The Bearded One

OK seems like the Critique forum has lost some momentum, maybe to the PotW threads over in Casual Conversations perhaps?

 

No matter, I'm dropping a recent in here to stir things up a bit. Fianlly getting my last rolls of film processed from The Race Of Gentlemen - which was WAY back in October of last year! After a week of shooting cars and motorcycles, tho, I must have been getting a bit over it as I beagn to aim my camera at "other" things. ha ha ha

 

Anyway, I like this one, please tell me what you all think about it. By now it's a bit redundant maybe as I've posted it around the forum, but I'd love to hear -er I mean read some critique on it.

 

Thanks, hope this finds everyone well.

 

EDIT: this was shot on expired Kodak Tmax 100, which was stored frozen since purchased. It's a wee bit "artifact-y" but IMO it isnt strong enough to be a distraction... I feel like it adds a hint of ... something? to alll the negative space.

 

Tom

 

This is well seen and well shot. I can see what drew you to this interesting subject. There’s something not working for me with the “headshot” format. The strength of the helmet and the way it hides his expression and parts of his face feels like it needs something else to relate to in the pic. I think, instead of the background being so “negative-spacey” (and abstract and out of focus), having a context for this “character” to be housed in would offer more of the narrative begun with the helmet.

Think it needs more context, otherwise it just looks odd to me. Is it cropped? If so maybe bring back the bike or at least some more details

Thanks for you comments, guys.

 

The photo is not cropped, it was shot on film in my Hasselblad 500cm- so a 6cm X 6cm square. It’s one of a great many photos I shot at a vintage beach drag racing event. This guy was one of the racers, waiting in a line up on his old Harley for his turn at the starting line. I’d shot so many photos of the cars and bikes that by this time I was aiming my cameras at other things.

 

I get the lack of context tho…

vintage beach drag racing event.

Just goes to show how important context can be. I live in San Francisco and it’s Pride month, so this at first led me to picture a very different event! :)

Just goes to show how important context can be. I live in San Francisco and it’s Pride month, so this at first led me to picture a very different event! :)

 

ha ha nice!

Happy Pride Month to you tho, brother.

Rico..., did the original image have more on the bottom? Or is this the original? - - -BTW, there are hints of black border in the top left and along the bottom. To me, they should be cloned out in my opinion.

Rico..., did the original image have more on the bottom? Or is this the original? - - -BTW, there are hints of black border in the top left and along the bottom. To me, they should be cloned out in my opinion.

 

Hi Michael,

 

Thanks for the comment. This is shot- and as scanned, so as close to "originaal" as I suppose it could get after converting from film negative to digital?

-Hi Tom, as an amateur 'informal portrait' photographer. I think this photo is wonderful! I shoot exclusively digital (which allows me to 'tweak' my RAW photos). As far as I can tell, this photo is 'as shot'. Perhaps a slightly wider 'frame' might have given the photo a bit more context, but as an 'informal portrait' it's IHMO great as it is:

- the subject is (at least to me) 'iconic' and well worth photographing!

- the exposure is perfect

- the aperture setting makes everything sharp that needs to be and blurs the background

 

All in all, a stunning portrait and one that I would have been delighted to have taken. Thanks for sharing!

-Hi Tom, as an amateur 'informal portrait' photographer. I think this photo is wonderful! I shoot exclusively digital (which allows me to 'tweak' my RAW photos). As far as I can tell, this photo is 'as shot'. Perhaps a slightly wider 'frame' might have given the photo a bit more context, but as an 'informal portrait' it's IHMO great as it is:

- the subject is (at least to me) 'iconic' and well worth photographing!

- the exposure is perfect

- the aperture setting makes everything sharp that needs to be and blurs the background

 

All in all, a stunning portrait and one that I would have been delighted to have taken. Thanks for sharing!

 

 

 

Tom, Mike's observations are spot on. Having read all the comments, I am totally in agreement with him; I can't add anything worthwhile.

Aw shucks Mike, thanks for the glowing critique. :)

Not sure if I’ve shared this info already but this was almost certainly shot using my Zeiss 250mm Sonnar lens- an amazing implement in its own right.

 

-Hi Tom, as an amateur 'informal portrait' photographer. I think this photo is wonderful! I shoot exclusively digital (which allows me to 'tweak' my RAW photos). As far as I can tell, this photo is 'as shot'. Perhaps a slightly wider 'frame' might have given the photo a bit more context, but as an 'informal portrait' it's IHMO great as it is:

- the subject is (at least to me) 'iconic' and well worth photographing!

- the exposure is perfect

- the aperture setting makes everything sharp that needs to be and blurs the background

 

All in all, a stunning portrait and one that I would have been delighted to have taken. Thanks for sharing!