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February contest theme: Loving Portraits

Posted by Teresa Hanafin, Boston.com Staff  February 1, 2010 03:31 PM
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We announced this theme last month, but now it's time to provide the details.

To be honest, there aren't many; I think the name of the theme just about says it all.

This really is a double challenge for you: Not only should your photo be an excellent portrait of someone (no pets this time; sorry!); it also has to portray your subject lovingly. It is February, after all.

For the former, there are links below that will help your with your portraiture, with information about good lenses to use, lighting, positioning, and some creative hints.

As for the loving part, well, that has to come from you. The idea isn't to portray couples loving each other. Rather, the assignment is for you to create an intimate image, a photo that evokes affection, a picture that tells the world that the person in front of the camera is lucky enough to be loved by the person behind it.

Your portrait does NOT have to be taken this month.

Here are this month's Flickr tags; just copy and paste this string into the tags field of your photo page on Flickr:

Boston.com contest February2010 Portraits

Here's more information about our contests, rules, and how to enter.

The portrait tips links:

Digital Photography School: 10 Ways to Take Stunning Portraits by Darren Rowse

DPS: 10 More Tips for Stunning Portrait Photography by Darren Rowse

Epic Edits: 16 Inspirational Portrait Photography Techniques by Brian Auer

Photo.net: Portrait Photography by Philip Greenspun

Good luck and as always, e-mail raw@boston.com if you have any questions.


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15 comments so far...

  1. portrait contest

    Posted by Anonymous February 2, 10 02:55 PM

  1. don't see the tags?

    Posted by daman February 4, 10 10:38 AM

  1. Hi daman ... the tags are listed above:

    boston.com contest january2010 portraits

    is that what you need?

    Posted by Teresa Hanafin, Boston.com Staff Author Profile Page February 4, 10 06:00 PM

  1. Are we only allowed to submit one photo?

    Posted by suzanne February 4, 10 07:11 PM

  1. who owns the submissions? what are the reproduction rights?

    Posted by Richard Chase February 10, 10 12:18 PM

  1. Hi Richard -- in the entry above, just click on the link that says "Here's more information about our contests, rules, and how to enter." That spells it all out.

    Posted by Teresa Hanafin, Boston.com Staff Author Profile Page February 10, 10 12:23 PM

  1. I love this theme. I photograph faces all over the place (almost 2,000 at this point) and have a feeling of affection for so many of them.

    Posted by GregPC February 12, 10 07:04 PM

  1. Teresa,

    I know it says "The idea isn't to portray couples loving each other." but I took a shot today of my daughter and I that I think would be great for this. Can submissions include multiple people?

    Thanks,
    -pg

    Posted by Pat Glennon February 12, 10 07:28 PM

  1. Oh, sure, Pat -- I didn't mean to imply that photos of more than one person were prohibited; I just wanted everyone to understand that the point was not to portray people being loving toward each other with the photographer / camera as a disinterested observer. I want to feel the love emanating from behind and within the camera.

    Posted by Teresa Hanafin, Boston.com Staff Author Profile Page February 13, 10 12:54 PM

  1. Where are the answers from the last contest?

    Posted by Toby February 23, 10 08:55 AM

  1. Hey, Toby -- still waiting to hear from all the photographers with their choices of the winning answers. When I get emails from all of them, I'll post their choices for the winning guesses on the front of RAW.

    Posted by Teresa Hanafin, Boston.com Staff Author Profile Page February 23, 10 01:54 PM

  1. Are self-portraits allowed in this contest? (cuz ya know, I really really love myself ;)

    Posted by NoCa Grrl February 24, 10 08:03 PM

  1. HA! Now that made me laugh out loud. Sure, why not?

    Posted by Teresa Hanafin, Boston.com Staff Author Profile Page February 24, 10 08:08 PM

  1. boring and cliche for the month w/ valentines and all....

    Posted by mike February 27, 10 06:26 PM

  1. Is there a topic for March yet?

    Posted by Terry Dolan February 28, 10 10:54 AM
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