Portrait Problems

Regular visitors here will have noted that I've been posting a lot of photos of performers lately. One of the reasons is that my photography interests lately have been in two directions - portraiture and landscapes. In part these two interests stem from two lenses I have - an 85mm lens (the focal length generally agreed to be most useful for portraits) and a 20mm wide angle lens that should be good for landscapes. I've been having more success with portraits but I feel that I tend to end up with the same old head and shoulders composition. Today's two photos illustrate two different choices for composition. Above is what I usually end up with - the subject (in this case, the lovely Esther-Ruth Teel and her Celtic harp) is pretty much centered in a 3:2 frame. Below is a different crop of the same photo - a close-up of just head and shoulders but sharing a square frame with the harp. I think I prefer the version below but I will be interested in any opinions visitors care to share.

Lunch in Good Company

Well, no, I didn't have lunch yesterday with the Queen, but her portrait (above) was nearby while we ate. The dining room was in Victoria's Legislative Assembly Building and is one of Victoria's hidden dining jewels. Food, presentation and service were superb and prices more than reasonable. While the restaurant is meant for the convenience of legislators, it is open to the public. The Queen's portrait is in recognition of her Diamond Jubilee and is a smaller copy of the original that hangs in Ottawa. This one is displayed on the main floor of the legislature.