Photo Challenge #6 2/4-2/18

ApparentlyNothing · 02-03-2008, 06:42 PM

I wanted something we haven't done yet. The first thing that came to mind was portraits. Thus, the next challenge is this...

Take a portrait of someone.

Simple enough... but here are the rules.

They MUST be looking at the camera. None of this fake, pensive look. Really capture the essence of the person. No candid shots. Let's leave that for a future challenge. This challenge is all about genuinely interacting with the person in the photo - you the photographer and subsequently the viewer of the photo. They can be expressing any sort of emotion to any degree you want.
It can't be a self-portrait. Let's leave that for a future challenge too.
Photo must be taken between 2/4 and 2/18, keeping EXIF embedded in the photo.

A couple suggestions (but not rules): Keep it simple. Choose your subject wisely. Boring people make for boring portraits. Find someone interesting. Interact with them. Capture the moment.

As a bonus challenge, take a photo of a complete stranger and get their story.

**jump5fan** · 02-04-2008, 09:46 AM

currect me if i'm wrong but you should make sure you have the person's permission before taking their picture and posting it on the web right?

ApparentlyNothing · 02-04-2008, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jump5fan

currect me if i'm wrong but you should make sure you have the person's permission before taking their picture and posting it on the web right?

For taking their picture, you definitely have to, because these are not candid shots. If it's a candid shot, it's against the rules. The subject should have full knowledge that you're taking a photo of them. I guess they could know and not want you to and you do it anyways, but you're probably not going to get a very good shot of them that way, as they'll be putting their hand up or turning away or whatever. Plus, it's just bad manners. This is part of the challenge - dealing with having to interact with a person to get their photo instead of hiding and them not knowing and figuring out the best way to go about it.

As for putting it online, technically I don't think it matters since you own the photo, not them. However, if you think there's any chance the person wouldn't want their photo on the internet (in this generation of web 2.0, that seems unlikely unless they feel the photo is really intimate), then I suggest you ask for permission. But it isn't required.

Ordinary Sarah · 02-06-2008, 01:45 AM

Oooh, I like this challenge *obviously*

As far as permission goes... I know that, if you are going to display the photo in any way to endorse something or sell something, you need their permission. However, if you're using it for a portfolio or a personal project like that, I don't think you need their explicit permission. I think it's just understood that if someone walks up and asks to take your photo, by saying yes you're giving them permission to use it.

Dice · 02-09-2008, 01:07 PM

So it has to be digital? I've quite taken to film and like taking portaits of my friends like this:

non-submission - click here

Though that isn't all that good because it was dark so I had trouble focusing and I had 400 film so it was like 1/8 of a second (and the vertial streak on his face because of stupid walmart--never again!)

ApparentlyNothing · 02-09-2008, 01:15 PM

No, it can be film. I guess that makes the EXIF part difficult. Just keep any metadata you can from the scan and add some manually if you want. I suppose everyone who shoots with film is just on the honor system that it was actually taken between the required dates.

**Rainer.** · 02-09-2008, 01:30 PM

I've been doing film for most of the contests, personally.

But try to remember your settings for shutter and aperture when you shoot.

ApparentlyNothing · 02-09-2008, 01:31 PM

Some inspiration/good reading. A bit long, but worth the time and effort.

http://exposurecompensation.com/2008...reat-portrait/

A good excerpt.

Quote:

In the end, what strikes us is the feel we have for the subject, and not, strictly speaking, how the photographer ’shot’ it. There is a full visual combination - texture, light, expression, the eyes and regard of the subject - those are the pieces that attack our senses as a viewer. Do I feel something inside - a reaction which I cannot express? Do I sense a moment of tension, humor, a subtle knowing flutter when I connect with the eyes of the subject. Does he, does she speak to me? Do I want to know more about them? That is, in the end, the point: take me to that person, that group, and make me want to know more, more, more about them.

Dice · 02-09-2008, 01:38 PM

Haha, well I've only shot 3 rolls (it's been a love-at-first-shot thing for me) so I'm not sure how good I'll do at completely manual. We'll see how things turn out.

RipVanWinkle · 02-09-2008, 03:56 PM

We really need to establish some rules about post. I took some pictures for this contest at night with a guy, and I had to do quite a bit of photochopping to get it looking decent.

Guitar4God · 02-09-2008, 06:57 PM

Correct me if I am wrong, but in reading the first post here, this is a challenge, not a contest.

Thanks,
Guitar4God

tht00 · 02-09-2008, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guitar4God

Correct me if I am wrong, but in reading the first post here, this is a challenge, not a contest.

Thanks,
Guitar4God

It's a contest... same thing, really. Anyone can enter. The winner (by vote) gets to set the parameters for the next contest.

Take a look at the previous contests in the forum to see how they flow.

Guitar4God · 02-09-2008, 07:33 PM

Thanks tht00, now I can convince my brother to sign up at this site. He will do well in this area as I follow his lead.

Guitar4God

ApparentlyNothing · 02-09-2008, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RipVanWinkle

We really need to establish some rules about post. I took some pictures for this contest at night with a guy, and I had to do quite a bit of photochopping to get it looking decent.

No rules in terms of post-processing. Edit to your hearts content. Messing with exposure, sharpness, color, cropping, clone stamping, even diptychs/triptychs/etc are fine. However, I suppose the line should be drawn at the point where it's more photo-manipulation than photography. If it makes your photo better, go for it. If it makes your photo into something else, then probably not.

RipVanWinkle · 02-09-2008, 09:17 PM

What about HDR (combining 3 images with different levels of exposure?)