POST YOUR HEADSHOTS!

Definitely keep the catchlights.

ptcanon3ti wrote in post #18892750
Definitely keep the catchlights.

Yup, always catchlights, to me, one of the most important aspects. People can look dead otherwise.

navydoc wrote in post #18892743
I cloned the catchlights out just to see how that would look...

yeah, my quick edit looked very similar...but I find myself second guessing my first reactions too much lately I gues.

ptcanon3ti wrote in post #18892750
Definitely keep the catchlights.

Generally I love them and keep them...not sure why I thought more than 2 seconds about it.

windpig wrote in post #18892931
Yup, always catchlights, to me, one of the most important aspects. People can look dead otherwise.

Agreed...

Interesting . . . I can't say anything technical because all you studio shooters are way above my skill level. But I think it has a psychological problem: the subject looks uncomfortable. As if he felt obliged to pose so that the portrait would turn out to be "appropriate." If he would have felt at ease, you might have caught some of his personality in the photo. Which, hopefully, would have projected an image of some strength.

(I am reminded of a Pakistani proverb, "If you are trying to make an impression, that is the impression you will make.")

unclejohn wrote in post #18893619
Interesting . . . I can't say anything technical because all you studio shooters are way above my skill level. But I think it has a psychological problem: the subject looks uncomfortable. As if he felt obliged to pose so that the portrait would turn out to be "appropriate." If he would have felt at ease, you might have caught some of his personality in the photo. Which, hopefully, would have projected an image of some strength.

(I am reminded of a Pakistani proverb, "If you are trying to make an impression, that is the impression you will make.")

Funny thing...this fits his personality almost to a T...I have known him for quite a while and this is just him...and I have others with a crack of a smile but they actually look more uncomfortable for him...

Does this count? Shot during theatrical performance of "Anything Goes"

Pistola's daughters

In trying to learn to take better photos, I'm trying to learn to understand what I want my photos to do. It is not technical perfection (though I do the best I can), nor is it beauty (though I love it when it comes across). I think I am a storyteller, a photojournalist at heart. All my photos are stories, even though what the story is may not be visible to the viewer.

In portraits, that means that I want to show my subjects as living, breathing, farting (men only) beings. That their photos show something about their character. My only technique is to treat them with respect and try to make them feel at ease. Here is an example of what I like. Each one of these girls is reacting to my taking a picture of them, each one in her own different way.

IMAGE LINK: https://photos.smugmug​.com …/DSC07756-X2.jpg&lb=1&s=A

IMAGE LINK: https://photos.smugmug​.com …/DSC05275-X2.jpg&lb=1&s=A

This is Chelsea's first time at a photo shoot. What a beautiful spirit!

Chelsea again

Mother and Daughter


Yvonne.

The reason I posted these was in a hope that somebody would tell us of their ideas of photography as an art (as opposed to a craft). Nobody take the bait?