Four of my expressions

[Franciacorta]

These are self-portraits I took in my office, which I also use as a small photography lab. They were shot with a non-professional digital device.

 

[nikos79]

Hi Francia. Have a good start with your photography adventures!
Are you asking us for some constructive feedback?

 

[Franciacorta]

Hi, nikos79, thanks! These are just my presentation images. I’d be very happy to receive constructive feedback, especially technical and practical advice.

 

[nikos79]

For technical and practical advice I will let the floor to the other more experienced members of the forum! But honestly I find them pretty good. Perhaps the cropping and balance is a bit off on the top two photos. Also in the second photo the fact that you are looking something up draws the attention outside of the frame.

For more creative advice I would suggest you start putting the background into equation. In a self portrait I find it as important as the facial expression perhaps even more. By engaging the background and creating some creative dialogue between yourself and the environment you can make a very good self portrait! Look for example the Friedlander thread we have posted recently a self-portrait there

 

[Franciacorta]

Thank you for the thoughtful feedback, I really appreciate both the technical and creative suggestions. Your notes about cropping, balance and the direction of the gaze are very helpful, and I find your point about the background especially interesting for self portraits. If you can, could you please add the link to the Friedlander thread you mentioned at the end of this post?

 

[nikos79]

You re welcome!
Here is the link to the thread:

Appreciation of Lee Friedlander

Lots of pictures are already artificially unintelligent. Just be glad we're not the generation yet whose mental activity will be extended by centuries by having our brains floating in a saline aquarium connected by tubes and wires to some bizarre computer, just like back in some '50's black and...

www.photrio.com

 

[Franciacorta]

thanks, I’ll go take a look right away

 

[Franciacorta]

Friedlander is a great photographer. I really like his work, especially the conceptual side. In my own photography I try to look for conceptual digressions, mixing past and future in a personal way, but I know I still have a lot to understand and learn

 

[nikos79]

Ah, I understand!
I don’t have much experience in this type of photography to be honest.

Me on the contrary, I am mostly drawn to reality and act instinctively as a “receiver” to what is happening in front of me hoping that then bouncing back with my photography I could somehow change it.

But I agree lots to learn always!

 

[Franciacorta]

I have been posing for photographic sessions for many years, and I tend to prefer an introspective, posed approach to portraiture. I have always done this as a hobby, but now I am more focused on the technical aspects. Thanks again for your feedback.

 

[MattKing]

Thanks for sharing - these are fun and interesting.
On the technical side, I like to suggest that portraitists pay particular attention to the eyes, including any reflections ("catchlights") in them. Notice how you, as a viewer, tend to have your attention drawn to your subject's eyes - the catchlight tends to reinforce the impression of life behind the eyes.
The presence of a natural catchlight often accompanies a more generous and revealing light setup as well - if the light illuminates into the eyes, it also tends to bring out the features of the face too.
You might try combining a catchlight with a pensive expression - or even an angry or fearful one.
Your hair is an important part of your look. If I was photographing you, I'd be tempted to try to find a background with a geometry that mirrors the geometry of the style you have chosen for it - something with a dark triangle oriented in a similar way. That might be fun!

 

[Franciacorta]

Thanks a lot for taking the time to write such a thoughtful comment. Your notes about the eyes and catchlights make a of sense. I would love to hear a bit more about the background you suggest at the end. Just a small update: my hair is currently a little longer and mostly straight, so that might slightly change the balance. Thanks again for the care you put into your feedback.

 

[MattKing]

I would love to hear a bit more about the background you suggest at the end.

Speaking generally, it can be both useful and fun to look at the shapes and geometric "tendencies" in the structure of your subject's face or body or clothes or any props that might be appropriate to include in your portrait, and to construct a background that either mirrors them, or contrasts with them.
For example, if your subject has a long thin face, place them in an environment with long thin verticals (e.g. certain types of trees) that is visually sympathetic.
Or consider the opposite - contrast the subject's long thin face with a background that is full of rounded and heavy shapes.
The same approach can be taken with colours and, to a certain extent, tones in black and white.

 

[Franciacorta]

Nice to meet you, Matt, I’m Rosa. I’ll keep everything you mentioned in mind. I’ve already tried a few different setups, and I’ll definitely try again using backgrounds behind me with more visual variety. I’m curious to see how much difference it will make. Thanks.

 

[MattKing]

Nice to meet you Rosa.
Another good thing to play with is making sure your subject and her environment both form part of the result. For example, this fisher:

And never underestimate the value of a good hat - e.g. this nod of mine to a very traditional approach to portraiture:

 

[images39]

Hi Rosa,

I like your portraits. I think it's because they seem so genuine and natural. I tend to like this type of portrait, vs. the stiff posed type.

Dale

 

[Franciacorta]

Matt, yes, maybe you mean a kind of photography where my figure is placed in a clear context. I like that idea, both when the context matches the style or the look of my pose and when it contrasts with it, either chaotic or with a plain, solid background. As for hats, I have always liked them. From time to time I wear them for my self portraits

 

[Franciacorta]

images39, thanks for the feedback and for the compliments. I would say I am quite spontaneous. I like both my natural figure and a more studied, posed one. I find both ideas fun, and I enjoy them in different ways.

 

[runswithsizzers]

If your "non-professional digital device" allows it, you might try using a longer focal length and positioning the camera a little farther away to see how you like the results?

 

[Franciacorta]

runswithsizzer, thanks. In my home self portraits, shot with artificial light, I have always used different distances and light levels, but I can do better, yes, and I will try.