Bristol Streest Portraits 26/8/2006

[Bristol Pete]

All taken in Bristol City Centre this morning. Went into town to get a new Crumpler bag and put the 50mm 1.8 prime on my shoulder. Met a few nice faces and had a few good chats.

[Ray]

Bloody hell Pete. Is it that the cider is strong down there or something ?

They're all excellent, of course, but especially like the last one. Mind you the more I look at that 2nd guy. Looks like one of the dogs with flabby skins.

Good work.

Ray

Edit: Obviously a good lens that 50mm.

[Liquid101]

Really nice work Pete. Those bright prime lenses give such a lovely result. If I was being really picky, I would like to see less sharpening, but i suppose its just a matter of taste really.

The first one is really great.. I used to make these kind of portaits when I was living in Somerset. I just don't have the guts to make the approach these days.

I few more of these and you'll have a books worth

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

Pete: I used to worry about your sharpening but now I think it's great. It's definately your signature look and I think it enhances your portraiture work.

G

[electrolyte]

These are just fantastic. Your portrait shots are all so perfectly lit. I just can't get my 1.8 50 prime to work as well as you can. Top stuff.

BTW I like the sharpening you do.

[Bristol Pete]

Cheers all.

With reference to the sharpness. I like it and perhaps the fact I view my images on a 26" TV via DVI means that images are softer to me initially.

When printed these look great

[senu]

I think (personally) that you are living on the knife edge ( pun intended ) of sharpening.

The quality of the images certainly show off your eye for what works for you, the glass, and your monochrome technique is easy on the eye.

I would however suggest that when in doubt, sharpen less, not more.
Given the very small leeway, some displays or printers may remove the antialiasing and oversharpen even more.

BTW is this from the 30D or the 5D I see coming your way??

[Radiohead]

I worry about the places you go, I really do.

Echo the comments about sharpening - almost too much but just backed off enough.

[Bristol Pete]

Originally Posted by senu

I think (personally) that you are living on the knife edge ( pun intended ) of sharpening.

The quality of the images certainly show off your eye for what works for you, the glass, and your monochrome technique is easy on the eye.

I would however suggest that when in doubt, sharpen less, not more.
Given the very small leeway, some displays or printers may remove the antialiasing and oversharpen even more.

BTW is this from the 30D or the 5D I see coming your way??

Noted Senu. These were all taken on my 30D with the 50mm 1.8 @ 2.2F.

Sadly Jessops would not allow the 5D out of the store - cant understand why

[Bristol Pete]

Originally Posted by Radiohead

I worry about the places you go, I really do.

Echo the comments about sharpening - almost too much but just backed off enough.

Cheers. Will dial it down a shade but out of interest are talking about my portrait stuff only as everyone said how good the Silverstone stuff looked without a mention of the sharpening technique.

As for worrying, these folks were quite literally all in town. The top fella, which happens to be one of my fav shots in an age was selling newspapers at a booth. Dont panic, I worked in a slaughterhouse for 13 years so can look after myself.

Pete.

[Liquid101]

To be fair, its still pretty aggressive.

What method of sharpening do you use?

[Bristol Pete]

Originally Posted by Liquid101

To be fair, its still pretty aggressive.

What method of sharpening do you use?

Well, note that I like sharp detailed images.

I use the Fred Miranda plug in call WB Pro which is in its top three plug ins and superb imo. I use it on resizies to display here and elsewhere.

[Radiohead]

Originally Posted by Bristol Pete

Cheers. Will dial it down a shade but out of interest are talking about my portrait stuff only as everyone said how good the Silverstone stuff looked without a mention of the sharpening technique.

As for worrying, these folks were quite literally all in town. The top fella, which happens to be one of my fav shots in an age was selling newspapers at a booth. Dont panic, I worked in a slaughterhouse for 13 years so can look after myself.

Pete.

I've no doubt you can (imagining Pete walking around Bristol with a cleaver)

It's only the portrait stuff but I stress it does work.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Bristol Pete

Sadly Jessops would not allow the 5D out of the store - cant understand why

They've probably seen pics of the people you hang out with !

Ray

[Chunder]

Fantastic portrait shots - very nice close cropping, too! Do you not find that you're really "in their face" getting shots like this?
*edit* - ah, sorry; taken with the D30, so the lens is acting as if it's an 80mm... that explains it! Trying to get shots like this with the 50mm on a 5D is really intimidating to the subject

Also, were these random people, or folks you know? If the former, what did you say to them in order to get them to pose? Do you ever get people refusing?