Couple portraits

Mathieu Bauwens

Popular Poster
Registered User
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
116
Hello,

here are a few portraits taken out of a work about the linguistical border in belgium. All those people speak either french or dutch and have buld their live together. For you, it could seem quite normal, but in Belgium, french and dutch parts of the country are not in love...

PO05 by Mathieu Bauwens, sur Flickr

PO013 by Mathieu Bauwens, sur Flickr

Anais-et-Martin by Mathieu Bauwens, sur Flickr

E&E by Mathieu Bauwens, sur Flickr

Chamonix 045F1
Fuji 210 or 125mm
TriX or Bergger Pancro 400
 
These are all really good, excellent work. I haven't had the courage to do portraits on large format yet but it is something that I would like to try.
 
Thanks Rob. You can begin with some friends or family, you'll see it's quite easy.
 
I like the way that the couples are the subject, but their environment is also shown. Your framing really adds to the portraits.
Alex.
 
Great stuff, do you find it difficult to keep focus when the film holder blocks your view
 
Well, not really.

Actually, I didn't ask myself that question, I do the pictures and they came out well ! But I had some extra light and pushed the film to 1600 in order to have a speed range from 1/30 to 1/125 and to close the iris from f8 to f16. I think that helped a bit.
 
Mathieu, the first two are exquisite! In the third image, I would prefer that the feet not be cut off. But, hey, that's just my opinion... ;)
 
I really like these. I think it is successful to show the subjects and a bit of their environment as opposed to a close up crop.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
There is always something 'special' about these casual or 'less-formal portraits' that is much more appealing to 'the eye' of other photographers.... your images seem to lack the unnatural 'stiffness, or 'self-conciousnes' so prevalent in too many of the couple portraits I have seen over the years, where the couple have been 'removed' from their familiar surroundings.... and placed in a studio environment with a 'fake' and somewhat 'unreal' surrounding that has already been 'used' in every second.. or third portrait


Nicely done, Mathieu.

Ken
 
Last edited:
Thank you a lot Ken.

I have to say that, to my happyness, working with LF gear add some sense of respect from and for the people I photograph, they are more excited by what will happen than affraid of.
 
Thank you a lot Ken.

I have to say that, to my happyness, working with LF gear add some sense of respect from and for the people I photograph, they are more excited by what will happen than affraid of.

An interesting observation. I can see how the excitement of a "vintage" method of shooting could bring a calmness to the shoot. I certainly agree with Ken re the surroundings. It is great to see portraits carried out in what I assume are the couples natural and everyday normal. All of them are really nicely done, but I particularly like the second one in the first set. The pov and the composition as a whole really works for me.

Garry
 
From a tech point of you, not keen how you have cut the feet of some of the photos though.
 
Back
Top