Candids with Rokinon 85f1.4 and Minolta 50f1.7

[sury]

Thanks to Anne's posts I was motivated to try this genre. I have very limited to no experience
in portraiture photography and this is one of those attempts. Any and all feedback is welcome and
greatly appreciated.

With best regards,
Sury

This is a candid of my daughter using Rokinon 85f1.4 on A700. It is taken using natural light and
the ISO was at 800. I believe the aperture was at f4 and the shutter was 1/15th second.

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigsu ... .jpg[/img]
DSC14962_pp_ps_crop by BigSury, on Flickr[/url]

This is a BW treatment of a candid I took of my wife soon after she finished watering the plants in the backyard. It is one of those times I could capture her relaxed and smiling. She is a very camera shy person. ISO 100, f2.8, shutter 1/100s. Minolta 50f1.7 lens on A700
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigsu ... .jpg[/img]
DSC16189_pp_ps_bw by BigSury, on Flickr[/url]

[Greg Beetham]

I like the B&W one the best, the focus and dof appeal too me. I'm not much of a judge of portraits Sury but I like to snipe em from longer distance with a long lens myself so you don't have to sort of get in their face and make them feel like they’re under close examination, so to speak, but hey no biggie, whatever works for you.
Greg

[johnstra]

I have done a few portraits but that doesn't make me an expert. Bearing that in mind here goes. The one of your daughter catches her in pensive mood. I like the tight composition but we cannot see her eyes which is unusual in a portrait. It's not too sharp. I like the one of your wife better.The tilt of the head brings a liveliness. the background is suitably out of focus. I bet she is quite pleased with it.

Bob

[pakodominguez]

Convention say that, for portraits, focus might be on the eye that is close to the camera -everything looks better that way. Your first shot miss that "rule". In other hand, the very same shot hit into the other "portrait rule": best light is back-light (Rembrandt-like)

At the end, I think the most important thing in photography,specially portraits, is emotion. If you fell that the portrait you are showing transmit emotion, the small technical mistakes are not important at all.

Regards

[sury]

Greg, Bob and Pako,
Thank you for your comments and inputs. I have taken all of them in for consideration and keeping in mind
in my future endeavors.

With best regards,
Sury

[mvanrheenen]

Hi sury,

For those shutter speeds, I find you did good in the first shot. I'm with Greg though, I'm no portrait shooter myself. Find it hard to do.

Mark