Making a Senior Portrait on black and white 4x5, (not that kind of senior portrait, Senior Citizens!)

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kennethwajda

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I love having a job as a working photographer that permits me to meet new people constantly.

When I'm between assignments or client work, which usually is Mondays, I open my studio to local senior citizens age 70 and over to come in for a complimentary portrait.

I get to work with whatever camera I want since it's on my invitation, and I get to make the final print selection, because essentially I commissioned the portrait for them. They get a framed 11x14 or 16x20 and I get to put my work in homes to be seen by families for generations to come, to always know these older members of their family.

I request they dress up and they do for the most part. I tell them, when they look their best, they'll feel their best and it will show in the photograph.

Today it was the 4x5 Speed Graphic with a Schneider Xenar 135mm f4.7, shot at 1/25 second at f5.6. (I would have made a frame at 1/10 second and stopped down to f8, but that shutter speed was more like 2-seconds, so 1/25 it was!) Film was Kodak Tmax 400 long expired but refrigerated and working fine.

I started this project seven years ago in 2015 in my former studio and it's open to other photographers if anyone would like to join me in photographing the seniors in their area. Visit http://TheWisePhotoProject.com for more info on how it started. It's a very rewarding way to make portraits for those great-great-grandchildren that won't ever know their ancestors, but will have a beautiful, high-quality portrait to at least get a glimpse to what they looked like when they were looking their best.

Here they are. I love my work, living the artist life!

martajrwenb.JPG
 
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jimjm

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Wow, really beautiful work Ken! It's obvious you have a good rapport with your subjects, which is easy to tell from the photographs.
On technical note, do you find the Xenar a good lens for portraits? I try to avoid LF portraits taken with sharper modern lenses, but haven't yet tried one with the Xenar on my Crown Graphic. Thanks!
 
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kennethwajda

kennethwajda

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Wow, really beautiful work Ken! It's obvious you have a good rapport with your subjects, which is easy to tell from the photographs.
On technical note, do you find the Xenar a good lens for portraits? I try to avoid LF portraits taken with sharper modern lenses, but haven't yet tried one with the Xenar on my Crown Graphic. Thanks!

I don't consider the Xenar that modern or too sharp, but I'm not that experienced with different lenses. It's what was on it, so that's why I chose it. I have a couple of Crown Graphics and this lens and a Kodak Ektar 203mm f7.7 that I haven't used. Any tips/info is welcome.

Thanks!
 

MattKing

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Would you like me to edit your thread title to read: "Portraits of Seniors on 4x5"?
 

MattKing

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Why? Sure, you can, but I thought it was clear. Most people think of "seniors" as high school seniors.

Not in my part of Canada :smile: We just say Grade 12 students.
Senior Citizens, perhaps?
I only asked because of your "not that kind of senior" reference.
 
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kennethwajda

kennethwajda

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Not in my part of Canada :smile: We just say Grade 12 students.
Senior Citizens, perhaps?
I only asked because of your "not that kind of senior" reference.

Interesting but not surprising that different cultures call it by different names. Here in the U.S. everyone refers to them as senior portraits. So, my Wise Photo Project, which is really a senior citizen project, often needs explaining. Thanks, Matt!
 

MattKing

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Even when it comes to university, we don't commonly use Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior.
And our "colleges" are generally community or preparatory colleges, not 4 year degree granting institutions.
Some of this may be different in other parts of Canada.
 
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