B&W Portrait

This month’s image is a grab shot of my niece up north. It was a joy shopping for a tree with her, her boyfriend, and her dad. Even the cold was fun. haha.

Tech Info:

Handheld (brrr) Nikon D200, 28-70mm f2.8 lens, set to 65mm, and shot at f2.8, 1/200th sec., ISO 1600, B/W mode, normal parameters.  Somewhat dim overcast winter afternoon lighting.

Ü

–Eddie.

Tech Info:

Handheld Nikon D200, 85mm f1.4 lens set to f1.6, at 1/500th sec., ISO 200, B/W mode, normal parameters. Similar shooting location and lighting as the previous image of these two kids.

–Eddie.

Tech Info:

Handheld Nikon D200, 85mm f1.4 lens, set to f2.2, at 1/400th sec., ISO 200, B/W mode, parameters normal. Lighting: Open shade location, sun behind the subjects, open sky illuminating the subjects from the front and top. Background of slightly backlit foliage about 10 to 15 feet behind the kids.

When my clients and I arrived at the beach, I was very pleased to see that a new piece of driftwood had washed up near the rocks. I never have a “plan” for using these oddly shaped creations, but I do know that kids love them and if I just get them together, something photogenic may happen. With this image, I kinda like the “confusion” that occurs when one views initially…at least when I viewed I did a double-take. And I love when that happens. Ü

Tech Info: Handheld Nikon D200, 85mm 1.4 Nikon lens, set to f2.2 at 1/1250th sec., ISO 100, shot in JPG B/W Mode, manual exposure mode, normal parameters. Morning sun behind the subject; metered for and adjusted settings for the shady side of the girl, then closed a touch so that I wouldn’t lose too much of the highlights.

–Eddie.

Tech: Handheld Nikon D200, 85mm f1.8 set to f2.8, at 1/800th sec., ISO 500, open shade lighting.

–Eddie.

Tech Info:

Handheld Nikon D200, 28-70mm f2.8 Nikkor zoom set to 28mm, and f3.5, 1/125th sec., ISO1000, B/W Jpeg, normal parameters, manual exposure mode. To arrive at a quick metering starting point, I took a through the lens meter reading of part of the floor that didn’t contain the really bright highlights. After a test shot and viewing the histogram and my LCD screen (indoors I actually think the LCD helps me hone in on exposures in hurried situations), I futher adjusted my settings to get the children looking a bit dark, but light enough to keep things interesting in the shadows. Knowing ahead of time that I didn’t mind the windows white-ing out helped me interpret the histogram, which of course showed overexposure.

–Eddie.

From the same session as the previous image, this threesome was first asked to be with each other in the specified area, and then I just watched to see what they did. Lighting was as usual: sun behind the subjects (you can see the rim light), and open sky in front of them. My manaul exposure was set for the skin tones in the shade, and I was okay with letting the rim light highlights blow out a bit.

Ü

–Eddie.

Tech Info:

Handheld Nikon D200, 85mm f1.8 lens set to f2.5, at 1/3200/th sec., ISO 400, B/W Mode, Normal parameters.

I have been photographing at this one particular park for years, and by now I know how the light at different times of the day reacts in the different locations within the park. So I tend to shoot at spots I am familiar with to increase my chances at getting predictable but pleasing results. However, recently I have been venturing out to different nooks at this park, and was happy to find this very weathered and distressed fence/post that used to be the border to a picnic area. The scene fit my requirement for the morning sun to be behind the scene, so that soft indirect light comes from the open sky in front… check, I had found a new shooting spot.For the image above and for the series I made with him in that spot, I simply suggested to the boy that he get comfortable by leaning up against the railing… “and maybe you could put your foot up on the plank just for fun?”  His mom and siblings were nearby watching, so I told him to look their way and talk to them, and not to mind me too much. Although I directed him a bit, I think that after a while he settled into his own personal stance and he proceded to put his own stamp on my idea in the series of images that followed. I deliver the proofs today, so I’ll see how they like ‘em.

Ü

–Eddie.

Tech Info:

Handheld Nikon D200, 85mm f1.8 Nikon lens set to f2.2, at 1/2000th sec., ISO 400, B/W Mode, normal parameters. Once again, I used my preferred lighting set up which consisted of having the sun behind the subject (and also behind the foliage in this case), with the open sky in front of the subject as the main light source.

The main reason I’m showing this one is because I like the baby’s squinting. Maybe not for everyone, but I think it’s tough. haha.

Tech Info:

Handheld Nikon D200, 60mm Nikkor Micro f2.8 lens, set to f3.2, at 1/400th sec., B/W Fine JPG Mode, Normal parameters.

This image was made in open shade, with the sun coming from behind the baby, backlit foliage about 20 ft. behind the baby, causing the background to blur out, especially the highlights, something I aim to do as often as I can. The baby was illuminated by a large expanse of skylight from the front, which is good for catchlights and for a soft lighting effect on the face. There were some heavy patches of foliage to the left and right of our shooting area which served to cut out some of the light coming in from the sides, and that helps because it creates some modeling and minimizes the chance of the light going too flat.

–Eddie.

Tech Info:

Handheld Nikon D200, 85mm f1.8 lens set to f2.5, at 1/640th sec., ISO200, B/W mode, normal parameters.

This image was made within a rather average looking location at the park, but one where I have noticed the light doing some good things to the subject’s face. The leaves of trees keep the direct backlight off of the subject, while the very large expanse of sky in front indirectly lights him up with an even and soft quality of light. A bit more specifically, I think the reason I like this particular spot so much is because it just happens to have just the right amount of fill happening in relation to the backlight exposure. To learn of such spots, keep your eyes open and make mental notes. It’s nice when you bump into them without having to search too much.

Ü

–Eddie.

I have been photographing this girl every year since she was one or two. But this is the first year that I truly got the impression that she was growing up “before my very eyes”… or before my camera, I should say. She’s always been a little extra aware of the camera, so it’s satisfying when we both end up with images she likes. This is one that she and her mom ordered. It was one of my faves from the session, and I didn’t know if they’d go for it. Ü

Tech Info:

Handheld Nikon D200, 85mm f1.8 lens set to f2.0, at 1/500th sec., ISO 400, B/W Mode, normal parameters. She has striking eyes in person, so when I added a little contrast to the image overall, her eyes become even more distinct as a result. The image was made in the open shade of her front porch, in the doorway. Since the sun was coming from the opposite side of the home, the light is completely indirect… my favorite kind. Locating her in the doorway meant that the subject exposure was going to be much different than the exposure inside the home behind her, which caused the resulting background to go dark enough to add emphasis to the young grownup. Ü

–Eddie.

I always enjoy photographing this young woman, and today was extra fun because she brought over her younger brother for a rare session of the two of them. It was a really quickie session, and it got me to thinking that many of my client sessions could go much shorter than they usually do… for the benefit of both the client and the photographer. It’s so fun and tempting to keep shooting, though. Ü

Tech:

Handheld D200, 135mm f2.0 DC Nikkor lens, set to f2.8, at 1/1000th sec., ISO 1600, B/W mode, normal parameters; did not use the lens’ special DOF control on this one. Indoor ambient light with large sliding glass doors on both sides. Meter reading was guestimated then fine tuned after looking at the LCD and histogram.