Tangents

photography tutorials, reviews & workshops

tangents photography blog
learn : discuss : share
subscribe today
  • Tangents
  • Tutorials
    • Flash Photography
    • Wedding Photography
    • Studio Photography
    • Posing People
    • Understanding Your Camera
    • Exposure metering
    • BFT
    • Best Photo Books
  • Workshops
    • Info: Workshops
    • Tutoring sessions
    • Online tutoring sessions
    • Video tutorials
    • Personal Workshops
    • Workshops in New York
    • Studio Workshop
    • Workshop results
  • Books
    • On-Camera Flash (revised ed.)
    • Direction & Quality of Light
    • Off-Camera Flash Photography
    • Lighting & Design
    • On-Camera Flash (1st ed.)
  • Reviews
    • Nikon
    • Sony
    • Canon
    • Fuji
    • Profoto
    • lighting gear
  • Projects
    • Two Perspectives
    • B&W Infrared
    • Vintage lenses
    • Time-lapse photography
  • Info
    • About
    • Contact
    • Newsletter
    • Join us on Facebook
    • Books by NvN
    • Acclaim
    • Success Stories
    • Photo Gear
    • Photoshop Actions
    • Support this Site
  • Forum

Not quite a self-portrait

September 4, 2020 Neil vN 6 Comments

Not quite a self-portrait

One of the few portraits of myself that I immediately liked — more than the background and the starkness of the B&W processing, what draws me to this image is the pose — it’s as if I am hovering in decision. There’s an implied narrative here, even if shrouded in mystery. Not quite a self-portrait but I was involved in the setting it up of this, and the other photos in the sequence.

Photo by my friend, Clayton. He used an 85mm lens.
Posing by me. I kept changing my pose up during the few minutes he photographed me.

As I mentioned in this article on improving your portrait photography, is that I have little time for photographers who say they are more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it. That may well be, but it isn’t endearing, and definitely doesn’t help your subject … or the person photographing you. It’s one of those “suck it up, buttercup” moments. Stop whining and help the person photographing you, by giving some of yourself and your personality. I feel that as a photographer, you have an obligation not to be self-indulgent with that nonsense. Participate, and you may well surprise yourself with good portraits of yourself.

 

Related articles

  • One thing you can do to improve your portrait photography
  • Photographers – inspiration, and overcoming fears

 


 

  • For videos, follow me on Vimeo / YouTube

Filed Under: essays & discussions Tagged With: 85mm portraits, available light portraits


 

Help support this website

If you find these articles of value, please help support this website by using these B&H and Amazon affiliate links to order your photo gear.

I also offer photography workshops and tutoring sessions, whether in person, or via online video tutoring sessions.

Stay informed via the monthly newsletter.

Please follow me on Instagram for more.

You can also join our thriving photo community in the Tangents group on Facebook, where we show our photos and discuss all things photography.

Thank you,

Neil vN

Books by Neil van Niekerk


 




6 Comments, Add Your Own

  1. 1Karel Donk says

    September 5, 2020 at 12:04 pm

    You should probably send this magnificent photo to an agent in Hollywood.

    Reply
  2. 2Marco says

    September 8, 2020 at 2:55 pm

    Hi Neil. There is a lot to like in this photo: it is not an easy task for a photographer to pose and you did very well!

    Putting aside that fact and looking at the photo as you were a professional model, I think that your hand in your very tight pocket produced too many folds on your skin and I don’t like it. At least I’d dim the light on your hand

    I also find that the object protruding from the wall in the upper left corner detract from the picture: maybe a cropped picture puts more emphasis on you and your pensive gaze.

    Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • 2.1Neil vN says

      September 8, 2020 at 3:20 pm

      Good catch on the hand — you know, I never noticed it until now.

      Reply
  3. 3Roy Barnes says

    September 9, 2020 at 8:10 pm

    Pose is awesome but the expression – priceless! And the medium of black and white is just so suited to this shot. I never fail to add black and white images to what I provide to the client. Its timeless…

    Reply
  4. 4Roy Barnes says

    September 9, 2020 at 8:10 pm

    ps. You’re looking really healthy Neil!

    Reply
  5. 5Damian Brown says

    October 16, 2020 at 6:22 am

    I love that last paragraph!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

categories

Articles & Tutorials

  • • About myself & this site
    • Books by Neil vN
    • Best photography books
    • Black foamie thing
    • Spinlight 360
    • Photographers’ success stories
    • email newsletter
  • • Flash Photography Techniques
    • Natural looking flash
    • Flash + Ambient light
    • Dragging the shutter
    • Bouncing your flash
    • On-camera flash outdoors
    • Exposure metering
    • Flash exposure compensation
    • Bounce flash examples
    • Which is the best flashgun?
    • Flash brackets
    • Off-camera flash photography
    • Flash photography basics
    • Using video lights
    • Flash photography tips
    • Photography books
  • • Photography workshops NJ / NYC
    • Models @ photography workshops
tutorials:
flash photography
Photography
Workshops

Recent Comments

  • Neil vN: Another one just came through from “Brymer Productions”. They contacted me initially via text...
  • Claude Carrier: And a pizzeria just next door! I think that the real reason you changed your location! Joke appart, I...
  • Randy: Congrats on the new studio space! Nice to have more elbow room with your larger square footage of the new...
  • Photo Sarah: Thanks for the great review. Interesting to compare the color profiles with the Sony and the new Canon...
  • Su Carroll: Thanks for the reminder to use my high school geometry and algebra concepts. I’m a fine artist so I...

All rights reserved. Copyright © Neil van Niekerk 2021 · Customization by The Traveling Designer

Copyright © 2021 · NvN on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in