IMG_5035-2
Aug, 2015Views
245
Likes
Awards
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Exceptional Contrast
Outstanding Creativity
Top Ranks
Top 20 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 30 rank
Top 20 rank week 1
Top 30 rank week 1
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Rosemount, MN though the subject is a women who lives in India. She was visiting her daughter.Time
We were on the back porch and it was late afternoon the 4th of July.Lighting
This was all natural light. The day was sunny with some clouds - the light was just right.Equipment
I had my Canon 40D with a 50mm lens. That's all. As we talked I moved around the porch and she just sat and posed for me.Inspiration
I took this photo when I was staying with my girlfriend who lives in Minnesota. Her mother was visiting and so I asked to take her portrait. As she sat there she told me a little bit about her life in India. Hers was an arranged marriage that lasted 50 years until he passed away suddenly the year before. Even then as she told me about him her eyes filled with tears. He supported her education and was a very good husband. She is intelligent and strong and raised a strong daughter who has been a close friend of mine for about 20 years. Mainly I love this photo because it just oozes her sense of self and dignity and strength. My dream is to do "Elder Portraits" for a living and so I take any and every opportunity to do portraits of lovely elderly people when I can.Editing
I use Lightroom almost exclusively. In this case, my exposure was good so I didn't have to do much more than tweak it. In the end, I switched to BW to make it even more powerful.In my camera bag
Canon 40D, 50mm lens, 60mm lens, 28-105mm lens, extra batteries and CF cards.Feedback
I love taking portraits - but I usually spend some time first talking with the person I'm going to shoot. It helps to make them comfortable and trust me a little. I don't have any lighting equipment save for an off-camera flash - so I tend to shoot outside as much as I can. Some day maybe I'll have some studio equipment. But first and foremost with portraits, it's really good to have rapport and trust so that I can have fun and hopefully my subject will as well.
