Wondering

Taken using Canon 10D fitted with Arax tilt adapter and Mir 26B

3.5/45 medium format lens. Lens was tilted (swung) to the right to

throw focus and to selectively focus on one side of face. Lighting

is just from window. Only post processing has been crop, BW

conversion, levels, sepia tint and sharpen. I would appreciate any

thoughts on feelings toward using the tilt lens for portraits like

this, and also on overall impressions of this photographs.

 

Many thanks.

 

Pete

I do like this. The selective focus or rather shift of focal plane does work here. I think this is in part because the actual shift is not noticeable. The fact that the entire image is soft in terms of focus is what makes this work for me. If the left side of the boys face was tack sharp and the right side blurred with a clear demarcation were the focus ran, it would seem unnatural.

 

As a portrait irregardless of the tilt lens used ,this is quite good. He has a pensive 'off in the distance' look which suites him gazing out of frame. I would suggest burning in the upper left corner where that light area in the background runs into the boys hair. If you had caught more of his ear as well as the remainder of the swoop of his neckline those things would have added to the strength of the image compositionally.

Hi Gord. Many thanks for your input on this picture - much appreciated as always.

 

I agree with you about the lighter area at top left and will have a go at toning it down a bit. I think I'll have to do this using the stamp tool in Canon DPP as that's all I have. Hopefully doing a brush clone thingummyjig around that area will do the trick.

 

I'll have a go at recropping as well. The original image has quite a lot of spare to the right and his ear is there, but I wanted to go for a 4:5 ratio and couldn't pull the framing further to the right without chopping off the shoulder and pushing the face even further to the left in the frame. I'll fiddle around though and see what I can come up with. This might actually work ok in square frame.

 

Cheers again....

The fact that you did this quick dof anthe look that he has fits so well. I agree with Gordon on the ear but then again you can't see it all when you are doing it. I love the light on the left side and love the mouth and how he holds his face.

Cheers Micki. I'll let you into a little secret that I didn't share with Gord....I was unable to show the whole of the fella's ear because he is actually a Vulcan and I didn't want to give it away.

 

He has a great range of natural expressions which makes it such a straightforward job getting some good pictures.

 

Ta again Micki..

well Gordon is a VULCAN took, why he grew his hair out long. HA HA HA

 

AND, have you actually seen MY ears? (hmmm I'll have to look)

 

HA HA HA HA