Mark Lieberman
August 2026 - Chapo Renegade
About the Image(s)
The mono image, Chapo Renegade, was taken in an alley as part of a weekend series of photo opportunities at a local camera store in Philadelphia, PA. The male model stood in an alley against a black cloth backdrop. The photo was captured, handheld, with a Sony RX10 Mark IV camera in aperture priority at f5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO 640, multi-segment metering, -0.3 EV at 83mm. The original color image was converted to black & white in Luminar Neo with black/white point adjustments as well as highlight and contrast adjustments. Additional adjustments were made in Adobe Photoshop Elements using the NIK Collection 9 Silver Efex filter and sharpening.
5 comments posted
This is a very enjoyable portrait that conveys confidence, determination, and authority. To my eye, both the lighting and the technical execution are excellent, supporting the subject's character.
One small detail caught my eye: the skull in the Renegade patch appears to have a slightly cooler white tone than the rest of the image. Was that an intentional choice? Posted: 08/01/2026 18:04:16
One small detail caught my eye: the skull in the Renegade patch appears to have a slightly cooler white tone than the rest of the image. Was that an intentional choice? Posted: 08/01/2026 18:04:16
No, it is the variation in lighting. I edited some of the shadows, his shirt, to bring out more detail with control points in the Nik collection. I didn't edit the jacket where the skull patch was located. Posted: 08/01/2026 18:40:19
Great portrait of the man in the alley. His expression, posture, and clothing are threatening. All the details on his face, arms, hands, and vest are tack sharp. Nice lighting. Well done, Mark. Posted: 08/08/2026 23:14:00
A very good profile. You have brought out wonderful detail in the jacket and his skin. There is an interesting amount of detail in the skin, where the veins stand out, tattoo and jacket. He has all the paraphenalia of a tough guy, but I get the feeling from your picture that he is only playing role. Great texture and detail. The only thing I would suggest is a little more light in his eyes, which are the key part of any portrait. Posted: 08/17/2026 08:55:07
Mark -- This is my first attempt to attach a re-worked image to a comment; I hope it works. I tried a pretty radical crop to place the attention on the elements of the image that I find most interesting which is the hands and jewelry, the face but not the hair, and the patches and tattoos. I like the black-on-black of the subject and the background. Working with models allows the opportunity to try different approaches and I think you've made the most of this interesting subject. Posted: 08/21/2026 16:27:23