New camera, 1st posr

[Calis]

Hi, this is my first post here. I've just got a EOS 300D and have been playing with it for the last week I took this last night and had a go at converting to black & white using a method I got of the DPReview forum:

http://194.100.88.243/petteri/pont/How_to/n_Digital_BW/n_Digital_BW/a_Digital_Black_and_White.html

Anyway, apart from over lightening the eyes (it was late last night) I'm reasonably pleased with the outcome. I'd welcome your thoughts on both the conversion & the image in general.


http://pics.cig.canon-europe.com/priv/1E892354E20F51EB8D1153942F93EED2.jpg

The full sized version can be found here:

http://pics.cig.canon-europe.com/priv/1E892354E20F51EB8D1153948F037ED2.jpg

Thanks in advance,

[Warman]

Your pic appears to be broken, anyway i checked out the provided link.
I can't comment on the conversion since i have no experience in that. About the shot itself, well, to put it blunt i dont like it. The light is all wrong and honestly ruins the picture. There is too much contrast between highlights and shadows making it look bad. The model's face is totaly highlighted contrasting with mild to strong shadow from the cheek back. The contrast with the highlighted ear also isnt favorable. A bounce off flash or reflectors on both sides would have done wonders and if you tweak arround with contrast on photoshop creating more midtones and making shadows brighter you will get a much better shot. I used Paint Shop Pro's 8 "One Step Photo Fix" and it instantly transformed the photo into something i thought was nice, check it out.
Next time try to use light in your advantage by smoothing the model's face instead to agravating it.
Composition is nice even if i would have liked the shot a little further away and the choice of B/W is excelent. Nice touch and with just a little tweak i'm sure you will see what a winner you have there.

[Calis]

Thanks for the comments (If I minded blunt I wouldn't have posted!). I'm not sure why the picture is broken - it looks fine from here?

I have had a play at creating more mid tones and generally flatening out the image & you're right it is more 'pleasing'. I still quite like the very harsh and un-natural look of the original though, but the 'new' is certainly more flattering :-)

As for lighting this was the in-built flash at quite close range, I would love to be able to bounce, but having just shelled out a lot for the camera, a nice 28-135 IS & memory card it'll have to wait. Is it the 550 with the swivel head to enable bounce? If so I'll put it on my wish list.

[Warman]

Yes, i believe that if the goal was to achieve a photo with an impact then you certainly did well. Your model has a very strong complexion and agravating it further brings out a, dare i say, quasi gothic shot. Anyway, its certainly too strong for me. :)

As for light, i believe that the 550 has a swivel head and as i'm told is a must. Its too rich for my blood and i mostly rely on artesanal methods to employ the same effect.