Photos Grandfather [update 15/09/2011]

After my grandmother died a few months ago, I realised my grandparents won't be around forever, so I've started spending a little more time with them and took a bunch of pictures as well. I like this one a lot. Let me know what you think!



Canon 5D + EF 85mm F1.8 ; in Av-mode
Exif: ISO800; F1.8; 1/320; 0ev
Used aperture to make this Sepia and crop it square

 

Great shot. He looks like a great guy, enjoy his company while you can. I never knew my grandparents at all and now they have all passed on.

 

Awesome photo, as said, enjoy your time with the old guys! My eldest living relative is my nan(mothers side) and I try to spend as much as possible!

 

Wow great photo!

 

Excellent portrait. I see a lot of emotion in the photo and it makes me want to meet him - there's a life of stories in those eyes and, from looking at this photo, I feel like I want to listen to those stories. The chosen post processing only adds to this, giving it that timeless feel.

My only suggestion would be to clone out (or blur) some of the visible hair strands sticking on the right hand side of your grandfather. I feel that would help to draw the viewer into those eyes and prevent them from wandering around. I found my eyes kept returning to those hair strands for some reason.

 

One of the better images that has been posted here. Well done.

 

This. I only, barely knew one grandmother.

 

Great shot mate.

 

Thanks for all the reactions! I will have a go at removing those hairs, they are indeed a bit distracting. Thanks for the suggestion

 

I love these style of shots.
Well captured and nice lighting.
I think in this case the sepia works well to add warmth.

 

Beautifully executed, and makes me want to go do the same type of thing. I guess it's a reminder to me about my grandparents, cause I just saw Cthippo's earlier and it really tugged at the ol' heart strings.

 

As promised I had a go at blurring out those lose hairs. I've also dodge'ed the eyes slightly to make them 'pop' even more. I think it's quite subtle and really works well. What do you guys think?



I also visited my other grandfather and made a photo-impression of him as well. It's not as "fun" as the other one, but he is more serious and I wanted the portraits to represent the person as well was possible.

 

Why monochrome?

 

It's not something I use often but I think it works very well with these images (and the subject). I feel it's warmer then a classic bw.

 

I meant monochrome as in not colour. I'd like to see them in colour.

 

In colour they won't look as good... I know this without having seen the originals.

Portraits look allways best in black/white or sepia.

 

Always? You sure? LOL I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to give some evidence for that statement Or was that just your opinion? Would you not find it limiting to ALWAYS shoot portraits in black and white, for every subject regardless of age, style, location or type? You are limiting yourself to one style. Would you not become a one trick pony if everytime you shot a portrait it was in black and white? What if colour was important? Still shoot in B&W?

This rule must have passed me by

What about the work of people like Julian Germain...

How would this be better in black & white?

 

I don't agree that black & white or sepia is better for every picture. I do believe it works very well for the shots of my grandparents. I love to use color for headshots, especially if they have bright eyes, like in these two shots I took yesterday of some visiting relatives (father and daughter's). Yes, I know they are too grainy.

 

What happened to your white balance?

 

This isn't a portrait, but a full body shot....

And for the other pictures....



Black and white or sepia has way higher contrast (ISO 400+) and that is what you want for portraits in general.