Self Portrait With Guitar

[Rob MacKillop]

X-E1 and Nik Silver and Nik Colour

Rob MacKillop 8-String Guitar by RobMacKillop, on Flickr​

It's a sketch. I want to take a few objects out in the background, without cleaning it up too much. Maybe wear different clothes. But it has some of the atmosphere I'm looking for.

 

[Pete Askew]

Now that is very good. Certainly with a larger aperture it would have a bit more impact. Maybe you could shield the light on the upper right rear somehow too.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Agreed. I have to admit I haven't learned to control aperture with the zoom lens yet. I think I just forgot. On the X100 it would probably be the first thing I would set. Still getting used to the camera. I had actually come back to this post to say I needed a larger aperture, but you beat me to it as always, Pete

 

[Nihat Iyriboz]

Looking good, Rob.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks, Nihat. It always feels strange, photographing yourself...

 

[Nihat Iyriboz]

Very naturally done, Rob. Hard to figure out.

 

[Brian Moore]

Nice tone on this one Rob. I agree with Pete about a larger aperture. Two reasons in my mind: First so that I can see the guitar. (In the fotie above the headstock is impossible to see, and yet it is such an interesting feature of the design.) Secondly to blur the background. (I don't want to see the picture on the wall or the books or whatever with clarity, nor do I suppose you want me to in this image. However, that other guitar is interesting, and I'd like to see that better, although I'd also like it to be sitting at a different angle such that it isn't partially obscured by your left hand.)

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Demanding bugger, aren't you I'll dae ma best, sir!

Actually, I agree with all you say.

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Rob the depth of the blacks coming through this end are superb. Certain areas of interest are again superb. Such as the contrast of light and dark on the standing guitar, the twirl of the bar on the chair, as with the arm rest. The black negative space produced by the curves of the under side of the guitar body, another great area of interest.
All elements to make another superb image.
I agree with what has been mentioned about the light of the back wall, which if darkened would give more strength to the image as a whole. Possibly?

 

[Brian Moore]

Hmmm,...perhaps Julian's monitor is showing the image better than mine.

 

[Glenn Clabo]

I agree with the tweaks mentioned...but still I like it Rob.
I've never figured out how to take a self portrait that will give me hair and a smaller nose.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks, all. Appreciated. I'll get around to doing it again sometime, hopefully soon. You can only make it work for your own monitor, and hope that others see it in a similar way.

 

[alfie Wright]

Nice selfie, Rob!

Someone seems to of stuck a couple of extra string on your guitar though! How do they work as they're not over the fretboard?

 

[Rob MacKillop]

They are just two bass strings, played as open strings. One is tuned to D, the other to C. Check it out here:

http://www.realphotographersforum.c...242-mid-19th-century-french-guitar-music.html