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Let me bother you with my portraits

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
Lately I have been making portraits quite frequently. My project "Muito cá de casa" is about people indeed.
This time I would like to bother you - like Robert :) - again with one of my images from yesterday.
I used two flashes: one bare and the other through umbrella.

 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Lately I have been making portraits quite frequently. My project "Muito cá de casa" is about people indeed.
This time I would like to bother you - like Robert :) - again with one of my images from yesterday.
I used two flashes: one bare and the other through umbrella.





Once again, Antonio, you project a character well. I have only minor questions. Is that the light color of the jacket or could it be darker. If so it would better place the face in a broader range of greyscale. Unusual for your work, a lot of the details and continuous areas of the image are located in closely similar same mid and lower tones.

This is not to see that you should change anything, rather I notice the departure from what I have gotten to expect in your portraits. Putting that technical nonsense behind us, guess what, we're still faced with a man who appears real and engaging and that's all that counts!

Asher
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
The color of the jacket is some kind of pale green, almost militar one :). I do agree with you but that didn't come to my mind when processing the photograph.
I am sorry if the image has my signature on it. I saw it now...

Here is another one with the same settings. Here, I had some extra work done also.
Her blouse is black and I had to separate it from the rest of the image to apply a different setting. I also like this image very much.
In fact, let me be a little immodest, I actually am doing exquisite portraits and I am loving to do so.

 

Jerome Marot

Well-known member
I like these portraits, especially the second one. The expressions are very engaging. However, I wonder a bit about the choice of a dark background. Have you tried something lighter, off white or light grey maybe?
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
You know - I have used similar slightly off-center head and body positioning at times in my portraits. I like the look, but have struggled at times with the heaviness of the bodies - - - and in a way that is what I notice here I think.

One thing that I have found takes the focus away from that, is when I include hands in the composition. It may not be the look you are after in these shots, but I wonder if hands introduced into the frame wouldn't make these images even stronger. Especially with the male portrait where you have exposed so much of his body.

I note this image of yours from your website, where the amount of body showing is roughly the same - - - and how much more impact and balance there is to that portraits as a result of you including the hands:

http://www.antoniocorreia.com/Black-and-White/BandWPortraits/i-vPL6HSs/A


Not a critique - - - just a suggestion based my personal viewpoint. I know that it doesn't matter as you have already produced these images, so just an observation at this point. What does appeal to me so much about your portrait work (Like Here) is how much you do include hands in your images. I don't have a problem with the black background and not even really with the tonality. Thanks for posting.
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
Thank you Jerome and thank you Robert. I am going to try to answer to you both at the same time.

This project is done in a house in Setubal where poets, writers, cartoonists - like André Carrilho for example - are received and expose their work.

I started this project in a room with white walls.
At the beginning of the project I used to photograph using a flash hand holded by someone. But that seemed like no solution. At certain moments, the flash was pointing to the ceiling or floor while some words were exchanged ! :)
So, I bought 2 light stands so I would be able to use two flashes instead of only one. Oh that is good. :)

The first set of images was done in that white room I mentioned. I was told later on that a "second generation" of portraits would be welcome. There, I thought that I could add a black tissue hanging on a wall and use it as a solid background to change the look of the series. And so I did. This is the reason some images are with light background and others - like the earliest - are in black background.

I like best this solution. The black background can be easily made... with HSS need be.
I also have a gray tissue but it has too many wrinkles.


Regarding the position of the body in the frame I tend to frame much at visual evaluation not caring very much if they are centered or not. However, one thing I don't want is that my portraits look like those made in a professional studio.
Perhaps I have - oh yes I do have - more options to chose from the session with this beautiful Ana Maria.
Thank you Robert for pointing to the hands.
Indeed you make me think that the inclusion of the hands is an important matter.
In this project I have done so but not intentionally like here below for example. The hands contribute very much to the strength of the image. This image below gave me much work to adjust to get some detail from both black and white areas.

 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
After a couple of minutes...
i-xWgzRb4-X2.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Bothering you - again - with two portraits from the last couple of days.
i-s3ft3zB-X2.jpg
-
i-3ptTJxM-X2.jpg


some portraits stop life in it's tracks. It's as if things are frozen. With your pictures, we seem to look in on them, while they are yet really alive and greeting us or merely reflecting.

There's no question that you relate so well to the photographers that they still live and transmit feelings and energy while you take the picture and life continues here in the picture we see.

I do agree that the hands add so much to your versatility that it's almost a trademark that we expect some new feat of positioning. So, in the last instance, in the girl's portrait, that empty black space is somewhat arresting! That's OK, as you are also compositing against our expectations!

Fine work!

Asher
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
Always kind words Asher... thank you ! :)

Indeed hands are more and more appearing in my portraits but sometimes it is very difficult to make people to show them. Mainly when there is no motivation or we are in a hurry.

Oh yes... you may be right and these are nothing but poor excuses...

The girl I post today is Spanish and studying Arts in Lisbon.

i-cGD27C4-X2.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Gente cá da terra | Our people

The saga goes on...
Today's work.
i-TcgC8pn-X2.jpg


Antonio,

I am so enjoying this continual flow of eye openers and versatility of posing your different subjects. This fellow is impressive. You do not disguise girth nor just document it, here. It's part of the essence of the man. Well done!

Asher
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
Antonio, I am so enjoying this continual flow of eye openers and versatility of posing your different subjects. This fellow is impressive. You do not disguise girth nor just document it, here. It's part of the essence of the man. Well done! Asher

LOL You made me go and see what "girth" is LOL

Thank you for the comment ! :) :)
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Yesterday's photograph.
i-994GPh7-X2.jpg



Antonio,

This gentleman seems like a wonderful person to have as a friend. Seems super cool and didn't feel compulsion to insist on a newly ironed shirt. So he's not an up-tight show off or superficial "Dandy". Still he ends up as someone you can really trust and relate to. So, what's he like and what does he do?

Asher
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
Asher, the gentleman is an activist of SOS Racismo who came to Setúbal by invitation of a friend of mines with whom I devellop the photographic project as described before.

He came with this other fellow of his.

This project is very broad/wide/opened and is gathering very different kind of people.

Thank you for commenting. :)
i-T2GCC9j-X2.jpg
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
Now that I look at the photograph I feel I have to redo it. The sweater is too bright and lacking detail in the central area.
 

James Lemon

Well-known member
Hello Antonio

Enjoyable set of images and nicely done! They seem reasonably relaxed and at home with you.

James
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
All the photographs taken for this project are set-up in a room half and hour before the person comes in, or sometimes less.
I ask the person to have a seat and tell that he/she should be relaxed - something easier said than done - asking to tell me something, some kind of story or I make some silly questions trying to relax.

While this happens I keep taking pictures (perhaps some 20) trying to get a good one where the expression is OK.

Sometimes it happens that one flash doesn't recycle on time and that is a thought away image.

There are people very easy to get and very difficult ones ! Some need two photographs and I get a good portrait, others need 30 to have a decent one.

Thank you for commenting James. :)
 
Now that I look at the photograph I feel I have to redo it. The sweater is too bright and lacking detail in the central area.

The bit that is too bright is an easy fix just to tone down the blown out white in the sweater but the lighting on his face and hair is fantastic. Beautiful work.
Maggie
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
Ah ah ah That's a good one ...

I do like to take portraits. However, I have to be careful as the last ones, have been tending towards to be as those made by professionals and that, that I do not want !

Indeed I have some pleasure doing this. I know that today it is not an important work but tomorrow when I will be dead and gone (this reminds me of something ;) ) I am sure these portraits may be appreciated and then - oh supreme honour - I will have a name on a street, which in fact, I do not care as in dust I will be spread over Arrábida, a nearby mountain.

Thank you James for your comment ! :) Appreciated.
 
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