Team

Nice shot, all heros

Perfect. And the focus is so spot on. That Zeiss 50 M Planar on a 5DII really can do something. I also like the DOF - background is sharp, but still just a tiny bit blurry - sufficient to make the guys profile even sharper.
Also, I like your B/W - which is not B/W but shifted just a little to brown / yellow.
Brilliant.

I love the addition of the canine in there. Great work

Nice work! Agree with the Hero statement.

TRune wrote in post #15291619
Perfect. And the focus is so spot on. That Zeiss 50 M Planar on a 5DII really can do something. I also like the DOF - background is sharp, but still just a tiny bit blurry - sufficient to make the guys profile even sharper.
Also, I like your B/W - which is not B/W but shifted just a little to brown / yellow.
Brilliant.

Thanks!

Although I have to let out the secret here that this was taken before I bought my Zeiss 50 MP2.

This was the highly acclaimed Canon 70-200 f4L IS at 70mm I think. 580EXII set low to just provide a little fill flash underneath the brim of the hat and on the shadow side of the faces.

However had I had the Zeiss 50MP2 at time I still probably would have used the 70-200. While in Afghanistan I stuck to fully weather sealed lenses, because the dust would have eaten my pictures alive had I not used lenses with a body-lens rubber gasket seal.

50mm would have been more convenient for a group portrait like this, I was a little set back from them which reduced the effectiveness and softness of the fill flash, but nonetheless the picture turned out well.

I processed using Nik Silver Efx. My 'B&W Signature' is a very slight yellow-blue duo-tone, around 8-10% on the yellow and 3-5% on the blue.

Immediately following this picture, most of the Canadian Soldiers got on a helicopter to return to Canada after their deployment, while the Dog Handler remained with us (Americans) for another 5 months. This was their 'team picture'