Some character study portraits I shot over the years, all of them are known to me personally, some are no longer with us and some of them are still going strong.
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Some character study portraits I shot over the years, all of them are known to me personally, some are no longer with us and some of them are still going strong.
Those are beautiful! Thanks for sharing
A few more images I've taken over the years, two local shots plus another I took inside the Museum d'Orsay in Paris a few years back during a short weekend break with the Wife.
Magnificent! I so love B&W photographs. My second ex-wife was/if a professional photographer, and her preferred (mine, too) medium is B&W. I find it so thruthful. Thanks for sharing these, and others.Quote:
Originally Posted by celticcrusader
Thanks for posting this.
You do have an "eye" for composing excellent photos.
I have liked "character" studies for many years, especially the b&w pics. They tell a true story.
Thanks, Randy, I'm pleased you enjoyed the shots, I agree with you regarding the character portraits, black & white certainly lends itself to this style of photography.Quote:
Originally Posted by randydance062449
A few more character portraits I shot over the years, local paper seller known has Billy the sticks, then we have Mr Prosser local cobbler from Llewellyn St Dowlais, the Mother & Child were beggars I shot on the streets of Paris.
I always wonder whether beggars are the "professional" sort or not when I encounter them.
bob
Bob, it's definitely something you must consider, is the child being used as a prop to generate more money? I would never rule anything out myself.Quote:
Originally Posted by BobH
We were told while in Paris to watch and see if a car comes around to pick these women and children beggars up around supper time. I don't think we ever say an adult male in a begging family group either while there.Quote:
Originally Posted by celticcrusader
Bob
Went for a little stroll with the Dogs earlier today, visited a local landmark not too far from me within walking distance, the Norman hill Castle, Morlais Castle.
History
Morlais came under the control of the de Clare family in 1217. However, its remote location which, was far removed from the main lines of movement through Glamorgan, meant the site was of little interest to this powerful Anglo-Norman family. In 1262 the Lordship passed to Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester who initially supported Simon de Montfort in his rebellion against Henry III but later changed sides to support Prince Edward (later Edward I) in his campaign that culminated in the Royalist victory at the Battle of Evesham (1265). In recognition of his support, Henry III granted him Abergavenny Castle but Gilbert focused his efforts on a much more elaborate structure and in 1268 commenced building Caerphilly Castle as a vast statement of his status. However, Gilbert's power peaked in 1282 when he led an unsuccessful expedition into Southern Wales as part of the Second War of Welsh Independence. Defeated at the Battle of Llandeilo Fawr, he was relieved of command undermining his position as a Marcher Lord. In an attempt to re-establish his power, he commenced construction of Morlais Castle circa-1288. Its location, at the northernmost limits of the Lordship of Glamorgan, overlooked neighbouring Brecknockshire and was intended to extend Gilbert's influence into the territory of his neighbour Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford.
The castle occupied the summit of a naturally defendable limestone escarpment overlooking the Taf Fechan. This waterway also gave the castle its name - Morlais deriving from Mawr (great) and glais (stream). The site had previously been a fortified settlement during the Iron Age and these defences were enhanced and incorporated into the new castle giving it an unusual configuration. The internal enclosure was divided into Inner and Outer baileys. The former had a triangular layout and was dominated by a large Round Keep whilst access to the Outer Bailey was guarded by a large 'D' shaped tower. Unusually the Outer Ward also had a large Keep-like Round Tower whilst the Great Hall, or some other substantial building seems to have been built along the inside length of the curtain wall. A cistern, a deep pit for collecting rainwater, was located in the centre of the enclosure.
The building of the castle immediately ignited tensions with Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Lord of Brecknock who claimed it impacted on his sphere of influence. The dispute escalated culminating in a skirmish known as the Battle of Maes Vaynor (1291). In an unwelcome distraction from his other military ambitions, Edward I intervened to settle this local but potentially destabilising conflict. Both Gilbert and Humphrey were fined and spent a short period incarcerated in the Tower of London. However, it was Gilbert who was fined the greater sum – 10,000 marks – on account of his building of Morbais Castle. The King's intervention brought work on the castle to a halt and it is not certain it ever resumed although it certainly remained in use as it was captured by the Welsh during the revolt of Madog ap Llywelyn in 1294. The Welsh in Glamorgan made peace with Edward I in 1295 and Morlais was eventually returned to Gilbert de Clare. However, his death in December 1295 saw Morlais Castle abandoned and it was left to drift into ruin. Its walls were still standing to a significant height in 1741 for they were captured in an engraving by the Buck brothers but thereafter the stonework was robbed to support local building endeavours.
Beautiful Jamie!
Thanks for the history of the place too. I based my Masters thesis on a land dispute in the Welsh Marches in the early 15th century, and my PhD was a biography of the Earl of Northumberland, so it's safe to say I have a thing about border regions and the history of frontiers. Fascinating stuff. :tu
Here's a little short video of the castle giving you a better idea of the overall plan and scale.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cangooner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQZExPq-2F0
There's a couple of YouTube vids about Morlais Castle and quite a few about Merthyr Tydfil.
Are any of those contributors you Jamie?
Not me Steve, I know many people involved with historical interests within my town, there's so much history in the Town and surrounding area all on my doorstep, Iron age the Celts, Romans, Anglo Saxons, Norman, right through to the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, something I always valued highly walking on history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merthyr_Tydfil
Methyr Tydfil certainly has a lot of history. Unfortunately I have never been there. I visited Snowdonia quite often and Prestatyn when we went to Butlins as a kid.Quote:
Originally Posted by celticcrusader
I have also been to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysilio gogogoch, Electric Mountain and a slate mine.
Interesting about Watling Street, that runs through Milton Keynes where I lived for several years (although I am originally from Bournemouth), Fenny Stratford (Bletchley) and St Albans right into London, although it's obviously called the A5 now.
As far as I know Queen Bodecia was killed in battle at Towcester on Watling Street (A5)
Quote:
Originally Posted by STF
Yes, Boudica, was the Queen of the Iceni Celtic tribe, they were from the Norfolk area, fearsome indeed, Celtic Women were given equal status to Men and allowed to fight alongside them.
Cefn Coed Viaduct
The viaduct is the third-largest in Wales and is now a Grade II listed building. It was designed by Alexander Sutherland in conjunction with Henry Conybeare and partly built by Thomas Savin and John Ward. In early 1866, the project faced disaster when Savin and Ward suffered serious financial and legal difficulties. It was eventually completed with the assistance of Alexander Sutherland. He produced an alternative route into Merthyr, curving the viaduct so that the railway line avoided property owned by ironmaster Robert Thompson Crawshay. It cost £25,000 to build (equivalent to £2.1 million in 2016).
It consists of 15 arches, each one 39 feet 6 inches wide, and is 770 ft. long with a maximum height of 115 ft. It was planned to be constructed entirely of limestone like the nearby Pontsarn Viaduct but a trade union strike by stonemasons in February 1866 caused the company to buy 800,000 bricks and use bricklayers to complete the 15 arches. It was completed on 29 October 1866, three years after the mainline which linked it with Brecon. The last trains travelled over the viaduct in the mid-1960s and it subsequently fell into disrepair. It was refurbished by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council with assistance from a grant from the National Lottery. It has now become part of the Taff Trail, route 8 of the National Cycleway
Jeez Jamie, you really do make a bloke want to come visit your lovely country. Hopefully it'll happen one day:D
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tathra11
If you do visit Wales, My advice would be to head to our coastline, especially along the Tenby Saundersfoot coast, I have travelled all over Europe from a young age and nothing compares to those beaches when the sun is shining, a walkers paradise, Tenby is about 1 hour 30 minutes drive from Merthyr my home town.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q462lJv7y90
A few character portraits I shot over the last couple of days in my local park Thomastown park, we are having some glorious weather here in Wales over the last week, so has they say make hay while the sun is shining, the guys are all known to me some of them are old neighbours of mine, Mr Cledwyn Price and Mr Lionel Powles are two of my old neighbours, then we have second-generation Welsh Italian Mr Clive Barsi, then we have Richard Coles and John Coombes, these guys are quite a bit older than me with big personalities, such great fun to walk around with lots of fun laughter and some extremely funny stories.
https://i.imgur.com/g7lRuRI.jpg
Mr Cledwyn Price
https://i.imgur.com/j56oKPK.jpg
Mr Lionel Powles
https://i.imgur.com/l9Ikgrw.jpg
Mr John Coombes
https://i.imgur.com/Bhbvl9V.jpg
Mr Richard Coles
https://i.imgur.com/C6RHDAI.jpg
Mr Clive Barsi
For some reason, black and white portrait photos seem to draw my attention to the character in a person’s face more than colour photos.
Great pics Jaimie.
.
.
I do so enjoy your character portraits. Please continue posting them. :)
https://i.imgur.com/RdoOFG3.jpg
My younger brother Alan.
https://i.imgur.com/dLBIxmf.jpg
My wife Ceri working from home using Microsoft teams
https://i.imgur.com/wDEiVRY.jpg
I have never taken a selfie until now.:)
Great photos, Jamie. Your brother needs a shave though:)
I took these shots back in the late 1980s, local miners hauling coal working underground, a few of the miners were good friends of mine, one of them was called Neil Marshall we were good buddies all through school and still are to this day, he lives pretty locally to me and I see him pretty regularly, photo's cannot describe or convey how tough cutting coal by hand filling drams and hauling out the coal using Horses is, Miners in the South Wales valleys were a special people loved by their communities.
Shame Maggie shut all the coal mines eh? Whole villages just vanished.
Beautiful portraits of life, Jamie.
Here's one of my Bedlington Terriers, Oscar he's almost 10 he's like my shadow, he's such a lovely boy Mr sociable he loves everyone, especially children.
Shot these on an earlier walk with the dogs, the weather is bright clear and cold for April, but I'm not complaining, as long as there is no rain I'm happy.
https://i.imgur.com/CozvmKP.jpg
The Fountain was a gift to the people of Merthyr, from Lord Merthyr Sir W.T.Lewis in 1906, and was dedicated to the Captains Of Industry, including his Grandparents Robert and Lucy Thomas pioneers of the South Wales steam coal trade. Elaborately wrought in iron with fantastic decorations. Iron mugs on chains were originally present for the use of the thirsty passer-by.
https://i.imgur.com/TDY7ENo.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/unjca9G.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/CEAiw1T.jpg
Salem Chapel was Built-in 1855. Closed in the 1930s, then used as offices and Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Dropped the car off for its yearly MOT, so off I go for a stroll with the Bedlington boys into Abernant Y Gethin Woods, there is much activity going on I haven't been there for a little while, lots of earthmoving and drainage work taking place, they have pushed a road right to the opening of Aberdare Train tunnel, the tunnel has been closed for trains for nigh on 70+ years, it's over a mile long, connects my town of Merthyr Tydfil to Aberdare, when I was a young boy I used to bunk off school and with a few mates and a couple of torches we would walk through there, I also took a few photos of our industrial past old mine working outbuildings and structures looks like there is only one winner when nature wants to take over, nature being the clear winner here.
I took these few over the weekend, Mr David Harris, Mr Gary Handley, Mr Brad Price and a shot of myself using my super wide-angle lens, the last shot is some youngster down on his luck and out of his mind on Spice by the look of things.
I have to repeat my earlier observation that B & W portrait images convey more character than colour photos. The B & W portraits of historical figures by Cavoukian famously demonstrated that.
Great shots Jaimie.
Are these images digital or film? If they are digital, did you use any particular B&W film simulation setting in camera to imitate the look of a specific B&W film?
Bob
Quote:
Originally Posted by BobH
Bob, there are two ways you can do it, on the camera go into your white balance settings, go to creative style choose black & white, or upload the image take it to your editing program and simply switch it from colour to black & white, both look exactly the same whichever you choose.
Yes, I realise that but what I was wondering about is that Fuji cameras, for instance, will let you select the look of specific Fuji B&W films. I realise that you can manipulate manually both in camera or on the PC. I take it that you do it yourself to suit your taste in how the B&W should look for the image.Quote:
Originally Posted by celticcrusader
Bob
Yes, I do, portraits almost always look better in black & white, although when I shot in 35mm film I almost always used black & white film over colour.Quote:
Originally Posted by BobH