comments / critiques welcome on portrait set

[ampguy]

I found the comments on cody's portrait of his sister interesting, and was wondering if folks could take a look at these casual portraits i took of my friend while having coffee, and offer suggestions or techniques for taking better portraits in the future, some were taken with a fuji f30, others with a hexar af:

is 35mm too wide when someone is just across a table from you at any angle?

here

which ones do you like most, and why?

 

[payasam]

Distortion.

 

[nikon_sam]

ampguy,

Pitxu is right...you were too close...next time sit back in your chair and shoot from there...perhaps something going on in the background instead of a blank wall...

 

[Doug]

I like the first for the demure look, the third for the unusual inclusion of the cup, and the next to last (same as Pitxu's pick) for the forthright direct look. I think more might be improved with eye contact. I also agree that you were a bit too close for the best facial perspective, at least 4 or 5 ft would be better (and might well call for a longer lens to get the framing you want), but there is a value in the close-in arms-length feel here too.

 

[ampguy]

thanks all, very helpful info. I do see a tiny bit of distortion, but only in some of the b/w ones (f30 ones), and I don't see it in the color ones (hexar af 35mm/f2 ones). I left the hexar af ones in color since I was pleasantly surprised that the expired kodak max 800 came out the way it did from costco (I used + 1EV with the haf, and -2/3 EV with the f30). btw, if you're looking at the focal length exif info. on the f30 ones, I don't think smugmug is calculating the equivalent 35mm right for these files, I think it is about 1/2 of what they are displaying.


Great feedback, thanks.