clockwise from top left:
Sean - university student
Jon - local TV personality
Giorgio - owns mediterranean restaurant
Sophie - working at National Trust
Nancy - volunteer at the almshouses
A selection of my strangers' portraits in b&w - about 10% of the total.
I got to thinking what makes a good colour or b&w portrait?
I think what makes a good portrait is finding the essence of the person or a meaningful moment and portraying that. Portraits are something I am keen to learn how to do well, I don't have the skill yet. I always enjoy yours though.
That's a really interesting comment, thank you. I think it's essential to have an accompanying story to a portrait (even, say if you didn't include it) and I think now I tend to talk more first to the subject rather than asking for a portrait first which I did when I started my strangers' project. The chat opens up the communication I think.
Excellent Hazel, you are a portrait expert, these are super stranger shots! My fave is the top right, lots of lovely detail of stubble I like the back ground, it doesn't detract at all & the whole photo tells a story without words.
The portrait of Jon included a little adventure. He has his own show on local TV and when I saw him he was being filmed in Winchester. They needed two extras so Ray and I ended up being those two! I converted the portrait to b&w because the background was too busy in colour. I didn't have my camera + portrait lens with me so used my little Sony which takes a mean portrait.
That's a really interesting comment, thank you. I think it's essential to have an accompanying story to a portrait (even, say if you didn't include it) and I think now I tend to talk more first to the subject rather than asking for a portrait first which I did when I started my strangers' project. The chat opens up the communication I think.
The portrait of Jon included a little adventure. He has his own show on local TV and when I saw him he was being filmed in Winchester. They needed two extras so Ray and I ended up being those two! I converted the portrait to b&w because the background was too busy in colour. I didn't have my camera + portrait lens with me so used my little Sony which takes a mean portrait.
I think you did have a project of 50 mono portraits?
I think that was quite a disciplined project, Phil. Maybe I will try it some time.