Another take on portrait

Shot recently using Canon 1Ds III with EF Macro 100/2.8L IS, the focal length is use here again to portrait the model in a slightly close up framing, but still want to keep the distance from a model slightly longer, with a little compressed perspective.

Taking portrait really has no certain rule, and really it matters with the final use of image or where it is taken and the lighting set up. I remembered years ago when using film, outdoors especially, I used the Contax RTSIII with Carl Zeiss Distagon ME 28/2 - although a wide angle, but because of the ability to shoot close up with very nature perspective control, it was my prime choice of lens back then, but of course, I did not shoot for commercial then.  But will a particular lens gives some inspiration to photographer?  I think it does, at least it is to me. Coming to the age of digital capture, and the relatively high resolution image that the room to crop the image becomes more flexible, and then my choice of focal length became a little narrower, now mostly between 35mm to 100mm for smaller DSLR such as Canon 1Ds III or 5DII, and 80mm to 150mm with medium format, similar to most photographers.  The most different approach is, I almost use prime lens exclusively, not really because I think prime lens final image quality is superior than zoom, it often does, not not all the time.  My favorite zoom lens, Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 45-90 for Contax 645 is perhaps one fo the best lens I ever use, prime or zoom, of any format.  But the preference in using prime is the particular concentration in framing, with a fixed focal length prime, I need to move forward or backward to get the best framing, rather than simply use a zoom lens so my composition seldom change, and result less variety.

Perspective Control

Shots from a recent interior work for Narai Hotel located in Bangkok, Thailand.  Naturally, for interior and architecture work I would use either a technical camera or DSLR system with perspective control lenes and  for this work due to the final requirement of image does not require larrge print, so I took use a compact Canon 5DII (also to shoot 360 degree QTVR using Seitz VR Drive) and the PC-E lenses Canon currently carries, namely the 17mm, 24mm, 45mm and 90mm.
As an intering alternative, Hasselblad also re-introduce its former PC Mutar T* 1.4X (first of which in the world, to my knowledge) with the now reknown HTS 1.5 (offer both shift and tilt movement however it is movement is no independent as the new Canon TS-E lense did and perhaps Hasselblad might have a HTS 1.5.2 at works? - would be even more useful.
Coming back to the acronym of PC, one might refer it as perspective correct or more creatively to call it perspective control, with the later my prefer term and use of PC lenses.
One may pre-occupy with the idea that for interior or architecture work that the converging line needed to be corrected so they appear parallel; yes, but perhaps not always.   Human eye of course has an excellent optical and neual system that we can register complicated architecture form mostly correctly, wihtout needing mechanical shift like on the old fashion photography - which is to say the possible devleopment of independent glass movement in a lens may deliver even better result, but such development might targeted to a market so small that will cost too much that make itself becomes unfeasible, perhaps only time would tell and we may know sooner than later than we think.  Anyway, our eyes do have their lmit, when the scale of object is becomeso big, then our eyes do see tall things converging - so it does means that there is no true definition what perspective correctness is, and so may be interior or architecture photographers can be a little less obssessed.
For example of the two image below, both use Canon 5DII and the extremely sharp Canon PC-E 17/4L (perhaps one of the best lens in Canon's EF line-up today and best of ites type in the world), both with multiple shots and digitally stitched together in Adobe Photoshop CS5.
This image is a traditional perspective corrected images, using VR Drive to get 7 catures and stitched together.

While this one also shot with Canon 5DII with 17/4L, but rather than trying to apply the so-called perspective correction, I leave the perspective as it is define by the lens in zero correction setting, but do shift the lens from top-middle-bottom for 3 captures and stitched them together to get the final image. Yes, the image does not have the expected PC correction from what the PC-E lens is designed to do but come to think of the PC is not always perspective correction, it is about control, and control means one can decide whatever he wants to do, which in this image, I took the liberty to leave it as is so the final image was perspective stretch to portrait the looby of hotel with more dramatic and spacious effect.
Sure, there are photogrpahers may insist what certain image needed to be done, but luckily, I don't know hardly anyone who can rightfully define the photography by oneself, no one is really right or wrong, what I do believe is as long as one can polish his craft to as far as he could, he is a master of his work. And I am still learning.

Simple Portrait

A recent shot on a very beautiful Brazilian girl.  The set upo of lighting in studio was rather simple, it is simple because I want the portrait to be simple and why not.
Sometimes the simplest element will have less distraction for a fine protrait, which unless for specific commercial needs, is really to naturally display the spirit, and character.
Shot with Canon 1Ds III mounted with EF Macro 100/2.8L IS, Profoto Pro-7 light.

Crystal White

A recent shot for a Thailand based cosmetic company, UStar, taken with Canon 1Ds III with EF Macro 100/2.8L IS.  The use of slightly longer focal length is to portrait the beauty in a somewhat magnified way. It is possible to use a normal focal length, for example a 50mm, or a classic portrait lens such as the 85mm which will give the protrait a little more friendlier perspective.
The use of 100mm in this image is not that I do not want an image to be friendlier, it was opted for the final image to portrait the beauty in a magnified way, so the model to appear a little far away but not too far away.
The visual experience of human is very complicated, because our eyes and our mind has almost unlimited experience in perception of world around us, even very subtle difference in perspective will have different impact in our mind, however, at the end of it, it is perhaps the photogrpaher's subjective choice, nothing is absolutely right or wrong.

Panorama Image

In the time of digital capture, many fields of photography get their shares advancements, some evolutions, some revolutions, of course photography is still photography.
I have covered many times in this blog of my point of view on the panaramic image which I considered one of the type of photography get the largest benefit.  And the benefit is not just on the photography itself, rather, the digital technology open the gate to many photographers who has never possess the idea to do or adequate equipment to do are now all doing it.   Yes, one may argue that panoramic image is just a small branch of photography, and they are not wrong.  But then to envision the landscape or location or situations and see them in panoramic is totally different, it gives the photographer very different vision into their own craft, allow them varies approaches for their image.
With digital technology continue to develop, the panoramic image sure will contonue to develop. Sony has developed recently their 3D panoramic image to be taken automatically with their digital cameras, is one good example and certainly will be followed by most manufacturers.

Image here is stitched from 5 captures using Hasselblad H3D-39 with HC 300/4.5 using a Seitz VR Drive, at Ranwu Lake, Tibet.

Exposure

This is an image shot for a lighting company, taken with Phase One P45 mounted on Contax 645, using Carl Zeiss Distagon 55/3.5.  The shot used a com-bination of slow shutter speed to register enough light of the chandelier, as well as a studio light for the model, with a bron-color Verso A4.
The trick of combining ambient light in a time exposure and incident light is not that complicate as it sound since the two different light sources in fact has little to do with each other, and quite easily to get the exposure such as this. In photographic production, yes in deed the exposure is one of the most fundamental issue to deal with but with little practice, especially in digital capture, one can master quite easily in a relatively short time, however, it is the idea to get the shoot a little more challenge.  Having said it, with a good and confident control over exposure will most certainly push the limit of creative a lot further.

Head Turner

The opposite sex often possesses certain mystery, no matter how one claims how much he knows.  Perhaps the mystery comes from the fundalmental differences between two sexes, also by the fact that nature makes the differences so much yet they are meant to match. So the mystery is perhaps comes within the most basic attraction?

There are unlimited ways to shoot portrait, something one does well in his approach and others do in theirs, there are so much because each person is often unique in himself.  Whatever the difference, there are also commons to be found. Straight forward portrait is straight forward, because it is what it is.  Those shot with one turning back to camera, such as this one what with Canon 1Ds III with EF Makro 100/2.8L IS, often portraits a little mystery on the final image because part of the face was hidden, eye in the shadow, that makes otherwise common portrait with something extra.