portrait2

portrait2, originally uploaded by tommyibrado.

So for this assignment, we were to take portraits and post 4 of people you know and 4 of complete strangers. Being shy, I found this a difficult task and had to result to trying to take people's pictures incognito. I found that it worked best to do this outside (wishing that I had done this sooner when the weather was warmer) so I wouldn't need the flash. The man in this picture, was sitting behind me and I just placed my camera on the table, it actually took like 5 shots to get one of him in it lol. The picture is photoshoped, added a monochrome channel mixer to get it to be black and white and applied a colored image ontop and made the layer into a screen layer to achieve the softer colors. The softness also comes from adding a diffused glow to the very bottom layer. I increased the shadows and light as well by playing with the curves. What I found interesting about this assignment is the contrast for me between drawing and photography. To me, when drawing, it is easier to do a stranger because you are more objective when you are sketching them and more likely to draw them as you see them. When you are sketching a friend, how you feel about them and how you know they feel about their features clouds your vision and you make use of artistic licenses. And as I've stated, It was much easier for me to shoot someone who I already knew because I was not afraid to approach them.