Some Environmental Portraits

[BigDumbBoris]

I took some environmental portraits of my friend for school. Please criticize the crap out of these; I can't become a better photographer if I don't know what I'm doing wrong!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v253/bigdumbboris/halfshadow.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v253/bigdumbboris/atticframe.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v253/bigdumbboris/shadowjorge.jpg


Thank's for looking!

[ExPOSED]

Well, I'm no expert by far, I'm actually new to this stuff too. So my opinion may be worth less than a grain of salt, but I'll take a stab at it...

I don't know if it's just my monitor here at work(non calibrated monitor) but they all seem very dark. I like the composition on 2 and 3, the first one doesn't catch my eye. My best suggestion(which I have learned here) is to also post your equipment and lens(s) used and also the exif data so that they can see exatcly what you were doing. Keep at it! I know I am...fun isn't it?

[Geeeyejo]

No expert here either, but I am a fan of symmetry. Any reason your subject is to the left in each shot? Unless some significant object justified it, I would center each more (once again I am no artist - there may be some artistic intent that flew past my fat head!) Focus on # 2 appears extra soft. Also not sure what is meant by environmental... If he is a skateboarder - why not a skatepark, half pipe, empty pool, etc as the backdrop - versus the attic of a house under construction, or a cinder block wall?
I like the "feel" of the last shot best - but overall the first.
Good luck!

[ExPOSED]

No expert here either, but I am a fan of symmetry. Any reason your subject is to the left in each shot? Unless some significant object justified it, I would center each more (once again I am no artist - there may be some artistic intent that flew past my fat head!)

I'm just guessing here...but I think they are following the rule of thirds I believe. I could be wrong though.

[Geeeyejo]

Here was my interpretation from 20 yrs ago - (it's a pic of a pic, shot hand held under less than ideal conditions, so be kind!) Punk skateboarder in his environment...

[BigDumbBoris]

I'm just guessing here...but I think they are following the rule of thirds I believe. I could be wrong though.

Yeah pretty much. I have a phobia of putting my subject exactly in the middle. Oh and the quality is bad because these are actually 35mm prints that I scanned.

The camera I used is a Russian zenith with I think a 50mm lens. To give you an idea of how old this thing is, on he bottom it says "made in the USSR".

I did take a few pictures at a skate park, but they didn' come out as well as I thought.
Thanks for your help guys.

[BigDumbBoris]

Here was my interpretation from 20 yrs ago - (it's a pic of a pic, shot hand held under less than ideal conditions, so be kind!) Punk skateboarder in his environment...
freakin awesome. I'm dressing like that from now on.

[BigDumbBoris]

while we're on the topic of skating, here's some photos of the same kid I took with my dad's digital camera (not sure of the name. Finepix or something?) These are from my basement because skateboarding in a foot of snow aint all that fun.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v253/bigdumbboris/temporary/tre.jpg
My basement is prety cluttered so I had to edit out a pair of skis, a hula hoop, and a random piece of cardboard in photoshop :cool:


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v253/bigdumbboris/temporary/emericaAd.jpg< fake ad


These were pretty hard to snap because of the .5 sec. delay on the camera