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[mike642]

Here's an image with my new 50mm F1.4, I like the shallow depth of field, but can't decide if It's too shallow.

Mike

[Ronnoco]

Why the strange brown, black and white?

Ronnoco

[mike642]

I used a sepia toning action in photoshop, then upped the contrast a little

[Ronnoco]

I used a sepia toning action in photoshop, then upped the contrast a little

I think that use of the sepia toning action only works well, for something that could pass as an old photo, given clothes, background, look, etc.

One rule of photography and video for both shooting and editing, is that every choice you make must be justified by the subject and other elements in your shot and the viewer must be able to "see" why you made those choices and how they fit in to the effectiveness of the work.

Ronnoco

[Lava Lamp]

Here's an image with my new 50mm F1.4, I like the shallow depth of field, but can't decide if It's too shallow.

Mike

Like it. You have the kid dead center with kinda dead space to either side. I'd crop it to a vertical shot and like it a bit more. The contrast seems a bit flat, too.

[molaselake]

I'd have to disagree with Lava Lamp. If you cropped it vertically, you'd lose the great out of focus buidings (or whaever that is) in the background and I think they add to the photograph as a whole. The expression on the kids face really grabs you and the fact that he's in the center kind of goes hand in hand with the expression.You don't usually look off to the side when you're suprised, you look at something head-on. In regard to the sepia tone, I really don't think it matters WHAT monochromatic color you decide to make your pictures. Everything is processed digitally nowadays, so make it green for all I care! As long as there is a nice range of tone and the picture is well done, it doesn't really matter. I kind of wish there were more of the kid in the picture, but that could just be personal taste. Aside from that, I'd say you have a pretty decent photo here.

[mike642]

Thats why I kept the horizontal crop. I really think the blown out, out of focus background adds to the photograph.

Thanks for the responses.

Mike