Some sort of self portrait...

[Seb]

Hello,

I was browsing through some of my early D70 pictures and I came back to this "self portrait" that I have posted quite a while ago.

Gary and Tuna clever use of colours/b&w combinations (thanks guys for your remarkable contributions) inspired me to try the following.

please criticise.

Seb

[gahspidy]

Seb, this is good. I like this alot, but I like even more the potential i see here. even though I think this is pretty good and creative as it stands, I feel that if you had zoomed in and filled up most(not all) of the frame with the mirror would have been much more impactful. This is a great idea and i hope you get to try it again.

[readingr]

Fascinating photo - the title threw me when I first looked as I couldn't see someone in the seat of the car and then I saw you in the mirror - I like that a lot.

It would be a different photo if you'd zoomed in on the mirror and I think it would be a good photo to.

I could never use my own car for this photo - its normally too dirty! I did once think of a similar theme - perhaps I'll try it when the car gets washed next - long wait!!!

[plchung]

Seb,

I like the idea of colourising part of the photo, as it makes the object standd out clearly. For this photo I wish (as other said) it would have a larger image of you. Honestly the b/w background is not attractive at all but it fulfills its task nicely.

Alex

[Tuna]

Personally, I like the overall ratio composition of mirror to car. What I would suggest is to maybe stand much closer to the mirror and, since you can park the car in many different places, find a backdrop for your SP that might be more interesting.

Nice job.

Tuna

[drg]

I stumbled across this posting and was intrigued as I had posted a few days back a photo that turned in to a self portrait (though not really). It was taken while I was working a car show this past summer making custom portraits (a few) and documenting for owners (a lot of cars) what they were displaying.

Here's the link:


another shiny car picture

One situation every photographer encounters on occasion is how to stay out of the shot. Making pictures of building over the years has involved all kinds of "shenanigans" to keep me and/or the camera(s) out the the photo.

Self portraits are never just an image that includes the maker. The photographer who is included needs to be an element of the composition.

Then again, sometimes though, you''ve just got to have little fun

- CDP

[Seb]

I stumbled across this posting and was intrigued as I had posted a few days back a photo that turned in to a self portrait (though not really). It was taken while I was working a car show this past summer making custom portraits (a few) and documenting for owners (a lot of cars) what they were displaying.

Here's the link:


another shiny car picture

One situation every photographer encounters on occasion is how to stay out of the shot. Making pictures of building over the years has involved all kinds of "shenanigans" to keep me and/or the camera(s) out the the photo.

Self portraits are never just an image that includes the maker. The photographer who is included needs to be an element of the composition.

Then again, sometimes though, you''ve just got to have little fun

- CDP

Hello,

I gave a look at your picture and I feel ambivalent about it. I get the feel that the people passing by behind you weren't meant to be there. That being said, the hood of that car reflect so much that the end effect is rather interesting.

regards

Seb

[CarbonTerry]

OK, you nailed me. I don't like this approach at all. Maybe, because over the years I have seen a "jillion" pix exactly like it. There's nothing new here, except maybe to you.
Perhaps I'm being too exacting for the level of expertise that you may be experiencing currently. What I'm saying is that I don't know where you are on the "experience scale" and do not want to embarrass either one of us.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with you doing this type of pic. Just move on and use what you have learned here to take your next pic to a higher level.
That said, just taking "grab shots" can be a lot of fun too.

[CarbonTerry]

DRG,
I really like this one. For me it's tough to figure out what plane the image resides in. With or without you and the other reflections, I ike it.

[Seb]

OK, you nailed me. I don't like this approach at all. Maybe, because over the years I have seen a "jillion" pix exactly like it. There's nothing new here, except maybe to you.
Perhaps I'm being too exacting for the level of expertise that you may be experiencing currently. What I'm saying is that I don't know where you are on the "experience scale" and do not want to embarrass either one of us.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with you doing this type of pic. Just move on and use what you have learned here to take your next pic to a higher level.
That said, just taking "grab shots" can be a lot of fun too.

Thanks for your honnesty, this is what I wanted to hear. I tend to find that it is difficult for me to self grade my level of expertise. You may want to give a look at my personal gallery on this site to get an idea of the kind of picture I usually like to craft. (there are few pictures there at that point but I add one every once in a while).

Seb

[ShotsbyScott]

Neat idea Seb! I agree with Tuna! A nice orangee sunset would look good in this BG, with yourself being a little closer in. Also including Gary's suggestion of the mirror filling up most of the frame.
The idea is Cool!

Scott

[Seb]

Hi guys,

I am glad about the shared enthusiasm over that one.

Gary and Alex: I will post a diffrent crop of this picture when I get back home, with the mirror being bigger in the frame. One thing though, my PS skills not being astounishing, the edge betwen the mirror and the rest of the picture may look less interesting with the suggested crop. I have used both the eraser and the magnetic lasso and I couldn't get the lasso to perform a clean cut.

readingr, Scott and Tuna: Good idea here! The only thing is, the magnificient Mini Cooper S that was used for this picture isn't mine. Actually, I don't even own a car... This was shot in the parking lot of a Mini dealer last spring. That being said, I do find the suggestion to be very useful. I could apply it in plenty of others situations.

best regards to all

Seb

[bobbythebandit]

Excellent portrait, would it improve with a crop and remove the distraction of that piece of engine ?
Bobby

[Paul.S.]

I like the composition a great deal and the idea of the color occuring only in the chrome. Just my opinion mind you, but the reflection of the red body panels of the car throws me off, have you tried if not completely then partial desaturating the color?..

cheers...

P.

[Iamcndn]

is that a mini cooper...? hehe

Good abstract s.p.!

[Seb]

Hello guys,

Here are two new versions as promised.

I have decided to blur the edge betwen the mirror and the background with the water drop tool in order to hide its perfectible nature. While I don't know if it was the best thing to do or not, I must say that I rather like the result.

Seb

[readingr]

Excellent I like the clarity of the reflections in the mirror. The one question I have is - are the cars in the reflections on ramps? I would have prefered them to be removed for the shot.

[Seb]

Excellent I like the clarity of the reflections in the mirror. The one question I have is - are the cars in the reflections on ramps? I would have prefered them to be removed for the shot.

Thanks for commenting again. The cars you are reffering at do are a bunch of BMW's 3 series on ramps. I am not sure that I would like to have a part of the mirror cropped out but I do realise that the backdrop is perfectible.

regards

Seb

[gahspidy]

Seb,
Great job cropping and ps. Both of these I find appealing but was rather impressed immediately with the full frame mirror image. Yes, it could have been more if there was a better scene going on behind you, but as this stands with the clouds and the white line in the parking lot underlining you and just the interesting wide angle effect the mirror brings to us is good enough. I feel this is a fine self portrait full of creativity and appeal.

[Seb]

Seb,
Great job cropping and ps. Both of these I find appealing but was rather impressed immediately with the full frame mirror image. Yes, it could have been more if there was a better scene going on behind you, but as this stands with the clouds and the white line in the parking lot underlining you and just the interesting wide angle effect the mirror brings to us is good enough. I feel this is a fine self portrait full of creativity and appeal.

Hello Gary,

Thanks for the kind words. I am glad to know that these works for you.

Seb

[CarbonTerry]

My thoughts are that a self portrait should give some insight to the person that is the photographer.

[Seb]

My thoughts are that a self portrait should give some insight to the person that is the photographer.

Hello CarbonTerry,

I am sorry but I am not sure that I understand what you mean here. Could you further explain your thoughts?

regards

Seb

[CarbonTerry]

Sure....
Your pix are merely shots of your reflection in shiny car parts. They convey nothing to the viewer about who/what you are. The best portraits let the viewer into the soul of the subject. For example, the portrait of Winston Churchill by Joseuf Karsch (do a Google). This lets you know that you don't want to screw with this guy.
Rarely is a self portrait sucessful....
This is my very first attempt circa 1972

[gahspidy]

CarbonTerry,
I would agree with you on those points about self-Portraits, but I think the use of the term here is to be taken lightly. . just a sort of reference to the fact that the photographer is evident inthe shot. I have included my self in a number of my shots merely as a character to create a scene, but would not consider them to be self portraits. But I think there are many different types of self portraits, some of which fall into a more creative category, such as this and those that are more straight forward with the sole intent on giving the viewer the subject in his/her entirety. This "self Portrait" to me is more about the composition and creativity than it is about letting me know who the photographer is.
Just my take on all this. . .

[Seb]

Sure....
Your pix are merely shots of your reflection in shiny car parts. They convey nothing to the viewer about who/what you are. The best portraits let the viewer into the soul of the subject. For example, the portrait of Winston Churchill by Joseuf Karsch (do a Google). This lets you know that you don't want to screw with this guy.
Rarely is a self portrait sucessful....
This is my very first attempt circa 1972

Hello CarbonTerry,

Thanks for clearing things up. I have thought that this might be what you meant but I wasn't sure. Actually, I didn't meant to do a formal self portrait, I simply chose that title (innacurate, I admit) to refer to the fact that I was part of the picture.

I suppose that real self portraits must be very hard to do well. I can't figure out how I would make one work if I was to try it.

best regards

Seb