A Pretty Subject!

[Patricia Joyce]

I thought my next piece needed to be of a young woman. This is my niece and a few sample shots with my new camera. She will be fun to do! Graphite on Stonehenge...

[Patricia Joyce]

Choice No 2

[Patricia Joyce]

Choice no 3

[Patricia Joyce]

And No 5

[John Zeissig]

Hi Pat,

She's very pretty, and not camera/posing shy. She'll make a good subject for you. I prefer #1 or #3 if you're going to go with one of these.

All of them show a certain amount of distortion. It looks as though these were shot with a short focal length lens (less than 50 mm). You can tell this by the way the straight verticals in the background appear to be curved. The distortion is most prominent in #2, resulting in a convex "funhouse mirror" effect that makes the distance between her eyes and the bottom of her chin occupy more area than they would with your naked eye. It's too bad, because I really like her expression in that one, but I'm sure she's a lot prettier than it appears in that shot.

I dont know what camera you're using, but if you have a 70-80 mm lens you could reduce the distortion considerably.

Cheers & Happy New Year.

John

[John Zeissig]

Sorry, Pat, I meant to say I prefer #1 or #5, the last one, not #3!

John

[Patricia Joyce]

Thanks for the insight. Yes, I see I was too close. I am using a Minolta DiMage 100. The focal lens length is only 7.8 - 23.4 mm range. Would I have been better off to sit further away from her?

I too prefer the first shot and am eager to get home tonight and begin. Will post my progress in drawings critique. I completed a couple sketches of her live yesterday. Feeling real good about this one.

[Mike McCarty]

The focal lens length is only 7.8 - 23.4 mm range

Patricia,

I agree with John's analysis. This lens is much too short for portrait work. If this is a digital camera, and if my memory serves me correctly, to get the equivalent focal length that we were used to with film cameras you would multiply your numbers by 1.6%. This brings your 23.4 up to 37.4. This is still not adequate and is causing a distortion that you would not want to replicate.

[Patricia Joyce]

Would I get less distortion if I stood further back from the subject? I am bummed. I guess I should not retire my 35mm just yet then. I am a terrible photographer and liked the ability to see my shot before leaving the subject.

[Mike McCarty]

As to whether you would get less distortion by moving back ... I don't know, I'm not a technical wizard, but I doubt it.

As far as seeing the shot before you leave the subject ... The shot is always there through the viewfinder. I know the instant gratification must be addictive but people have been taking good photographs for a very long time without this ability.

At any rate, your problem lies with your lens whether digital or film. Try and stay between 50 and 80mm and you will have much better results. I occasionally use a Mamiya 645 medium format film camera which has a fixed focal length portrait lens, it is 80mm.