Okay everyone, I’d really like some feedback on these! I’m putting up more than usual because some of them are photos that I know I didn’t quite hit the mark on and would appreciate if anyone had any suggestions on what I might be able to do to actually get there. All in all, I had fun with my cousins and I think that they made the ruins look pretty good!
Also, thanks again to Ben & Rachel for putting up with me and letting me boss you around. =)
(Please scroll down for the gallery – I’m working on trying to make it not appear all the way down there!!)
Tomorrow I’ll be shooting my cousins. I’m taking them to some ruins by my mom’s house and I’m looking forward to it. It’ll be pretty fun. I think it’ll give me the chance to play with some different techniques – plus I’ll be able to get some nice sibling pics. That’s not something I got to do a whole lot of at the portrait studio (especially teenagers). It’ll also give me a chance to explore the location – which I haven’t gotten a chance to do since the first Diana/Holga adventure with Kerri. Mine didn’t come out, so here are a few of Kerri’s.
I’m thinking a Diana redemption tomorrow!!
The English World Dictionary defines a portrait as a painting, drawing, sculpture, photograph, or other likeness of an individual, especially of the face. Wikipedia furthers that to include the subject’s mood and personality as part of the portrait.
If you didn’t get the gist by now… portraits are what I’m currently focusing on. I will be sticking to and possibly straying from this definition. My goal is to see what I can lend to and take from the idea of portraiture. I’ve got a week and a half left. Let’s do it.
I’m thinking that a self-portrait or two would be completely acceptable. Today, I started toying with a few ideas and I think that they totally suit me.
The last time I took a self-portrait was last summer. I was house-sitting at a farm. At night, except for the passing cars, it was completely dark. I got to know my “bulb” setting very well that night and had a lot of fun making that photo.
Prior to that, I was assigned to take this one for my photojournalism class with Monica Lopossay. I thought it would be fun to strip right down to the basics – while keeping it playful (kinda like me!).
I like keeping these a little playful, but I’m sure that I could use these self-portraits as a way of self-exploration, too.
So, as with any good project, you don’t do all your work without any research.
My mom sent me this website a few weeks ago. Jessica Barnak is a portrait photographer right here in Delaware. In fact, she lives just next door to my mother. Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten the chance to meet her yet, but I have been looking at her photos.
The photos she blogs are pretty stunning, whether they were shot inside or outside on location. They bring me a little bit closer to the classicness of portraits and how artsy and personal they can really be. I’m loving all of these location shots and am really feeling pushed to think about how I can use what’s around me to add to the photos I’ll be taking this week and next.
What’s really striking, though, are the expressions on the faces – especially those of the little kids. While working at the portrait studio, I shot a lot of different kids and got a lot of different expressions. After a while, many of the parents favorites became standard expressions that no longer spoke to me. Almost all of the photos I looked at on Jessica’s blog had something different to say to me.
That’s what I’m going to be aiming for.
