Portrait composition

I thought I would show you a photo I took a few years ago on film, it may not be my latest work but illustrates how choosing an unusual composition can elevate the photo from the mundane to something eye catching with more impact. 
Using a high viewpoint looking down, plus rotating the camera has made a less symmetric composition, shifting the face to the top left and feet to the bottom right, also creating negative space in the top right and bottom left balancing the shot. The wide angle lens gave extra perspective drawing the viewer’s eye to the model’s face, helped by selective focus letting the body go out of focus. Black and white high contrast has added to the impact by taking away the detail in his suit, making the image more graphic and punchy.

The photos was originally shot on 5x4” b/w film and processed in Lith developer, that gave super high contrast and subtle warmth to the print. The beauty of Lith developer is that no two prints are the same, as each subsequent print is developed the developer changes (tech term is exhausts), the first print is neutral super high contrast and as more are processed in the same developer they become less contrasty and warmer in colour.