I invited my good friend Will over to the house the other day to make some portraits. The weather has been pretty cold lately, and I have not had the desire to brave the cold temperatures to make images outside. However, last week we had a few warm days and I left the dark box inside to make some images trying out my new DIY studio lights and some outside. The lights work well enough, I just need more. The lens I am currently using on my 8x10 is more an outdoor landscape lens, I will put that to the test in the spring, but for now, wide open, that lens will only provide an aperture of 8.5. Indoor portraits are proving elusive as of yet, with long exposure times of 15 to 16 seconds don't produce he sharpest pictures.
This portrait of Will was made outdoors on the patio with the lens wide open at about 9 seconds, it was late in the day and the natural winter light was getting low, but I pulled this one out of the hat, I think it looks pretty good for a 9 second exposure, it helped that Will was sitting and resting his head against the wall.
When the weather breaks, I will get the camera out and do some more projects soon, I have found that a day spent with my camera equipment is pure joy, and when I get a portrait like this, I am as happy as I can be.
