Portrait Critique

I am pleased with the movement of the image and the tilt of the frame, and I think that the blurred background fits well with the scene; however, I wish that I had either focused on both girls or only one, and I wish that the image was slightly sharper (although that is difficult to achieve) and had higher contrast. I would like to try taking more portrait photos in situations where there is both stillness and action. I'm glad that I attempted to work with this photograph, but I think I could do a better job of capturing the feeling of excitement and enthusiasm that was clear to me at the time when I took the pictures.

Portraits

(Steve McCurry)

1. This portrait practically leapt off the screen when I first saw it because of the eyes. Those eyes are so intense, almost cold and hostile, and so hard. They are eyes that have seen more than any child should have to see.


 (Steve McCurry)

2. I love this portrait of the man before the tree because it appears as though the entire earth is tilted, but the man is holding himself perfectly straight and balanced.


(Henri Cartier Bresson)

3. The tension in this black and white silhouette style photograph is especially sharp because the man's book is about to break the glassy, perfect surface of the water. I like that his reflection is clearer than his actual form.


(Henri Cartier Bresson)

4. I like the way the woman's clothes and movements blend with the flowing flag - this photograph makes use of the powerful presence of lines. I also think her expression is intriguing.


(Sam Abell)

5. I think that this portrait has an element of mystery and surprise in it; I love the way the light glowing behind him makes him shadowy and imposing. The fishing net draped from his hands adds character as well.





(Sam Abell)

6. In some ways, I think the hidden face conveys a more powerful message than an open, visible one. The blending colors of the clothes, the content countenance of the horse, and the bright, curious expression on the dog's face help express emotions that are not necessarily derived directly from the man.




(Scott Sroka)

7. Everything about this photograph is mingled surprise and beauty. Here is a girl bathed in pretty golden light in front of a colorful fading landscape, shoes abandoned at her side, and in her hands a phone. It startles me that the soft expression on her face is directed at the tiny electronic device that seems so unreal compared to her surroundings.



(Catherine Karnow)

8. I like this photograph because it tells the man's story; it shows his pride, his skill, and his happiness, and it reminds me that life can mean so many different things to people in different places around the world.


(Reza)

9. This swirl of red movement is like a pretty flower or a bright painting - it is simply pleasing to look at, and it looks so vivid and real. I like the intensity and the simplicity, as well as the feeling of concentration that it evokes.


(Bruce Dale)

10. I like portraits that focus on multiple people, and this one in particular has incredible dynamics. The triangle they form speaks volumes about their possible relationships and emotions - the boy off in the background might be racing back to join the group, or splashing off to explore on his own. And I admire that the shot caught the girl frozen in mid-flip.

Dramatic Lighting

1) Use side lighting (to the right or the left of the face) instead of flat lighting (like the sun or a well-lit room)

2) When the subject is posed against a large dark background, there are certain steps one must take to ensure that the exposure is correct (the light meter on the camera gives a false reading because it averages the amount of light from the entire picture). First, one must take a light meter reading for the entire scene from exactly where it will be photographed. Then one should change the shutterspeed to underexpose by one to two stops (this means that the shutterspeed will be faster).

3) The closer one is to the source of the light, the more dramatic it will appear.

4) When up close to a subject's face, if one half is light and the other is in shadow, the light meter reading should be taken for the side of the face that is brighter.

What Makes a Great Portrait?

I think it is important to have a simple background that doesn't distract the viewer from the subject, but rather compliments it in color, contrast, and focus. The angle of the photograph is another essential element of a portrait, and I think it is absolutely necessary to make sure that the angle is compatible with the emotion or expression that the person portrays (for example, looking down on someone to show their innocence). I think movement or purpose is critical in giving meaning to a portrait - or if not movement, some occupation that makes the person appear engaged in activity (like a girl holding dishes or flowers in her hands). If this isn't applicable, sometimes the background can play a greater role in adding detail and significance to a portrait photograph, like the rubble of a developing country behind a little boy or the vastness of an open space behind a praying woman. But I think that overall, the most important thing to remember about a portrait is that it should convey a message about the person or people it captures on film. It should attempt to provide a glimpse of the story of their life.

The Photographers

Five useful ideas and themes I found in the DVD:

1) Patience - In certain circumstances, it can be useful to take multiple photographs of the same thing from slightly different angles or with slightly different settings. Sometimes you have to sacrifice many photos in order to achieve one spectacular shot (like the photoshoot with Jane Goodall).

2) Persistence - Sometimes the best photographs come out of impossible difficult, uncomfortable, dangerous, or painful situations. The example that comes to mind is the scene where Nick Nichols was taking photos in the rainforest and the flies were swarming in his face.

3) Layering - One of the things I've noticed about National Geographic photographs is that they almost always have depth and layering. They're never flat, even if they're simple. They give the impression of three dimensional space. This often seems to be accomplished by having multiple horizons (like a field, a mountain, and a cloud bank, one after another).

4) Focusing on eyes - The most powerful part of the face is undeniably the eyes, and if you can capture the emotion within them, you can change your entire photograph. My favorite illustration of this principle is the image of the hooded Afghan girl by Steve McCurry.

5) Choosing subjects that have feeling - Every photograph I saw in that movie had a story or a meaning to it that I could instinctively feel in just one glance. I think that a photographer has to choose subjects that give him or her that feeling of awe or inspiration that Henri Cartier Bresson was such an expert at capturing.

My favorite photographer:

Choosing a favorite is nearly impossible, for they all have such incredible talent and have unique fortes. I think I'd have to pick Steve McCurry, however, because his photographs stand out to me the most. I envy his gift of photographing people; I think part of the reason he is so talented is because he has mastered the art of shielding himself with the camera lens. This idea that we talked about fascinated me - I don't think I could ever be bold enough to go up to people the way he does. He also uses color with incredible taste - the brightness always captures my attention.

My favorite photograph:

My favorite photograph is the portrait of the little boy in Peru, wearing patchwork clothes and a tear-streaked face, with his flock of sheep dead in the background, killed spitefully by someone who drove a taxi through them all. The incredible depth of emotion in this image (taken by William Albert Allard) is impossible to ignore. I think the reason it's my favorite is because the story behind it was so compelling that National Geographic readers sent in enough money to give the boy a new flock of sheep. If I were to become a photographer, I would want my work to make a difference in the world like this photograph did.

All of the photographs contained elements of photography that we've learned in class - the subtle but powerful rule of thirds; the artistic use of framing to emphasize a subject; the tricks of using dramatic lighting to highlight a person's face; the creative use of lines to draw the viewer's eye; the photographer's endless quest to convey a message through the images he produces. I think above all, the National Geographic photographs put all of these elements together, which is what gives them such an intense, high quality.

Positive Negative Critique

 

I like the way the repetitiveness makes the series of images almost abstract. Using positive and negative prints together takes away the realness and gives it a strange artistic quality. My favorite part of the image is where the lines meet in an X in the center. If I were to print it over again, I might make the negative sides darker and the positive sides lighter so that they were more neutral.

Framing Critique

I love the pattern of shapes and the way each circle, triangle, and rectangle separates a miniature scene; I do wish that the top of the railing was a little less dark and demanding and that the CHAPS ICE CREAM sign was sharper and closer to the camera. However, this is one of my favorites of my photographs because of all the intricate details.