W/NW: Large Format Portraiture Photographs

Hello Everybody,

 

Just like to share a few photos from my portraiture session... and

hope that the rest of you will also share too :)

 

Rafal<div></div>

Rita is a retired ballet dancer and stage actress, with a great dynamic personality and ability to express herself. I hope I get a chance to work with her in the studio soon.

 

Rafal<div></div>

Both are nice, but I LOVE the second one! Thanks for sharing.

I`ll bite :-)

Here`s one I shot during the recording of a music video.

Used a Gowlandflex with a Rodenstock Geronar 210mm handheld .

JandC Classic 400 film exposed 1/60s at f/11. A flash(old Agfatronic) provided some sidelighting.

One more. Same camera, Tri-X 320, natural light.

Father John, 1983, Berkeley, CA

My own scan... I have to get this drum scanned... the silver contact print is beautiful.

I'm afraid I don't like either of those shots. Both look obviously over-posed and I found them somewhat pretentious. But then I prefer a more natural look. I don't see the point of the first shot, someone staring at a piece of fabric? I just don't get it.

Bergger 200, souped in Rodinal. Calumet student monorail, 210mm lens (don't remember the manufacturer).<div></div>

same session<div></div>

Here's a image of Jojo Chatterjee - Zone VI, 210mm Caltar, Arista 400, available light

5X7 Eastman #2, 10" B&L Petzval, J&C Classic 200<div></div>

...since we're sharing...these aren't all "portraits", but they're in there. <BR><BR>

 

4x5: http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=487366<BR><BR>

 

8x10: http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=541685<BR><BR>

 

Robert

Very nice work Robert.

Very nice work everybody. :)

 

I'm finding myself using the 4x5 a lot more then anything else... unless I'm out in the field (with a medium format). Next weekend I'll be doing some still-life work, so I'll be posting that shortly afterwards. Hopefully with our contribution to these LF presentations, we can get others to contribute and maybe even have more photographers trying LF. ;)

 

See you all in a week or two with some more photos... if not sooner.

 

Rafal

Kinda below the waist portrait<div></div>

You're running your camera very competently but concentrating on it so much that you are not giving as much thought to the quality and nature of your light and ground as you might. All are equally important. There are three catagories of ground in photography. Cat 1. -- the ground is a bad distraction for one reason or another and harms the photograph, Cat.2 The ground is just there. Blah. Cat 3. the ground proffers/frames/offers up the subject like a jewel in a setting. With the exception of the second retired dance teacher image which has an August Sander or Disfarmer like feel to it, all the grounds in your images are cat. 2. Cat. 3 is the holy grail. Look at Sally Mann's work for an illustration of brilliant figure/ground work.

As to light, you might profit from attending to Edward Weston's work as well as that of early Ansel Adams. Look at their pictures ONLY in terms of how they used light to achieve their portraits...

I don't mean to annoy with these suggestions -- your camera work really is very good. But the disconnect between that and the ground and light issues seemed singularly surprising to me so I stuck an oar in. I am presumptious in my conceits I am sure so please feel free to suggest that I go soak my head...

 

j sturges

An old favorite done with 15" Bausch & Lomb Petzval on 5X7.

 

<center><img src="http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Bokeh/MasonCaedonPetzval052905Small.jpg"><br><i><b>Caedon & Mason</b></i></center>