A simple portrait from holidays

[psalmanazar]

Hi,

Would love to know your opinion about this picture:
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?topic_id=1481&msg_id=00L2iB&photo_id=5935194&photo_sel_index=0

cheers

Psalm

 

[Deadpoet]

First look, I was drawn to 3 things, which I doubt is what you want to focus on. Listed in order of annoyance.


The large area of her face where it's so over exposure no details left whatsoever.
The huge reflection off one lens of her sunglass.
The 40% of the picture above her head. Dead space can be powerful for composition but that is definately not the case here.

With these 3 problems, I don't see how this is not a straight to trash can candidate. << I do NOT see how such comments are called for. I am not telling you to dress it up. I am asking you to be polite. I have warned you repeatedly about this.

This is also an easy picture to fix, but unfortunately, 2 of the 3 you probably could not in DI.

The dead space can be easily cropped away. The reflection on the sunglass can probably fixed if you are very proficient with Photoshop.

However, the blown highlights on her face, nothing can be done.

It is not your place to tell anyone to bin their shot. You can tell them if it is a good or bad shot or why you think so but nobody here gave you the right to be rude. I suggest you understand what I have been trying to tell you repeatedly for so long. If you cannot understand or respect the house rules, i suggest you find another forum to air your "forth right" and "honest" opinion.

 

[zaren]

hi psalm,

i like the photo a lot, bold and simple composition and a good low-key photograph with a lot of mood. would have prefered a slightly tighter crop to omit the distracting white light at top right and the wristwatch at bottom right.

well done.

 

[psalmanazar]

Hey, thanks a lot for your comments. Let me think about your remarks about cropping

Cheers

Psalm

 

[psalmanazar]

Dear Deadpoet,

Thank you very much for your constructive criticism.

1. I wanted to overexpose the picture on the face. That was exactly my intention (spot meter).

2. This is what i always do: whenever there are sunglasses i want to have reflection. Sunglasses take away eyes so i want some kind of replacement.

3. The amount of space in the background is exactly what i wanted to have. I may be wrong about the visual effect it has but for me it gives the picture some kind of ominous melancholia, yearning for something undefined.

And the last remark. "Stright to trash candidate" is a very definitive sentence, which is hmmm a bit on the rude side.

But anyway thank you for your precious time

Cheers

Psalm

First look, I was drawn to 3 things, which I doubt is what you want to focus on. Listed in order of annoyance.


The large area of her face where it's so over exposure no details left whatsoever.
The huge reflection off one lens of her sunglass.
The 40% of the picture above her head. Dead space can be powerful for composition but that is definately not the case here.

With these 3 problems, I don't see how this is not a straight to trash can candidate.

This is also an easy picture to fix, but unfortunately, 2 of the 3 you probably could not in DI.

The dead space can be easily cropped away. The reflection on the sunglass can probably fixed if you are very proficient with Photoshop.

However, the blown highlights on her face, nothing can be done.

 

[Deadpoet]

Dear Deadpoet,

Thank you very much for your constructive criticism.

1. I wanted to overexpose the picture on the face. That was exactly my intention (spot meter).

2. This is what i always do: whenever there are sunglasses i want to have reflection. Sunglasses take away eyes so i want some kind of replacement.

3. The amount of space in the background is exactly what i wanted to have. I may be wrong about the visual effect it has but for me it gives the picture some kind of ominous melancholia, yearning for something undefined.

And the last remark. "Stright to trash candidate" is a very definitive sentence, which is hmmm a bit on the rude side.

But anyway thank you for your precious time

Cheers

Psalm

I can live with the dead space. Can see your point.

The reflection on the sunglass, I would feel it's ok if there are 2 reflections, one off each lens. Right now, looked sloppy.

The over blown face, if that is what you want, great, but it does not work.

As far as my comment using "trash can", nothing personal, I don't like to make personal comments most of the time. I can write some flowery prose to illustrate my opinion regarding the photo and what I would do to it, to make every feel better about my comment, to make you feel less offended, to be more politically correct, but why?

This is exactly how I felt.

Btw, at least you planned and executed the capture of this image exactly the way you wanted. That is GREAT. The only thing is we don't agree. That is perfectly fine, becasue disagreement is the catalyst to change and improvement.

 

[psalmanazar]

Let me explain to you why i like overblown faces. You know, this is my "artistic" vision so you may not agree with this but it is ok Actually, i am happy we are having this conversation. Exchanging ideas is good.

Overblown because it resembles a bit kabuki theathre. The actors wear a very strong makeup, which is fascinating for me as this is totally different sense of aesthetics than in my culture (i am from europe). Please have a look at this picture if you have time

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?topic_id=1481&msg_id=00KEXi&photo_id=5685038&photo_sel_index=0

Also, the light in the background is intentional. For me, there is always something mysterious about lights around my subjects. It's like somerhing is lurking there, something fleeting and in a sense irrelevant yet necessary.

Of course all of this may not work for you (or for anybody else for that matter). That's a matter of preception. However, I learnt one thing about photography, namely, that you have to give yourself time to look at a picture (if you bother of course). It's easy to watch without seeing, very easy.

Thanks for reading

Cheers

Psalm

I can live with the dead space. Can see your point.

The reflection on the sunglass, I would feel it's ok if there are 2 reflections, one off each lens. Right now, looked sloppy.

The over blown face, if that is what you want, great, but it does not work.

As far as my comment using "trash can", nothing personal, I don't like to make personal comments most of the time. I can write some flowery prose to illustrate my opinion regarding the photo and what I would do to it, to make every feel better about my comment, to make you feel less offended, to be more politically correct, but why?

This is exactly how I felt.

Btw, at least you planned and executed the capture of this image exactly the way you wanted. That is GREAT. The only thing is we don't agree. That is perfectly fine, becasue disagreement is the catalyst to change and improvement.

 

[benedium]

Ok. So this picture is perfect to your vision?
Would you shoot it differently if you could do it again?

 

[psalmanazar]

Ok. So this picture is perfect to your vision?
Would you shoot it differently if you could do it again?

Good question. The answer is no, the picture is not perfect because my ideas are still developing. When I took the picture it was the best i could do at that particular moment. Now, I love it. Perhaps in some time i will dislike it or be impartial to it.

Cheers

Psalm

 

[waileong]

You don't have to justify to anyone why you shoot in a certain way. Not unless they are paying you, of course.

If it works for you, it works for you. Case closed.

There comes a time in life when one shoots not to please others, but to please onself.

This doesn't mean that one ignores the opinions of others, but there is no need to try to prove one is right or even to explain or justify one's choices.

 

[chegr]

personally, I like your shots.
are these shot with digital camera?
care to share the settings and pp.

BTW, you may have dusts on your sensor

 

[psalmanazar]

Hi

Thank you very much for your nice comments.

Simple portrait from holidays was taken with Hasselblad 500CM, 80mm/2.8 on Ilford
PanF Plus 50, exposure 7EV.

I used to use digital camera but i don't like it. I have Canon 10D with 50/1.4, 80/2.0. I hate looking thru a view finder of the size of a post stamp (it's like looking thru a narrow and dark tunnel). Hasselblad's waist finder is such a pleasure to look thru (or rather at). Good view finder improves your composition so much! Not to mention that while taking pictures with Hasselblad you have an eye contact with your subject.

To put it short i think that photography is going astray. You are getting more megapixels crammed on a chip of a size of a peanut, which results in such a horrible noise that taking pictures becomes a constant disappointment. You are getting obscenely dark view finders or small tv screens to look thru. You are getting constant gratification that makes you taking millions of pictures most of which have to go a trash can but before that you have to spend countless hours to choose pictures you like etc. etc.

Cheers

Psalm

personally, I like your shots.
are these shot with digital camera?
care to share the settings and pp.

BTW, you may have dusts on your sensor

 

[Wolfgang]

Psalm,

first off, welcome to CS. Its good to see you sharing your works and I and glad you did.
I took the liberty of exploring the rest of the pictures in your gallery and there were a few that really stood out.

I love the tonality and how you have managed to bring across what you see onto a picture.

I am very sure you won't allow comments by people who have no sense of etiquette get to you.

I personally do not tolerate such callous remarks in here.

Anyhow, the weekend approaches.

Have yourself a good one.

 

[chegr]

I do like the "feeling" of pictures taken on film.
But, I am a beginner and I value the benefits of DSLR to allow me to practice at "low" cost.
Maybe when I'm better, I will venture to film.... or learn how to pp my pics to look like film

 

[Deadpoet]

First look, I was drawn to 3 things, which I doubt is what you want to focus on. Listed in order of annoyance.


The large area of her face where it's so over exposure no details left whatsoever.
The huge reflection off one lens of her sunglass.
The 40&#37; of the picture above her head. Dead space can be powerful for composition but that is definately not the case here.

With these 3 problems, I don't see how this is not a straight to trash can candidate. << I do NOT see how such comments are called for. I am not telling you to dress it up. I am asking you to be polite. I have warned you repeatedly about this.

This is also an easy picture to fix, but unfortunately, 2 of the 3 you probably could not in DI.

The dead space can be easily cropped away. The reflection on the sunglass can probably fixed if you are very proficient with Photoshop.

However, the blown highlights on her face, nothing can be done.

It is not your place to tell anyone to bin their shot. You can tell them if it is a good or bad shot or why you think so but nobody here gave you the right to be rude. I suggest you understand what I have been trying to tell you repeatedly for so long. If you cannot understand or respect the house rules, i suggest you find another forum to air your "forth right" and "honest" opinion.

Thank you Wolfgang for reminding me. By the way, I like to remind you too that this has become sommething more than jsut moderation on your part. At this rate you guys dole out infractin, I doubt I will be around too much longer.

By the way, to all my detractors, I have decided to no longer comment publically on the Portraits Forum. If I do, I will be banned in no time.

If you want C&C, PM me, and I will do my best.

To Wolfgang, you won. I will be out of your hair.

 

[waileong]

Hooray! Time for some sense and sensibility!

To TS: I have a 501CM too, and I don't really like the WLF, it's hard to focus and hard to get used to the left=right. And of course, when I shoot portraits, I can't use it if the subject is standing. I use the PM45, but perhaps in time I will use the WLF for landscape shots.

 

[zanef2.8]

Thank you Wolfgang for reminding me. By the way, I like to remind you too that this has become sommething more than jsut moderation on your part. At this rate you guys dole out infractin, I doubt I will be around too much longer.

By the way, to all my detractors, I have decided to no longer comment publically on the Portraits Forum. If I do, I will be banned in no time.

If you want C&C, PM me, and I will do my best.

To Wolfgang, you won. I will be out of your hair.

Maybe DP's a little on the rude side about binning the shot, but his comments are honest and straight to the point. I think there are too many people out there who are not dare to give honest opinions... too many posting pics to expect nothing but praise

I too think this shot is blown out + dead space which does nothing to me... it's also uncomfortable to look at

 

[Wolfgang]

Maybe DP's a little on the rude side about binning the shot, but his comments are honest and straight to the point. I think there are too many people out there who are not dare to give honest opinions... too many posting pics to expect nothing but praise

I too think this shot is blown out + dead space which does nothing to me... it's also uncomfortable to look at

I do not think i wish to explain why he has been warned again but my point here is simple. You can say what you want and be as honest as you want but all we are asking for is tact/courtesy. There are plenty of ways to put something across without being rude.

 

[vizuel]

I do not think i wish to explain why he has been warned again but my point here is simple. You can say what you want and be as honest as you want but all we are asking for is tact/courtesy. There are plenty of ways to put something across without being rude.

Do you think simon cowell would agree to what you have said?

This thread starter took the points as constructive. Any being rude depends on how you look at it. I felt DP was trying to put his point across stronly, not rude. And obviously, he learnt something from him.

Please don't gimme warning points for this post. I'll just start another acc cos I won't stop coming to this good forum due to the moderator.

 

[chngpe01]

Do you think simon cowell would agree to what you have said?

This thread starter took the points as constructive. Any being rude depends on how you look at it. I felt DP was trying to put his point across stronly, not rude. And obviously, he learnt something from him.

Please don't gimme warning points for this post. I'll just start another acc cos I won't stop coming to this good forum due to the moderator.

This is clubsnap and not any TV shows, so Simon Cowell's agreement is not necessary needed here for this forum to function (with no disrespect to Simon)

Dear Deadpoet,

And the last remark. "Stright to trash candidate" is a very definitive sentence, which is hmmm a bit on the rude side.

The Threadstarter do find it rude, the rest is as explained by Wolfgang.

We do not ban or warn members here for giving their opinion but we do go down hard on people who persistently insist on being rude and offensive to other members.

Have a good day and Thank You for your opinion.

Let's move on with this thread and not go off topic (aka OT)