Project 5 - Eye contact and expression

This project is set to examine the difference in a various eye directions in a photo. I had done this project a self-portrait for I couldn't get someone else do it... (yes, they do have a life).
I set a tripod pointing to a blank back-ground so it will emphasize the difference at the eye-direction. I chose the AV mode on f/5.6 and took my pictures:

Direct eye-contact:


A profile picture. You can see I'm much better in the other side of the camera...

Slightly to the side


Here I look very slightly to the side (I looked at a button in the camera). It gives a feeling as I'm drifted to a day dreaming.

Up and to the side


As I see this photo it seems to me like an old-times leader photo, like a big warlord looking to the bright future.

Down and to the side


this photos can be 2 things: either I have something to hide from you or there is a scary thing down there (like a creepy crawler). but it is a photo that makes you feel you don't have all the picture, that there is for sure something there.

Directly up


this is clearly a photo of "why? what have I done to deserve it?"



I like this project. How many different photos from the same subject in the same background, everything the same except the direction of the eyes. and yet you have photos that are so difference one from the other.

Project 4 - An active portrait

In this project I was asked to make a portrait of a subject that is involved in an activity.
I chose to photo my youngest son playing with his Lego. I did discuss it with him: "Dan-dan, mummy is going to take your pictures while you're playing". Dan:"OK". But I did not asked him to pose for me in any matter (and if I had asked it wouldn't help me anyway...)
What I did wanted to get out of this session is the natural playing poses that he have. The concentrated face in the blocks, the way he talks like the Lego figures do and the relaxed and fun atmosphere of a Sunday morning playing in pajamas.

I did not use a flash. The lightning was just the sun coming from the window (you can actually see in the photos the times were the sun was full and the times when it was a little cloudy) and a normal tungsten light. I used a high ISO (800) and a fast shutter speed as Dan was moving quite a lot.










Bonus photo:....

Project 3 - Experimenting with light

This project is an experiment with the light around us, natural and un-natural. I asked my friend Liat to pose for me in her house. before coming I had some ides of how to pose her and made 7 different poses.
Two of my ideas didn't turn right. I tried to struck her face in a very bright light from the side to make half face in a shadow but it didn't work out as even just the little light that was in the room made the photo very un-appealing.
Later I told her to light a match and took the photo in the second of the lightning but because the camera could not meter her face in this second her face became over-exposed.
Here are the four photos I liked:

Natural day-light:


well, I have to call this English natural day-light... This was a partly sunny partly cloudy day. I asked Liat to tilt her face so it will go a little to the sun-side while her look remained on me. That way her all face were exposed to me. I used a wide aperture and a partial metering, using only her face to meter the light.

Next to the window:


Here I tried to make a difference between the sides of the face. I used the same method as the photo before. I like the light given here to the left side of the photo, very warm kind of colour.

Back-lit:


Again, taking a meter reading from the face I have took the photo. Although I not really fond of the over-exposed background I do admit that this photo is the one that represent the most Liat's real colour. Because Liat is a dark-skin lady there was no 'middle colour' to take light metering from. If I was taking a photo of a someone lass darker I probably was finding average point so the background will not be that over-exposed.

Next to a white wall


Laughing at me as I drive her crazy, this photo is a real 'passport' photo. All the details are clearly shown, and in our age, it's not always a good idea. But from this point of view I think this photo is on the spot - showing everything, exactly as it looks, not one thing is over or under exposed.

Project 2 - Thinking of location

In this project I was asked to become a location hunter. I needed to find 6 different location which can be used as an attractive background to a portrait.

Location 1 - A colorful playground.


This is obviously a good location for taking portraits of children, standing on the bridge or jumping from the right hand side (while the photographer lying on the grass and catching them in the air) but, I think this is a great location to take a portrait of a very serious, well respected person in a suit standing next or on the bridge. It will make the portrait more interesting and give a good fun side to a serious figure.

Location 2 - Next to a wooden wall


This is a 'dull' background that I would use for a head and shoulders portraits when I want to emphasize the details of the face of the subject.

Location 3- rusty stairs


In this location I see myself taking a portrait of a young subject, spreading his legs down and me taking a photo from the end of his legs toward the green tree.

Location 4 - on a bridge


Here Is a location for a full figure, very colorful dressed subject portrait, standing in the middle of the bridge. For a 'dull' all blacks dressed figure this location won't work.

Location 5 - middle of a busy street


I can see a subject standing on the pavment between the two streets. For the portrait it self i will try to have a lot of traffic around and use a wide aperture to blur the background a little. As well I would like the subject close to the camera.

Location 6 - Next to a tree


This tree is in a park next to my home and is one of my favorite location for his writing over the time. I peeked this location to take a portrait of my husband:

Project 1 - Portrait, scale and setting

In this project I was asked to make portraits of the same subject in four scales: face, head and shoulders, torso and full figure.

To tell the truth, I have done this project for a long time. I started in trying to take photos of my husband working in his study than I took photos of him a day after while lying on the couch with a flu. But I wasn't happy at all.

While having a walk in the park I notice the opportunity and tried to take portraits of my older son. I am very pleased with the outcome. The sun was out and gave me a beautiful light. I chose the AV mode on my camera and used wide aperture to focus on my sons face. In the torso and full figure photos I have used the AE-Lock system and looked the metering again on my sons face. I thing that maybe I should have lock it on something in the middle so the background could be a little more exposed.

Face, cropped in close:


Head and shoulders:


Torso:


Full figure:


Now after seeing the photos again I think that the third photo is wrong too as the face needs to be higher in the frame.
My favorite photo is the second photo, head and shoulders. The composition is the right one showing the details of the face but not to close. I like the expression on his face too (and I do admit that I am NOT objective about this boy. sorry)

Before starting

In a very good timing, as if the people of the OCA knew that I'm just starting this course I went to a exhibition visit arranged by the OCA for Steve McCurry exhibition in Birmingham.

Well, if you would like to motivate someone to take this course, this is the place to take him.

Not that I needed any motivation, this exhibition was hypnotizing for me, I could stand and look at that photos forever. I loved the fact that most of his strongest portrait didn't had background at all! It was a blur colour that left only the face to tell the story. And the expression on people faces were so real! I had a feeling in most of his portrait that the subject there is more curious about the photographer than the other way round. If we consider the time (80's) and places (most far east) the photos were taken that can be reasonable.
In the other photos the colours is. for my opinion, what makes the photo, and Steve McCurry had an eye for catching the colours in the street. My favorite photo was the procession of nuns, Yangon, Burma, 1994 that in it he mange to catch so much as if he was painting it.

And now... let's start