Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands of Scotland

[Rob MacKillop]

My wife, Susan, some ten years ago, in a rare posed shot. Fujifilm XE-1, which I had for a short time.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

What a tender tribute to an important person! It is a captivating and expressive, if somewhat rigid, portrait. Thanks for sharing it, Rob. I like the non-overdone duotone and the measured blur. Can you explain what those scratches are all around the face? How did you make them and with what intent?

 

[Gianluca Drago]

I have never tried posed portraits, I would be so intimidated that I would make the subject uncomfortable, and I have no intention of trying in the future. But if you feel like it, could you explain how you set up the shooting set up and in particular the lighting?

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks, Gianluca!

The scratches were added in a prog I’ve annoyingly forgotten the name of! If I remember, I’ll get back to you. I felt they added to the enigmatic quality of the subject. Again there is a Mona Lisa vibe, though with sadder eyes.

Susan never likes being photographed, so some persuasion was necessary. I have a reputation among family and friends of never putting the sitter at ease. This time I said I wanted to try some experimental editing, so the shot didn’t really matter! Somehow that seemed to relax her.

At the time she didn’t like the result, but today, some ten years later, she said she is warming to it!

As for lighting - just the light coming through the south-facing window, on a not very sunny day. I don’t own special lights.

I took five shots. Here’s another of them, which I also quite like.



Now I look at them both, it’s the same shot, different edit.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Yes, of course, another ‘Gioconda'. Another ‘Mona Lisa’. Thank you for the detailed descriptions. I must add that even though I personally would never venture into portraiture, it is amazing how much information a portrait photo like this can convey to me about both the subject of the photo and the author of it. I think it is something written in our DNA as humans that we can decipher profound things from faces. I suppose penguins can do the same thing with their fellow penguins, even though they all look identical to us. Power of the image! Power of nature!

 

[Brian Moore]

This is a beautiful portrait Rob. It’s not a sad look to me, though. It seems more to express contentment with a hint of optimism expressed through the Mona Lisa smile. Maybe “Dark-eyed Lady…”?

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Good point, Brian. I was tempted to play on the Dylan song, Sad-eyed Lady of the Lowlands. But you are right, there is contentment there, optimism too.

 

[Pete Askew]

Yes, I see contentment, and a calmness’ in the image too. I prefer the warmer tones (and scratches - Nik Analog Pro?) of the first though. I think the lack of catch-lights in the eyes adds a nice sense of mystery too.

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

A beautiful portrait and I like both, the first one without the scratches and the blue one too.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks, Pete. Yes, Auld Nik! Haven’t used it for ages.

Thanks, Ivar. I’m pleased you like both.

Interesting editing can bring out interesting qualities.

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

I had old Nik some time ago, and tried to implement it on this computer. I managed but failed to make it work.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

It’s useful occasionally, but a little use goes further than overuse.