<<< o >>>Muttrah Souq #4 13 comments + add yours
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I came across this guy in the Muttrah Souq (Muscat, Oman), selling traditional Omani canes and rings, and decided to ask him if he'd mind if I photographed him. As soon as I asked though he immediately adopted this slightly unnerving pose, so I shot a few frames and then thanked him for his time. Once I'd stopped taking photographs he smiled and waved goodbye. I'm not sure quite why he thought I wanted the 'ferocious' look, and I doubt I'd have approached him if he'd looked like this from the outset, but it was certainly a look that suited him :)

In other news ...

I'll be running two post-production workshops in Austin, Texas in February 2011. The first is a one-day HDR workshop on the 4th, while the second is a two day workshop on Creating Dramatic Images, covering a range of intermediate and advanced post-production techniques. If you'd like some further information on the course content, costings, and so on, please email Dave Wilson who will be coordinating both workshops:

dave AT davewilsonphotography DOT com

We already have a lot of provisional interest in both workshops, so if you think you'd be interested in either of them drop Dave a line fairly soon.

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4.33pm on 12/11/10
Canon 5D Mark II
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
70mm
f/4.0
1/25
aperture priority
+1/3
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800
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3x2 + travel [Oman] + people [portraiture] + no print + show the original
comment by Carlos Garcia at 03:18 PM (GMT) on 30 November, 2010

Wow... if looks could.... vaporize you! Still... what a great face. Great detail.

comment by Dan Kaufman at 03:23 PM (GMT) on 30 November, 2010

I think some people think you're supposed to "look serious" when a "real photographer" points a camera at you. He did his job well.

you got some great detail in his face for such a slow shutter speed (anything below 1/60 seems to be my nemesis.)

comment by djn1 at 03:28 PM (GMT) on 30 November, 2010

Carlos: yep, if he'd looked at me like that before I asked him I'd have run off ;)

Dan: yes, I think that that's his photography face :) As for the shutter speed: 1/25 is about the slowest I can handhold at 70mm, and even then I often end up with more soft shots than sharp ones, but I didn't want to push the ISO any higher, or shoot at f/2.8.

comment by Garry at 03:39 PM (GMT) on 30 November, 2010

I had similar reactions when I was in Cambodia earlier this year... happy smiling people until the moment you point the lens at them... even some of the kids... and then as soon as the shots are taken it's back to normal!

comment by crex at 03:53 PM (GMT) on 30 November, 2010

Perfect portrait! This is what you should do, much more interesting, Skip the stony beaches ;)

comment by beeveedee at 04:00 PM (GMT) on 30 November, 2010

awesome portrait. Love the detail, sharpness and short DOF. Nice toning.

comment by Glen at 08:30 PM (GMT) on 30 November, 2010

Now this would make a great Mini PSD. Would love to see how you arrived at such a great image. I always struggle with portraits even after reading your tutorials.

comment by csj @ID7 at 08:52 PM (GMT) on 30 November, 2010

Love this, it is kind of perfect. Literally right up my street. I'd love to get a photo like this , from an original like that :-) ....

comment by Xiaoyu at 03:19 AM (GMT) on 1 December, 2010

That`s a real terrific B&W shot with such charming light,tone and details,and so elegant expression of heart!CHEERS

comment by Jessyel Ty Gonzalez at 03:38 AM (GMT) on 1 December, 2010

Damn. Very nicely done. One of your better portraits here...

comment by Mat at 04:01 PM (GMT) on 1 December, 2010

A really nice image - you also get the 'serious pose' all the time in India.

comment by ramon at 04:26 PM (GMT) on 1 December, 2010

Good one. Good detail, contrast and tone. I would have enlarged the depth of field although, or is it a photoshop blur?

comment by Jon Yager at 10:21 PM (GMT) on 1 December, 2010

What a face! Great B&W conversion as well. Love to see this in a mini-PSD. The basic conversions can sometimes be the toughest to pull off. Great job.