Results of a headshot workshop

[tiggert]

Hi folks,

Here is the first scan, results of a headshots workshop we were working on this past weekend.

Oh how I love the look of natural light! Makes things naturally soft!

Tech details: Mamiya 7ii, 80mm lens, TMAX 400 (EI 250), Rollo Pyro development (70degF @ 9min) metered the lightest side of the face for Zone 7, the darkest shadows on the wall behind her left shoulder metered Zone 2. (Yes, even with the MF camera I still think Zones...even on the Digital camera I still think Zones, and it works!) Kept the lens as open as I could at f5.6 so I could blur out the bricks behind her head. Don't like to hand shoot less than 1/60 so was locked in there.

Levels and curved to even out the contrast, probably a Gr 3 paper printing. Added a little edge burning in PS after the scan, healed 2 dust spots and tiny dust bunny hair(from the development). Otherwise no real manipulation (I am a purist that way, if I can't do it on the enlarger, I try not to do it in "post"...just me)

Comments or Questions are welcome!

[Runmonty]

Beautiful shot. Stunning light and nicely posed, and composed. Thanks for sharing your set up.

[Marko]

hey tiggert! I dig darkroom purists big time and hope to see more work soon.
Lovely light in this image

[Doug L]

Nicely done. Thanks for posting and sharing details.

[Iguanasan]

It is a very lovely portrait. I feel like there's a little too much of the "black mass" on the left for my taste (maybe a tighter crop?) but there is absolutely no fault to be found with the portrait portion of the image.

[tiggert]

Thanks everyone glad you enjoyed it! I agree @Iguanassan if I were making this to be a headshot (for her to hand out for gigs), I would tighten it up, and probably will make a version for her for that. But it brings up a point I like to use in my workshops and teaching that I'd like to share...

When I look at images, I try to envision "what is happening here, why did the artist choose this crop/lighting/format?" I think as artists we should try to do just that, to tell stories with our images. An image is worth 1,000 words right? So what 1,000 words are you putting with your image? When I look at an image I also try to envision what exactly is the artist trying to say? And as photographer, when I work on images I look for the story to tell..sometimes subconsciously, sometimes intentionally.

Sometimes the story it is simple, here is a pretty girl, or here is a nice sunset. I have volumes of those ;-) Sometimes a crop or a change in contrast can pop a story out of a image. As story tellers, sometimes we hit, sometimes we miss. Sometimes images resonate with some people, other times they don't. I love Shakespeare my dad can't stand it. That's cool and just part of life...

In this case, this crop and design tells the whole story. My "artistic" statement is a three part story (rule of thirds applies to all art forms):
-the dark part is the unknown, what she is looking at? A lover leaving perhaps? The dark allows the viewer to create a story in their mind...the graduated burn pulls the eye to Act 2
-The window, playing the part of the go-between act 1 an the climax of act 3. It creates a space between the known and unknown, and a conduit for the story to evolve in your mind.
-Then finally the climax of the story her face...Almost a sad face, not quite, but almost...

The story would be different if she was looking excited and happy. Same crop/lighting/etc and just a small facial expression change and you would have a different 1,000 words

So before I sound to artsy, the reality ultimately is I was just having fun photographing a pretty girl ;-)

[Lorey]

Very nice portrait. I love b/w.