I took this shot just after breakfast (and at the breakfast table) on our last morning at the B&B in Eastbourne.
The background was not the best so quite a close crop. I've learnt from my strangers' project that the background is almost always not the best in an impromptu portrait.
I've now received my Batdorff, recommended by Ann @olivetreeann for flashofred2016 and what an interesting and useful book it is.
From the section on portraits, two quotes:
"Portrait photography is less about technical skills and more about good people skills"
"What Leonardo (da Vinci) knew and what still holds true to this day is that everything comes down to the eyes."
Your portraits are really good Hazel! It is an area that I am not comfortable with at all! So I'm always impressed with yours. And with your strangers I can see you do have excellent people skills because they always seem quite natural. Now you'll have some added things to learn doing portraits in black and white.
Kane, thanks for the fav and advice. I think the Batis is not compatible with my Sony a6000 - or with my pocket! But useful to note it has a longer focal length than my portrait lens and I have used my long zoom lens for portraits sometimes when 'accosting' a stranger out of doors. Something to consider but not really possible to ask them to wait while I change lens though!!
@quietpurplehaze I'm sure the E mount lenses used on the A7 series fit your camera. It is an amazing lens, you are right, it is quite expensive, but wow the photos I have seen photos from the A6000 they really are quite amazing. Perhaps something to save for :)
Well I'm thinking that when I wrote the Batis is not compatible with my pocket what I really meant is that my brain is not comfortable with spending nearly £1,000 on a camera lens!!!
Probably something cheeky about me always taking photos!!!!!
Kane, thanks for the fav and advice. I think the Batis is not compatible with my Sony a6000 - or with my pocket! But useful to note it has a longer focal length than my portrait lens and I have used my long zoom lens for portraits sometimes when 'accosting' a stranger out of doors. Something to consider but not really possible to ask them to wait while I change lens though!!
Well I'm thinking that when I wrote the Batis is not compatible with my pocket what I really meant is that my brain is not comfortable with spending nearly £1,000 on a camera lens!!!