Portrait of an Englishwoman - Andrew




It looks posed, but actually she was just looking out the window.

Camera:   G2
Lens:   45mm
Film:   Ilford FP4
Exposure:   F4, auto exp +2/3EV
Flash:  
Support:  
Filter:  
Adjustment:  
Posted:   03-Jul-2002

Rating: 7.33 (3 ratings)

Comments

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These are the kinds of candids I enjoy...catching someone in a moment of reflection, and this is a good one. Just wish her hand weren't covering her mouth, as I'd like to bask in her expression and the elegance of her profile. B&W was a good choice here, and I like the person in the background mirroring the main subject.

Robert Mirani     03-Jul-2002 at 21:18

Thanks,

I thot of stopping down to f2.0 to get rid of the guy behind but would have risked camera shake. The London-Camb. train has lots of sideways movement. The bangles on her arm also distracts from the main subject, don't you think?

Andrew     03-Jul-2002 at 23:29

No

doesn't sound right. Camera shake risk would have been lower.

Andrew     03-Jul-2002 at 23:33

Revealing . . .

Andrew -- it was a nice dare taken to capture the moment. Lincoln's comment concerning the 'tree' is valid--in my viewpoint. Some post processing might alleviate this minor distraction.
The male figure in the left hand side of the image is complimentary, and adds interesting balance to the scene. Her bangles -- are pretty--revealing--accessories to her personality.
Overall, I find the exposure and composition of this informal portrait effective and communicative
Additionally, Andrew, did you process your BW? The grain is well rendered. I need to use your lab ;-)

Jerome Belthrop     04-Jul-2002 at 03:57

Yes.

I agree wiith Linc (welcome back, by the way, we've been missing you lately). As far as I can remember, we haven't seen this kind of mood in portaits or candids on the site, and I like it because of the delicacy it conveys. The rest of the scene is simply 'difficult to deal with' in a technical sense.

Wilfred van der Vegte     04-Jul-2002 at 04:50

Yes, Linc, we need your critical critics-- welcome -- back.

Jerome Belthrop     04-Jul-2002 at 07:02

Thanks

for all the comments. I will have to Photoshop this to get rid of the "trees" should I ever want to print this out. ( I have shots of several other women friends which aren't printed out, 'cos my wife might get insecure!). I didn't really see the excellent hand position until the film was processed, scanned in. Looking at them now, they are central to the whole pose. I don't remember whether I developed the film myself or sent it to a lab-that year I did both to my films. Anyway, I wouldn't remember the developer I used, which would be the crucial thing.

Andrew     04-Jul-2002 at 17:24