A simple smile
Sometimes, all it takes is a simple smile to make me feel that I’ve captured a portrait well. In this instance, the pose was natural and that smile of her’s really got to me. There’s a glow in her eyes too and I can’t help smiling inside because of it.
That’s one thing I like about photographing people from undeveloped regions. They’ve not been conditioned from an early age to go into a rigid stance and turn on the most horrific ‘cheese-mode’ smile. I use the word ‘horrific’ appropriately.
So this lady in Baktapur, Kathmandu Valley, due to decades of not being photographed has responded well considering she’s probably never had a camera weilded in front of her before. Of course I’d like to give all credit to that part of the image making process to myself, but I think it’s more to do with spontenaety and lack of conditioning on her part.
Hello, Bruce
what’s the f number for this shot? approximately.
I tried 1.8f with some shots and it is quite hard not to blur some important detail on the face. Need more practice I think. But this one is probalby 1.5 or 1.2?
Comment by goosetea — 23 July, 2009 @ 8:27 am
Hi Goose Tea,
This is a medium format shot, so the standard lens is 80mm. Because of the lack of light, I was shooting wide open so it will have been f2. But bear in mind the lens is 80mm, so the depth of field is even more shallow than a 50mm.
I’m not too crazy about getting the entire face in focus. I personally feel it’s all about ‘painting’, and so long as the eyes are sharp, then the creamy blur that is introduced anywhere else around the face only ads to the ‘painterly’ effect.
Comment by Bruce Percy — 23 July, 2009 @ 8:40 am
Apologies, but I thought you were asking about the latest image on my blog. I think this image was shot at f4, but I can’t quite remember.
Comment by Bruce Percy — 23 July, 2009 @ 9:59 am
thank you for your answer, Bruce
As I was watching your works I wanted to try this shallow depth and I when I had the lens I did, but then I somehow drifted in other direction ’cause girls I was shooting wouldn’t understand.
I am going to try it again. It is interesting take on protraits. I’ll try to focus on the eyes, expression.
thanks again
Comment by goosetea — 24 July, 2009 @ 7:59 am
Before I read anything you wrote about this image I thought that the woman had a definite warm feeling to her. She seems like a very inviting person. I completely with the horrific “cheese mode” comment. People here in the U.S. just don’t know how to be natural in front of a camera.
Comment by mattken85 — 24 July, 2009 @ 9:35 pm