Larry

cliveh · Aug 16, 2013

As you have posted this in the Critique gallery, please allow me to be slightly critical. This is a great portrait, but what do the out of focus hands add to this? I would suggest nothing. A closer head and shoulder shot would be much more powerful.

Paul Goutiere · Aug 16, 2013

Thank you for the comment. I have considered this myself.....but I wondered what others thought.

naeroscatu · Aug 16, 2013

Paul, fully agree with Cliveh suggestion, exactly what bothered as well. You have a great portrait there, I can even feel a personal connection with the subject.

tony lockerbie · Aug 16, 2013

Tricky one this. I tried scrolling up to remove the hands but I'm not sure that I like that better. The hands are a bit distracting but I still think they add to the portrait, which, by the way, is really excellent.

Paul Goutiere · Aug 16, 2013

tony lockerbie said:
Tricky one this. I tried scrolling up to remove the hands but I'm not sure that I like that better. The hands are a bit distracting but I still think they add to the portrait, which, by the way, is really excellent.

Thank you. I think I'm just gonna have to re-shoot Larry with his hands in focus. It was in a dark room, with available light from an adjacent window (never use flash) at about 1/60 sec as it was. When I think of this guy, a friend for almost 50 years, I think of his hands ( he's an artist ) and his eyes. Need to think of what I'm doing in terms of depth of field, eh?

pbromaghin · Aug 17, 2013

If he's an artist, you need to have his hands in focus to really catch his essence. Other than that. when I scrolled to take them out, I liked what I saw. My God, what a face.

Shawn Dougherty · Aug 17, 2013

Paul, I like the image and your connection to the sitter is wonderful. The only suggestion I have, since you plan to re-shoot with his hands in focus, is to watch the bit of trim jutting in from the ceiling. You could crop it out of this version but then things get a big closed in. I find that white bit at the top to be distracting. Hopefully you can get him to wear that shirt again, a great tone and texture.

Paul Goutiere · Aug 17, 2013

Shawn Dougherty said:
Paul, I like the image and your connection to the sitter is wonderful. The only suggestion I have, since you plan to re-shoot with his hands in focus, is to watch the bit of trim jutting in from the ceiling. You could crop it out of this version but then things get a big closed in. I find that white bit at the top to be distracting. Hopefully you can get him to wear that shirt again, a great tone and texture.

Thank you very much for the comment. You have some excellent points. I'm gonna put a bit more thought into the next shot. This was almost a snapshot, of the guy at his home, using what light there was coming from a window. It may have been @ f2.8, for the reduced depth of field.

MattKing · Aug 18, 2013

Paul: When you re-shoot, try a shot of the hands alone. They look expressive, if hands can be expressive. A close-up of the face, plus a close-up of the hands, might make for an intriguing dyptich.

Larry

cliveh

Paul Goutiere

naeroscatu

tony lockerbie

Paul Goutiere

pbromaghin

Shawn Dougherty

Paul Goutiere

MattKing

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