Forgotten Portraits: Paul

[draymorton]

As the title suggests, I'd all but forgotten about this shot until recently stumbling upon it (so to speak) in the archives.

I think I recall expressly forgoing any face retouching in the interest of edginess.

Thoughts?

[readingr]

I really like it. When it first came up it looked square and then I realised there was a section on the bottom. It looked better square to me so it could do with a bit of cropping from the bottom to loose half the tee shirt.

Roger R.

[Overbeyond]

I am delighted you did not forget about it forever Dray because it is very interesting and unique, and a refreshing departure from the usual crop of portraits that are usually produced. A weird and striking expression indeed and it really draws me in.
The hand looks a bit large but this happens I believe when a certain lens is used (wide angle up close?).
I would also crop from the bottom, up to just below the neck of the t shirt as it is just a blackish area below; we will then just have his incredible features to hold our attention.

[jetrim]

I concur, square crop and you have a real winner here!

[draymorton]

Thanks, everyone. Totally agree with you all on the crop. Don't know why I didn't do that in the first place.

OB, yeah, I think this was around 24mm. I wanted a sense of claustrophobia and tension that I thought I wider angle might facilitate. Didn't take the hand (or nose) into account.

There's something about the shot, still, to me, that's just off and I don't know what it is. DoF, sloppy post-processing... I can['t put my finger on it.

Anyway, thanks again.

EDIT: I checked and the focal length was actually 43. Fooled!

[yairh20]

Hey Drey, great picture, the one thing that bothers me is the fact that it's hard to tell that the hand is the subjects, especially because he is turned away from it and the bottom is to dark to see the bend of his arm ( if it's even in the frame). may I suggest an alternate PP? just add a soft light layer with a high pass filter and a small radius sharpening. What lighting did you use? from what I can tell, it's a brolly a bit higher than head level camera left and maybe a reflector to open up the shadows?

[stu-52]

I agree with others about the square crop. To me the DoF is fine. The only thing I would tinker with in post-processing is the eyes. Take out the reflected light and I think it would work better.

[naznomore_92]

Very nice picture. I like the contrast of it.

[PRB]

My ONLY problem with this otherwise excellent photo is the hand --- its not adding anything but distraction for me. You can crop, as suggested, to square, I believe I would like that as well --- but, that hand, sorry but, I just want that hand out of the shot.

My Best to You,
Penny

[shootme]

Nothing I could add that would make a difference, I admire your work Dray and take inspiration from it. Cheers, S

[draymorton]

yairh - thanks. I hear ya about the hand. Great PP suggestion, if I'm understanding correctly (high pass sharpen with blend mode set to soft light?); I'll have to go back to the raw image and try it. The lighting was a big octabox up high and to the left and bare bulb + 7" reflector cam right aimed past the subject onto the background. A reflector would have been a good idea had I thought of it at the time.

stu - you mean take out the catchlights? That's a real art in and of itself! I tried it and the dude ended up looking zombified. Any suggestions as to how to do it effectively?

Penny - thanks. Yeah, I feel the same way about the hand. Alternate crops below.

Thanks naz and shootme.