Few shots with my Toyo-Selective focus

[sapata]

After a very long time I finaly got my Toyo out of the case and shot a few rolls before I shot with 4x5 negs ( I've only recently bought a 4x5 developing tank...).

These pictures of my wife were taken with available light, no tilt or shift with the camera. The last time I tried the selective focus the pictures came out very dark...

I think there's too much contrast due to the very bright light in her left side as I had the sun coming from the window, apart from that they're ok. I have to try the selective focus ! I think they look great on portraits but I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong... any sugestions ?

[Gem Singer]

IMHO, I would have used a longer lens. Had her look directly onto the camera. Both of those changes would help to take the emphasis off of her nose.

[mandoman7]

You want to know where the brightest spots are in the image and what effect they will have (what areas they will bring attention to). In the portraits your wife is giving something very nice in her poses, but you've put her in an unflattering and unnecessary light.

There is something intriguing about your wife's eyes, but the bright areas take attention away and introduce a sense of conflict. If you had developed for reduced contrast, the problem would still have been there. The rule to know: The bright areas are where the eye will first go in a photo, or the areas of greater contrast, so put those in the best place to support your composition. Not to mention the benefits of diffusion.

Secondly, the light arrangements and lens selections need to be made in support of the idea behind the portrait. This is my opinion and one that I don't see employed in much of this forum's portraiture. But its not about what lenses somebody else on the forum is using, or the size of the negative when you're capturing someone's persona. Its about honoring their presence and not just indulging one's desire to play with their new toys.

I was into my 10th year of shooting portraiture before I started to understand that idea. You can see it in the eyes of the sitter, when the photographer is just doing their self-indulgent thing.

[Jim Graves]

Very nice subject (beautiful eyes and really wonderful smile) ... try a longer lens ... move farther from the window [reduces the harshness and distracting shadows (pic #3)] ... another softer light source (either a light or reflector) from the other side and you've got a very nice portrait.

[sapata]

Thanks all for the nice comments and feedback, they're much appreciated. I'm building up slowly a large format photo equipment and these are the tools I have at the moment, that means that I have to play with the same lens and use natural light. I'll shot another roll with some of the changes suggested here at the forum and then I'll shot for real as my 4x5 film and processing tank just arrived ! I know the best would be the use of polaroid to test but the boxes of 4x5 are nearly reaching the sky ... What I really wanted is to buy is a Petzval lens or something similar and try but that is another story...