Submitter's name:	Ian Nichols
Title:	Self Portrait, Ian Nichols, February 2000.
Camera:	Olympus 35RD (the one in my hand, in fact).
Aperture:	F/4.
Exposure:	Flash on "B", in a darkened room.
Film:	Ilford Delta 100.
Lighting:	Sun Pak Auto 30SR, tripod mounted with bounce reflector.
Details:	The camera was pointing into a mirror, and I'm totally amazed that I got the focusing right first time. I wanted to have something like window lighting, but still be able to hand-hold the camera, and the weather was miserable, so I waited until after dark and used flash. Having decided to use flash, I wanted to avoid having sync cords in the picture, so I left the room in near darkness and triggered the main flash using a small flash in my left hand pointing up the room and a slave trigger on the main flash. The shutter was held open on "B" and the flash triggered manually. Flash was set to "normal" auto mode. There is a white-painted door to my right, which acted as a convenient fill-inreflector.
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Comment left by: Olaf Greve (ogreve@web-wizards.com)

Very nice lighting balance! So much for needing the OM's TTL multiple T flash gear ;)

Comment left by: B.B. Bean (bbbean@beancotton.com)

Very nice lighting. I never would have thought of doing it that way.

Comment left by: wiliam wagenaar (wiliam2@wish.net)

You don't really need the OM's, but you cannot live without ZUIKO's. Nice shot

Comment left by: Giles (cnocbui@indigo.ie)

Nicely done, I would have sworn another camera was used to take this.

Comment left by: John A. Lind (jlind@netusa1.net)

Excellent lighting and great fill on the left side of the image from the door! I will have to remember that. Nice pinpoint reflection on the eyes in spite of wide open pupils. And doing it hand held no less!

Comment left by: Ron Spolarich (caesar2@mediaone.net)

I like the texture in this shot Ian. The focus is dead on in your eyes. In fact, that's what I see first in this picture, your eyes. I presume the camera is out of focus because your hand holding it. I like directional lighting. The bridge of your nose blends in completely with the left side of your face. The door to your right definitely lifted the shadows giving a shallow contrast to the left side. I like it!

Comment left by: Scott C. Nelson (snelson@hcfa.gov)

I shot like this shows real ability in pre-visualization. shot with flash in a darkened room into a mirror? I wouldn't have predicted it would come out so sharp and well-lit. Gotta get my RD nack from Camtech!

Comment left by: Siddiq (siddim01@student.ucr.edu)

Ron said it all. Never would have know it was reflected in a mirror if you hadn't told...you corrected the left-right swap in scanning, yes?

Comment left by: Joel Wilcox (jowilcox@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu)

This is one of the best straight self-portraits I've ever seen. The flash work is amazingly skillful and natural. I was stunned to read from your description that it was not window light.

Comment left by: Ian Nichols (no e-mail specified)

Does anyone know the correct nettiquette for this sort of thing? should we start a discussion here (and risk clogging up the site with comments) or take it back onto the list? For now I'll just say thanks for all the positive feedback, and Ron: the camera is out of focus because it is about 9" closer to the mirror and therefore 18" closer to, er, itself IYSWIM. Acer: (it is you, isn't it) yes, it was reversed after scanning (and printed with the neg upside down). I don't actually look like that anymore - I had a haircut the next day.

Comment left by: Joan Barnett (joan.barnett@home.com)

Great shot. Awesome B&W film. Someday I'll have to get some and try it out myself. Thanks for sharing!

Comment left by: Robert Ashdown (RobertA@qm.qld.gov.au)

Ian, this is a wondeful self-portrait! Excuse my ignornace, but I have never seen an Olympus Rangefinder. It obviously has typically excelent OM optics 'attached'. Can you tell me something more about the camera if you have a moment? Cheers Robert Ashdown

Comment left by: Stephen Scharf (scharfsj@ix.netcom.com)

Ian, this is just a wonderful photograph, not only from a creative and technical point of view, but it's also a terrific self-portrait.

Comment left by: Carlos Santisteban (cjss@supercable.es)

Amazing shot! Lighting is sweet and nice -- a really creative use of flashes. Focusing is perfect, too.

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