Hi Tony,
This photo of yours might not have made the top 75 images in that recent photography competition that you recently entered, but might I at least congratulate you for taking the time to talk to, and get to know your subject.
Getting to know a subject is one of the important reasons for success behind some of the most famous photographs in history… but it all takes time. Years ago I got to meet double Pulitzer Prize winner Carol Guzy, who at the time was famous for her photos of violence in Haiti. She was front and centre during a military coup at a time when people were literally murdering each other in the street. She was relatively safe though… she had put in the time to get to know people and most realised that she was not a threat.
Now, the secret to making good photos is not always in the actual subject, it is in the background… and Carol Guzy’s work often reveals this trait.
In this photo of yours, the background is very bright and distracting. Some people would argue that it's better to keep the background dark and simple, but I would argue that this often makes for boring photographs. I would suggest instead that you need to have backgrounds that either support the image you are trying to make, or maybe act as a juxtaposition. Have a look at Carol Guzy’s work and you will discover the power of a good background.
This image of John shows a person who is tired and weathered but in the background you could juxtapose John against the younger crowd of the environment. Alternatively, you could have found a similarly weathered environment to photograph him in.
Now, background aside, the other problem with have with this photo of John is that the contrast in his face is rather flat. One technique that is good for lifting contrast is a High Dynamic Range effect. It is good for lifting the local contrast within flat areas of a picture, as you can see in the example image below. There are several different HDR programs that you can use but this example was one of the “canned” solutions from Nik Softwares HDR Efex Pro package.
If you get the chance I would go and make another portrait of John but this time do not feel rushed to get a photo. Take your time and look for the right background with the right moment.
Cheers, Anthony
Image Doctor's edited version
