Enviromental Portraits

[BobDavid]

A few new ones (2nd round for the last two).

[RSL]

Interesting stuff, Bob. (But I do miss your fabulous nighttime pictures).

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

These are great!
(But I agree with Russ about the night shots.)

[BobDavid]

Thanks guys--I may someday revisit night photography. Though as of late, the muse hasn't been pointing me in that direction.   

[Telecaster]

Number 2 reminds me of the electronics potpourri shops in Manhattan my dad & I would browse through during visits to see his aunts, uncles & cousins in Hoboken. All those places were soon enough cleared out to make room for the World Trade Center.

-Dave-

[GreggP]

I like them. #1 (Mike) is my favorite

[elliot_n]

#1 lens cap
#2 umbrella reflection

[BobDavid]

#1 lens cap
#2 umbrella reflection

Yes, I unintentionally left my  footprint  in #1 (Olympus lens cap).  In the past, I would have cloned it out, but Russ has been a major influence. So now, I am not so inclined to muck around with what the camera recorded. ... In a way, I like the lens cap; it's a tip o' the hat to mft. I love shooting with my Pen F.

As for the umbrella reflection, I debated removing it for a nanosecond. I guess RSL has rewired my neural network.

I've learned a lot from this forum--the folks who post photos and those who comment about them.

[elliot_n]

Try gelling your flash (CTO). And bounce it, instead of using a brolly.

[BobDavid]

Try gelling your flash (CTO). And bounce it, instead of using a brolly.

Being that I was on a ladder and wasn't in a position to get too fussy with light (room was very dark and cramped), I think the lighting is fine. I could easily clone out the reflection of the umbrella. But then again, why bother? The main source of light came from the window opposite the back wall. If I'd bounced the light, it would have flattened the scene. If I were to retouch the picture, I'd make the reflection of the umbrella rounder.

[elliot_n]

The main source of light was your umbrella, not the window.

[BobDavid]

The main source of light was your umbrella, not the window.

The implied source of light, rather. ... Be my guest, clone out the light reflecting off the picture.

[elliot_n]

It's an interesting subject. Would its have been impossible to shoot with just the ambient light?

It's not just the reflection of the umbrella — overall, the umbrella is creating a cold, hard light that doesn't quite fit the scene (e.g. the hard shadows of the guitars by the other guy).

It's clearly a difficult scene to light (lots of reflective surfaces - e.g. the mirrorball - to reveal what you're doing). I would have lit it differently (using several gelled lights (maybe 1/4 CTO), bounced into white sheets fixed to the door and window frames). This would create a more natural looking light, but it wouldn't preclude the need for some photoshopping, so I would also shoot a reference frame with just the ambient light — so that I could paint in the mirrorball, picture-frame etc. to hide the lighting set-up.

[BobDavid]

It's an interesting subject. Would its have been impossible to shoot with just the ambient light?

It's not just the reflection of the umbrella — overall, the umbrella is creating a cold, hard light that doesn't quite fit the scene (e.g. the hard shadows of the guitars by the other guy).

It's clearly a difficult scene to light (lots of reflective surfaces - e.g. the mirrorball - to reveal what you're doing). I would have lit it differently (using several gelled lights (maybe 1/4 CTO), bounced into white sheets fixed to the door and window frames). This would create a more natural looking light, but it wouldn't preclude the need for some photoshopping, so I would also shoot a reference frame with just the ambient light — so that I could paint in the mirrorball, picture-frame etc. to hide the lighting set-up.

I used one light, an Elinchrom hybrid to-go kit. I'm a retired photographer. Yes, I know how to light. No, it would not have been possible to shoot without it--at least to keep the entire scene in focus and to ensure the guys wouldn't blur out. They were working, and I was a guest. If this had been a commercial shoot, I'd have approached it differently. ... I think the story comes across--that is the intent.

The light was placed parallel and perpendicular to the plate glass window (approximately 6 feet off the ground). ... There was another employee as well as a trickle of customers coming through. My objective, as a guest, was to stay out of the way and not disrupt the business. 

I am open to critique; that's why I posted the picture here.  I see your points, appreciate the time you've expended on this... How about we leave it at that rather than beat a dead horse.

[elliot_n]

How about we leave it at that rather than beat a dead horse.

Sure, let's leave it. (I only chimed in as I do a lot of this kind of work myself.)

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I think the story comes across--that is the intent.

It certainly does come across.