Self Portrait

[In search of Syd]

I've had to pluck up a bit of courage to post these. What I've found I would like to experiment a bit more with is portraiture. Something new to challenge myself with. Also, until recently I wasn't really a great fan of black and white but am increasingly warming to the genre.

Not having any willing models to hand I have been practising with self portraits. I have tried something a little different to my first attempt which was posted as "Syd" a while back and simply involved adjusting contrast and saturation levels.

Not having much experience with portraits I would welcome any comments and advice, especially with lighting.

Thanks,

Syd

[In search of Syd]

and . . .

[JunixRose]

In both of these I feel the need for more out of the left eye. The blown bit is acting as the center of attention. If it could be rendered to fit in with the rest then the eyes could really pull you in. Unless it became blown in the edit then this would require careful cloning though.

Nate

[In search of Syd]

I'm inclined to agree, but lack the know how with that sort of editing in PS. I guess I was also justifying it in my mind as perhaps "the light and dark side of Syd". Still, it's early days....

[KENNETHD]

In search of Syd wrote:

I'm inclined to agree, but lack the know how with that sort of editing in PS. I guess I was also justifying it in my mind as perhaps "the light and dark side of Syd". Still, it's early days....

What do you have for a photo editor? There are some really good books that get right down to specifics for adobe elements. I mention this one because I use it. I have one or two books that actually list the most common types of edits (one covers 100) and takes you step by step thru it. I have found this more enlightening than a course I took at the local tech college.



Kd

[In search of Syd]

I'm using PS 7 and gradually working my way through a book more for CS2. I also find video tutorials quite useful but haven't got many.

[KENNETHD]

Oh, and congrats to you for posting your portrait. I've said many times it's great to see a face to put to members names. We should really have a separate forum for it too. It is difficult for me to find anyone (especially family) who will oblige me and sit still for portraits. So the self portrait is a viable route. Difficult task tho. Well done. The blown areas do work here I think, and give the eye on the right more appeal. I do thinkthat by toning done the blown area on the right a bit would make the overall effect even more appealing. Reminds me of the old Humprey Bogart black and white characters.

Kd

[DomCotton]

Brave man Syd, really like the first image- very dark and moody the pose works IMO. The second one isnt so good for me, the noisy background doesnt add much... defo prefer the first one.

Dom

[E.S. Crawford]

very moody, syd, and a big improvement on the last portrait!

i myself am a self taught kinda guy and p.s. has grudginly given up her secrets to me

by frustration and lots of yelling at a reticent monitor.

six months and i still have no idea what i am doing (as is obvious by my first

comment bashing on my big dipper post )

maybe i'll take up basket weaving, instead...


scot

[KENNETHD]

E.S. Crawford wrote:

very moody, syd, and a big improvement on the last portrait!

i myself am a self taught kinda guy and p.s. has grudginly given up her secrets to me

by frustration and lots of yelling at a reticent monitor.

six months and i still have no idea what i am doing (as is obvious by my first

comment bashing on my big dipper post )

maybe i'll take up basket weaving, instead...


scot

Post long enough and sooner or later someone gets cranky when they don't "get" your work. Keep posting. Variety is the spice of life...

Kd