Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Fortnightly Challenge April 13 - 27 : Environmental Portraits

Designer Dale

Designer Dale

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Mar 25, 2009
3,950
101
Folding space
The purpose of the Challenge is to provide a venue where photographers of all skill levels can work to improve their craft by shooting along a common topic for two weeks - one fortnight. Helpful comments and critiques are key to reaching the intended goal - better photography.

About Your Photos

Shoot for the topics listed on the schedule. You may shoot for upcoming topics, but post photos only to their matching Challenges.

You may post as many photos as you wish for any one Challenge.

About Your Comments

Comments are critical to the success of the Challenge. If you post a photo, add a comment to another one. If you are only viewing, please add your comments, too.

Comments should be meaningful, something that the photographer can use to improve his/her work. Explain why you like or dislike a photo. Spend a moment looking at a photo before commenting on it. Try to answer the question "I like this photo because…" It really helps the photographer.

The Topic Schedule

Patterns: March 30 - April 12

Environmental Portraits: April 13 - April 27

Perspective: April 28 - May 11

Dale
 
Thanks for starting us off.

I missed the last challenge so I'll have a go now and maybe you can tell me if I've got the right idea for the concept. I met this little chap last week.

img02573copy.jpg
 
Environmental portrait

I wondered what this topic meant. Wikipedia says: "An environmental portrait is a portrait executed in the subject's usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject's life and surroundings. ...

"By photographing a person in their natural surroundings, it is thought that you will be able to better illuminate their character, and therefore portray the essence of their personality, rather than merely a likeness of their physical features. It is also thought that by photographing a person in their natural surroundings, the subject will be more at ease, and so be more conducive to expressing themselves, as opposed to in a studio, which can be a rather intimidating and artificial experience."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_portrait

I hope this info helps others!

~ Waybo

Ooops! After I posted this, I found that Designer Dale had posted more info on the previous challenge, so I'm sharing his info here:


Designer Dale said:
"... Here are some info links on the concept:
Digital Photography School
And the Wiki Link (of course)

Don't limit yourself to people, be creative with the concept. Remember that the environment is key.

Dale
Click to expand...

Thanks, Dale! :)
 
Last edited:
Rebuilding after 9/11

One of my all-time favorite shots, taken with a cheap P&S in 2005, this worker was taking a break inside his truck, as he worked on rebuilding at the site of the World Trade Center. (Sorry, I know I was supposed to take the photo specifically for this challenge, but this picture is special to me: It was a gloomy day, and a sad location, but the way this guys face lit up when asked if we could take a picture showed HOPE!)

5616401730_8e62b973d8_z.jpg
 
Last edited:
Waybo said:
One of my all-time favorite shots, taken with a cheap P&S in 2005, this worker was taking a break inside his truck, as he worked on rebuilding at the site of the World Trade Center. (Sorry, I know I was supposed to take the photo specifically for this challenge, but this picture is special to me: It was a gloomy day, and a sad location, but the way this guys face lit up when asked if we could take a picture showed HOPE!)

5616401730_8e62b973d8_z.jpg
Click to expand...

The photo itself is nice but like you said, it was with a cheap P&S. That being said, I think you did a great job capturing a particular moment. You can see that he is tired but gave you his best in that moment. Probably just like he does on the job. The backstory, of course, makes the photo all the better.
 
Friend's friend wanted to do a City themed shoot aiming to get promo pics for a musical venture. City guy wanted city pics. BAM- environmental! This is actually one of my favorite portraits I have ever taken :eek:

Burnsville-Portrait-Photographer-2.jpg


JDavis- GREAT shot! Is the little one yours?

Waybo- Good shot. The back-story more than compensates for the dastardly "P&S" aspect ;)

Ish- Nice take on the Topic, but if I were in your shoes I would have gotten much closer with a higher exposure. Too much blown out background and the lizard is way underexposed.
 
MattSepeta said:
Friend's friend wanted to do a City themed shoot aiming to get promo pics for a musical venture. City guy wanted city pics. BAM- environmental! This is actually one of my favorite portraits I have ever taken :eek:
Burnsville-Portrait-Photographer-2.jpg
Click to expand...
Nice take on the topic. Framing and lighting is nicely done -especially the lighting. I seem to want to see more of the subject's face, though. I like eye contact on photos of people.

Waybo said:
One of my all-time favorite shots, taken with a cheap P&S in 2005, this worker was taking a break inside his truck, as he worked on rebuilding at the site of the World Trade Center. (Sorry, I know I was supposed to take the photo specifically for this challenge, but this picture is special to me: It was a gloomy day, and a sad location, but the way this guys face lit up when asked if we could take a picture showed HOPE!)

5616401730_8e62b973d8_z.jpg
Click to expand...
Sometimes it's better to have captured the moment rather that let it pass because you dont have your A gear. I like the feel of the shot and it is well composed. Long live the P&S. :cool:

JDDavis said:
In her element.

p464977128-5.jpg
Click to expand...
Kids make for great subjects and they always seem to be in their environment no matter where they are. The soft focus on the bars and sharpness on her face really make this a nice shot. Fill flash to add highlights to her eyes would be icing on the cake.

Dale
 
I'm gonna pull one from the archives for my first entry, too. I got this sushi chef at work a few months back.

 
Designer Dale said:
Kids make for great subjects and they always seem to be in their environment no matter where they are. The soft focus on the bars and sharpness on her face really make this a nice shot. Fill flash to add highlights to her eyes would be icing on the cake.

Dale
Click to expand...

A fill flash would've been great. It was just one of those spur of the moment shots. I can't really stage shots with her. She's on the move to much and when you ask her (like most kids) to pose for something you get full on cheese. I think the best kid shots are when they aren't really expecting it and you can really see the true emotions in thier faces. These days with all the digital cameras and phone cameras kids are trained early to put on thier camera face anytime they see someone pointing one at them.
 
Keleko said:
I'm gonna pull one from the archives for my first entry, too. I got this sushi chef at work a few months back.

[url=http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5009/5376851264_5a5e7ce9b3_b.jpg]Image[/URL]
Click to expand...

Cool shot. I like the colors alot. A little soft all the way around. A tripod would've helped but I doubt you had that opportunity. One thing I forget to do every time is raise the ISO a bit to get a little faster shutter speed. I'm not sure what your ISO was here but going from 200 to 320 might have gotten you into a faster shutter speed.

Edit: Found your EXIF on Flickr. Your were at 1600 and 1/50th. Not much more you could do without a tripod. It actually looks sharper on flickr than on Macrumors.
 
JDDavis said:
Cool shot. I like the colors alot. A little soft all the way around. A tripod would've helped but I doubt you had that opportunity. One thing I forget to do every time is raise the ISO a bit to get a little faster shutter speed. I'm not sure what your ISO was here but going from 200 to 320 might have gotten you into a faster shutter speed.

Edit: Found your EXIF on Flickr. Your were at 1600 and 1/50th. Not much more you could do without a tripod. It actually looks sharper on flickr than on Macrumors.
Click to expand...

It was definitely a handheld spur of the moment picture. The restaurant was dark, so the high ISO was obviously necessary. I'm happy with what I managed to get in spite of the setting. Also, if I remember right, my dinner is the one on the left, and it was very good. :)
 
Keleko said:
I'm gonna pull one from the archives for my first entry, too. I got this sushi chef at work a few months back.

[url=http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5009/5376851264_5a5e7ce9b3_b.jpg]Image[/URL]
Click to expand...

I, too, enjoyed this picture. My eyes are drawn to the chef and the lighting gives some character to his face. But what I am next drawn to is the blue lighting on the stacked dishes in the top left hand corner. Kind of gives it an other-worldly look. At least , that's what my brain sees!
 
Designer Dale said:
5376851264_5a5e7ce9b3_b.jpg

I really like the lighting in this photo. The highlights on the chef and his cook stuff really seperate the subject from the background. His face is too shadowed, but sometimes you just take what the available light gives you and go from there.

Dale
Click to expand...

The light was above him so it lit up the food and his work area, but since he was looking down that obviously darkened his face. At first I was trying to get him looking at me, but I actually like that he's looking down in the picture I got.

fcortese said:
I, too, enjoyed this picture. My eyes are drawn to the chef and the lighting gives some character to his face. But what I am next drawn to is the blue lighting on the stacked dishes in the top left hand corner. Kind of gives it an other-worldly look. At least , that's what my brain sees!
Click to expand...

I haven't really looked at the dishes in blue closely. They mostly fade into the background for me, but now that you made me look at them again, I see what you mean. The blue light and shadows from the shelves and items give kind of an ominous feel to the background.
 
5485008028_19e96045f4_b.jpg


I know, really not the most fantastic picture. I suppose you could call it passengers in 'their environment', but you could say it was both a photographer and his subjects comfortable in their environment, as, for reasons completely unknown, I have a bizarre love of air terminals.
 
Sagres point

Witchy Hair, Sagres Point, Portugal.
 

Attachments

  • Dina's Witchy Hair 12224983.jpg
    Dina's Witchy Hair 12224983.jpg
    37.6 KB · Views: 119
I finally got one specifically for the challenge. I've been planning this one for almost a week! Now, open wide! :)

 
Easter Turkey!

Finally had time to review my Easter photos, before the deadline for the challenge ended! I rather like this. What do you honestly think? How could I have made it better?

5661337767_3a10c8d36d_z.jpg


Auto ISO, camera selected 1600. 32mm. f/4. 1/200.
 
Waybo said:
Finally had time to review my Easter photos, before the deadline for the challenge ended! I rather like this. What do you honestly think? How could I have made it better?
Click to expand...

I haven't checked if you have a larger version, but looking at it screen-sized here on the forum I don't think I'd change anything much at all. The light is good, you've captured a moment well. I guess you could play with a wider aperture, maybe f/2, but that would just be slightly different, not necessarily better at all.
 
Waybo said:
Finally had time to review my Easter photos, before the deadline for the challenge ended! I rather like this. What do you honestly think? How could I have made it better?

image

Auto ISO, camera selected 1600. 32mm. f/4. 1/200.
Click to expand...

I like the photo, too. Nice job of casual portraiture. Photographing people with glasses from the side is always problematical, but it gets a pass in photos like this.

Anyone can start the next thread this evening, whenever that is in your time zone. If it's not up in the morning (West coast) i'll do that.

Dale

Note: I'm having difficulty "unwrapping" the new tags in replies that reference Flickr. I would appreciate help from a more successful dude that me. Hit me a PM.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back