Some Street Portraits

Nice set

Agree! Nice set.

I like these two photos the most, but indeed the focus is missed on the first and there is handshake in the second.

Lovely snaps, thanks for sharing!

1. sluggy_warrior wrote:

erenG wrote:

The 90/2 would pair better with an X-T4/5. On the lady shot, decent eye-detection could nail the focus on the eyes, while IBIS could have reduced the chance of camera shake on the man shot.

I feel the X-T2 would pair better with the 50-140/2.8 instead of the 90/2. The 50-140's superb OIS allows me to shoot even at 1/15s easily. Especially for street portraits where moving around isn't always possible, the zoom offers more flexible framing.

Would the 70-300 not have done an equally good job?  Much lighter and more compact than the 50-140.  I use my 55-200 on my XS10 using single AF point on the for this sort of shot …
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Regards
Rich S

I think it would be far more accurate to characterize these as street candid photos.   "Portrait" implies at least a minimal level of interaction/collaboration with the subject.  A "portrait" is consensual, and you can to some degree work with the subject to pose, or reposition for more flattering light etc.

Yeah, technically you are maybe right.

But then let’s say these are some candid street portraits, and not posed street portraits.

Let’s take a look at Wikipedia and how they describe a portrait:

A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant.

Hm, seems you are wrong according to Wikipedia.

But Wikipedia isn’t the one and only truth, right? So let’s maybe check the etymology of the word portrait:

1560s, "a figure, drawn or painted," a back formation from portraiture or directly from French portrait, from Old French portret (13c.), noun use of past participle of portraire "to paint, depict" (see portray). Especially a picture or representation of the head and face of a person drawn from life.

Hmmm, seems you’re wrong again.

In the end I think you are wrong, but I get where you’re coming from.

But why does this matter at all in respect to this thread? Nothing nice to say about these photos?

When there is absolutely NOTHING nice to say, it is best to say nothing at all.   You can call your shots portraits all day long- but they scream snapshot to me. But you do you.

‘absolutely NOTHING nice to say’ may say more about you than about the posted photos.  I think there are plenty of positives and constructive critique to encourage the OP.

Best wishes,

Alan J
Monochrome photography blog :: https://penycae.wordpress.com
Image galleries :: http://www.pbase.com/wolfs_head

You are right.  I was a bit harsh.

My apologies to the original poster.  I was way too harsh in saying there is nothing good to say.  First- kudos for getting out there and trying.  Street photography is very hard, and even very good street photographers come home from a few hours on the street with nothing compelling to show for their efforts.  The biggest challenge is in brutally culling your images.  Your goal is to capture interesting moments- engaging gestures- juxtopositions that engage the viewer- beautiful light and shadow- emotion and connection.

You clearly have a decent understanding of your camera so that is a great start. Your images are well exposed, and the first photo shows some interesting framing.  I stand by my belief that it is better to not consider this existing set of shots as portraits though.  But ultimately that decision is yours.  Happy shooting.

None of these people wanted their picture to be taken and none of the photos have anything of note going on in them to justify posting them on the internet. It's a thumbs down from me.

I had a chance to look at your website.  You have some really nice work on there.  I am sorry I jumped in so negatively with my initial reply.

To clarify what I was saying about street portraits versus candid moments-  here are a few street portraits I have taken of complete strangers.  In each case there was at least a brief interaction with the subject with them participating in the photo process.

In contrast, here are a few of my candid moment photos- the subject sometimes has noticed me, but there is no other interaction.

For me at least, none of these candids of mine constitute a portrait. but I should not have pushed my interpretation upon you.