Portraits with TLR

[RezaLoghme]

Ok but let's all be realistic - a MF TLR with fixed 80mm lenses is not really "the" tool for such a task.

Of course, anything is possible - but is it ideal? When a plain 35mm film SLR with a "soft tele" (90mm, 135mm) can yield great results, without all the shortcomings?

 

[loccdor]

6x4.5 SLR works better too in my opinion. Unless you really want the final image to be square? Usually not.

 

[RezaLoghme]

Any SLR with a soft tele works better, unless pain is part of the desired exercise.

 

[GregY]

6x4.5 SLR works better too in my opinion. Unless you really want the final image to be square? Usually not.

Honestly i find my Rolleiflex easier to focus than my Pentax 645.
There are so many variables. What speeds are you shooting at? Tripod or not?
"portrait".... close up, head and shoulders, environmental?

 

[Analogski]

Woow, thanks for all the tips and feedback guys! I'm going to take it all to consideration and take most into practice.

My portraits don't have to be only head and shoulders, a little bit of background context is also nice and very appealing in 6x6 square format. I'll shoot more with a more closed lens and tripod for optimal focus.

 

[Pieter12]

Ok but let's all be realistic - a MF TLR with fixed 80mm lenses is not really "the" tool for such a task.

Of course, anything is possible - but is it ideal? When a plain 35mm film SLR with a "soft tele" (90mm, 135mm) can yield great results, without all the shortcomings?

There are no shortcomings with a TLR for portraits.

 

[Pieter12]

Nice to learn about your personal preferences to ignore the topic and there may be good artistical reasons to do so and there are enough examples where this choice has been made. Can you elaborate on your reasoning?

Not sure if I quite understand your comment. Could you rephrase it?

 

[GregY]

There are no shortcomings with a TLR for portraits.

Agreed P12

Now my favourite portrait camera!

 

[MattKing]

Ok but let's all be realistic - a MF TLR with fixed 80mm lenses is not really "the" tool for such a task.

Except it is a great tool, in the hands of someone accomplished in its use.
Vivian Maier comes to mind:

Imogen Cunningham is definitely another - the artist at work:

It may be that the OP will, after spending some time with it, find that the TLR doesn't suit their needs. But that is about the personal characteristics of the photographer, not the nature of the camera.
For me, the TLR works great when photographing people.
For those worrying about parallax, it helps to remember that it very rarely becomes an issue if the subject is at least as far away as 10 x the focal length of the lens. So for an 80mm lens equipped Rolleiflex, as long as your subject is at least 80 cm away - just a little bit more than arm's length in my case - then it very rarely matters.

 

[Analogski]

. now my favourite portrait camera!
View attachment 410437

With what camera is this photo taken?

 

[GregY]

With what camera is this photo taken?

Rolleiflex T

 

[Paul Howell]

The best TLR for portraits is the Konica Omega Flex, not really a TLR as it is twin lens but direct view. 6X7 in portrait orientation, great lens, other wise hard to use.

 

[GregY]

Robert Doisneau

 

[GregY]

Ok but let's all be realistic - a MF TLR with fixed 80mm lenses is not really "the" tool for such a task.

Of course, anything is possible - but is it ideal? When a plain 35mm film SLR with a "soft tele" (90mm, 135mm) can yield great results, without all the shortcomings?

Ask Richard Avedon....

 

[RezaLoghme]

Cunninghams prime years were way before SLRs became a thing, and Averdon uses many different cameras for portraits, including large formats. Still not a compelling argument in favour of TLRs.

 

[Pieter12]

Cunninghams prime years were way before SLRs became a thing, and Averdon uses many different cameras for portraits, including large formats. Still not a compelling argument in favour of TLRs.

Avedon has had a hard time using any camera anymore, he's been dead for over 20 years. During his lifetime, he pretty much only used a TLR or a Deardorf 8x10 for portraits.

 

[MattKing]

With any question like this, start first with the photographer and what may be available to them. In many, many cases, photographers who have any camera available to them, have chosen to use a TLR to take photographs of people.
And quite a few have made different choices.
If you don't mind nudes, look at @Rolleiflexible 's Gallery uploads - which admittedly include the Tele-Rolleiflex.

 

[RezaLoghme]

Avedon has had a hard time using any camera anymore, he's been dead for over 20 years. During his lifetime, he pretty much only used a TLR or a Deardorf 8x10 for portraits.

Own Richard Avedon's one-of-a-kind Leica M6!

Bonhams is offering a rare chance to own a piece of photography history as Avedon's Leica is auctioned

www.digitalcameraworld.com

 

[RezaLoghme]

With any question like this, start first with the photographer and what may be available to them. In many, many cases, photographers who have any camera available to them, have chosen to use a TLR to take photographs of people.

"photographs of people" can be a lot, portraits are more specific.

 

[BrianShaw]

Woow, thanks for all the tips and feedback guys! I'm going to take it all to consideration and take most into practice.

My portraits don't have to be only head and shoulders, a little bit of background context is also nice and very appealing in 6x6 square format. I'll shoot more with a more closed lens and tripod for optimal focus.

While you’re at it, please shoot some head-and-shoulders, or even closer, and decide for yourself if you like the look or not. Nobody has written that it’s impossible to do portraits with a 80mm TLR; only that there may be other tools that are more better. Decide for yourself. Enjoy!

 

[skahde]

You're trying to say cropping is substitute for different focal length. Then keep shooting with one lens and keep cropping.

Question was if the same perspective can be achived and it can. Downsides exist, obviously.

 

[cliveh]

skahde is correct.

 

[Don_ih]

Whether a particular camera/lens combination is good for a portrait depends on how you want the portrait to look. You can take excellent portraits of people with a 75-80 mm lens on a TLR, if you stay within the operating constraints. Like everything else, you need to know what you want and how to use what you have.

 

[skahde]

skahde is correct.

Thank, you. But as others have pointed out the "problem" of distortion can be circumvented or even used as a feature it has been done over and over and therefore is less relevant than it may seem at first. No need to start an argument about it.
I just thought it might nevertheless be usefull to remember the basics.

 

[Cholentpot]

Agreed P12

Now my favourite portrait camera!
View attachment 410437

Take note subject is sitting

Ask Richard Avedon....View attachment 410449

Notice that the subject is elevated.