Portrait

Hi, Ira, this is a good portrait of a seafarer in a cabin of a boat. And it is not to be faulted technically. Now you asked whether it qualifies as an "environmental portrait?" I would say yes and no. If I were shooting the skipper or first mate of a boat/tug, I would choose a location, like the bridge, where the story would be what the person' occupation is. Now if he was surrounded by radar repeater, autogyro, helm, or was wearing a pair of binoculars, that would be more environmental. See, here is why my prejudices come out. I will actually go over, find a pair of binoculars and strap them on his neck. Then I will tell him, hey "Andy, would you grab the binoculars and hold them halfway up.." This is artifice, but no more so than any artifice. Photography is illusion after all. It is an illusory microsecond of time and space. Now you could take yours truly, put my weatherbeaten face in a mackintosh, and I could be a ship's captain. Anyway, check out this book, expensive, but great: Location Portraiture, by William S. McIntosh, Silver Pixel Press. McIntosh would easily make POW. More important, there is a lot of useful info there.I found it so. Portraits are not always posed/set up of course, but I have seen posed and I have seen candid. I think posed are more successful to tell a story and represent someone to the world. And more lasting over the years..Clearly there are exceptions. Thanks for the opportunity to critique your sailor. GS(no rating cuz I dont do em)

Gerry, Thanks for the detailed critique, I really appreciate the input. I understand your point, there are not enough clues as to location and activity to qualify as an environmental portrait. This was the last shot on a roll of B&W taken that day, check out my Black and White folder to see some of the others. Thanks again for your time.

Definitely the landscape format works with the sailor looking that direction. It also gives some 'space' for him to gaze into. Its a great character portrait, & in my mind perfectly successful.

This was a candid taken aboard a boat returning from a trip to a

nearby island. Does it capture any of the emotions which might be

associated with "going home" or is it just a picture?

Interesting shot, nice pose, nice expression, nice highkey contast with the window. However, I'd probably crop off that right hand window. Though I like offcenter subjects, having the edge of the frame going through the nothingness of that window doesn't work for me.

I see what you mean!

Thanks for your comments on my pic. i do like this picture. Its a nice portrait of a man in thoughts, he seams to be "far away". What i would like is to see more of him and his environment. I guess that being abord a boat like this gives a few opportunitys to take some nice and interesting pics.

 

I will have a look at your folders later on.

 

regards

 

Peter