Charles Walker
July 2025 - Portrait of a Han Princess
Original
About the Image(s)
While during a recent visit to China, I took this candid shot of a young woman wearing dress associated with the Qing Dynasty. At the Summer Palace, I caught her gazing out a window, which provided soft side lighting. Portraits are not the usual subject matter of IR, but I liked the doll-like, soft marble skin effect that IR uniquely renders. To achieve the final image, I eliminated distracting background, cropped then exported the image into Nik Efex Pro to fiddle with shadows, highlights and contrasts.
Camera data: Nikon D7000 (590), f/5, 1/80, 52mm, ISO=400
11 comments posted
Hi Charles. Very beautiful and well-handled environmental portrait. The soft window light is perfect. I don't mind the objects in the original, but you did a good job with the cleanup. I like to shoot street portrait with the IR camera. The skin is nice and soft. However, veins may show more than with a standard camera. Posted: 07/01/2025 13:18:08
She renders very well in infrared, Charles. The candid portrait is interesting, but I wonder, did you take posed portraits also? Posted: 07/02/2025 22:39:36
Jack, I asked other cosplayers to pose using my Nikon Z7, but not this one using the IR camera. She didn't pose for me. I caught her in a good moment, then she vanished. Posted: 07/15/2025 18:43:47
Charles,
The effect IR has on skin is amazing, it enhances her beauty to me. I have never tried portraits with my IR cameras...
A nit there is a remnant in the lower right corner that was connected to the wall above in your original.
Rmil Posted: 07/04/2025 18:00:29
The effect IR has on skin is amazing, it enhances her beauty to me. I have never tried portraits with my IR cameras...
A nit there is a remnant in the lower right corner that was connected to the wall above in your original.
Rmil Posted: 07/04/2025 18:00:29
So glad to see another member of our group choose IR for a portrait. What a superb application in this situation...subject, lighting and pose. Well done Charles. Kind of a nitpick...wish you could have retained the curved flower in the bright window...it seemed to add to the composition and accentuate the hand. Posted: 07/07/2025 15:10:49
Gary, I was conflicted about eliminating the long flower blade. I'll keep it in a revision version. Thanks. Posted: 07/15/2025 18:46:19
Nicely done, Charles. I seldom think about IR portraiture and see I need to do something about that. I love the processing, but agree with Gary about the plant on the left. I would also eliminate the vertical bar in the lower right. Posted: 07/07/2025 15:57:37
Hi Chuck, I'm a fan of using IR with people., especially women. It gives such delicate tonality to the skin. The window light has enhanced what could have been a flat image. Well seen. I like that you removed what was behind her head. Once you are cleaning up, would you consider taking out the few dots to the right of the window and the smudges above it. Thanks for sharing, I have enjoyed it. Posted: 07/09/2025 19:13:03
Melanie, yap, I had my eye on those spots too, but thought they were an authentic part of the palace. Thanks for the nudge. They are gone. Posted: 07/15/2025 18:36:20
Hmmm, I have never seen an IR portrait image. Now I will have to try it. It does soften the skin. Posted: 07/25/2025 12:38:12
Yes Steve, why not try taking a few portraits, or even streets scenes like Arik has taken. For me IR is experimental, so why not experiment? Posted: 07/25/2025 14:42:38