evan your portrait work is inspiring. This is no exception. Very strong. Also, I didn't realize that you had a website. Looking forward to spending some time there.
If its not too shameless of a plug, my new blog is http://evanbainesphoto.tumblr.com/, and I have been posting essays on photography along with my various new snapshots. I'm trying hard to crystallize my thoughts on what makes a photograph good, meaningful, and valuable to me. Now that I'm out of the pro game, I'm still learning about photography's place in my life.
Good stuff Evan and love the portraits especially the one of your wife and your mom... I really like the shot of your buddy and the pattern of light.
The words you wrote about Frank's Canal Street are very insightful. I so enjoy work that is not, as Weston called it, obvious and much of Franks work is not obvious. I like the fact that in most really good work you need to look at the image for more than just a quick scan. Most great work is work, like Frank's Canal Street, that you need to look at and spend time with. The more you look the more you see and gets richer with repeat viewings. To many today make very simple images that give immediate gratifaction and have no real staying power like this example of Franks work. Some words by that reinforce your words and a great quote by Gibson that I'm sure you have read but I thought I'd share:
"A good photograph, like a good painting, speaks with a loud voice and demands time and attention if it is to be fully perceived. An art lover is perfectly willing to hang a painting on a wall for years on end, but ask him to study a single photograph for ten unbroken minutes and he’ll think it’s a waste of time. Staying power is difficult to build into a photograph. Mostly, it takes content. A good photograph can penetrate the subconscious – but only if it is allowed to speak for however much time it needs to get there." -Ralph Gibson
Thanks for posting the link and I really like the work you posted there and the insightful words.
