Light my fire

fool... what about this?!

Thank you Jochen and sorry too for (over)using your pic!...

A kind of success

for your POW I guess.

Obnoxious architecture? Are you insane? That is way cool stuff. ;-) I guess my previous comments about Googie Architecture (an American invention) fell on deaf ears as I thought they might. The photographer has already explained why this is cropped as it is and Mark made an excellent comment about room for thoughts. The architecture (round holes) actually made me think of cartoon thought-bubbles. And no, this is not a personal attack just an opinion that perhaps some people might miss the point of an environmental portrait in the first place.

 

The black and white (toned) versions are excellent as well. A lot of people do not seem to like the grain which I do not fully understand. I think it is cool but many people view it as a defect. I like the original also but I think the purple and green colors clashed with the main subject and became too much of a distraction as I am sure a client if you were to have one, would have quickly pointed out.

 

I changed her jogging pants to blue jeans (much cooler) and then gave her blue eyes to match (I like blue eyed blondes). I also played with selective blurring but would never have thought of Jacques brilliant solution. I got rid of the nasty drip on the cup, though a full and overflowing cup would have also worked well for a coffee ad. Whatever your last drink of the day was, make sure your first drink of the day is Light My Fire Coffee.

 

I also trimmed the left edge to remove some distractions and most importantly (to me) got rid of that thing behind her head on the left side. I like the original concept of the photo very much but I think there is room for minor improvement.

The window frames compete too much with the subject. -Greg-

Marc, gotta agree with ya. Some of the other crops here are more interesting for sure. I love, I mean love Jacques to be honest with you. Really artsy, but real strong IMO.

I like the window frames, the round cut-outs resemble thought-bubbles from comics in a way, also mir gefaellt's

So I have spent a lot of time reading all of the comments and, as with most critiques

posted here, there are very few that actually critique while it seems that the vast number

of people want to recreate the photo in their own likeness and to fit in their own comfort

zone.

 

I think it is important to respect the artist's work and his presentation. Talk about the

clutter and how it makes you feel-your reaction to it, maybe it makes you feel exactly as

intended. Talk about the open space above the head, again maybe it elicits the desired

result. And for God's sake, don't tell someone to trash an image just because you don't

like a color transition--this is the day of photoshop and all its powers by the way! When

you talk about your reaction to the photo, instead of giving directions, the artist gains

insight as to how the photo plays and can make, or not, the changes they feel will help

achieve their intent.

 

As for the photograph, I find that there is a great use of line here that drives one's eye

right to the subject. The lines in the window-as well as the reflections in the lower pane,

the inlays and texture in the table, the I-beams, everything draws the eye to the girl, even

the menus in their holder. The only thing that wants to draw my eye away is the

brightness under the table--as soon as my eye is on the girl, it wants to bounce down to

the bright corner. As for color balance, the cool daylight, like an overcast/rainy day,

complemented with what appears to be a greenish light inside, seem to create a sense of

aloneness or depression. The skin tones seem to be generally believable for this

lighting and for the red table, but I do find the red in the shadows a bit strong and the

transitions to be a bit "digital" and do end up distracting me a bit. The model's body pose

is nice while I feel that the expression is somewhat vacant and tentative. For me, this is

where my interest in the photo wanes.

Hey mona (I love your alias). This is tame by non-internet standards. I've had images torn to death by judges in contests, critics etc. I would have loved if some of them would have just said "trash it". It would have gotten done with quicker and with less blood loss.

 

I actually think people have expressed themselves pretty well here. Most have supplied reasons why they would change or alter the image right down to the 'emotion' level. Fitting an image to our own 'comfort' level is exactly what critiquing is about. Hopefully while the artist reads it they can understand why the photographers are suggesting these things. And in the end if the photographer says "no, this is the way I want it" then so be it.

 

One thing to remember, and it took me a while to understand it fully, this is a site full of photographers. Most commentary will be on the technical apsects of the image and very rarely do you see "this images makes me feel (fill in the blank) and here's why..." in a very indepth way. It's all in the audience you play too. Hang this on a street corner and ask passers by what they think I doubt seriously that the color transition between the highlights to the shadows would be an issue for them, but it is to me. Only because I look for that kinda stuff.

 

Jochen answered my crop with a message on my gallery page simply stating that he needs the room on the image, and actually I agree with him that my crop was too tight, but it's cool that he feels that way. His image is the way he wants it as it should be. But we have to give our suggestions as we see it and the way we feel it needs to be. After all, we really can't speak for anyone but ourselves...

I had to jump in without reading every post.

Most of the criticism you receive here is weaked by the heavily photographer oriented thinking, especially regarding color and tonal range. The best comment was to draw a parallel to the portraits of Edward Hopper. Try to find an actual painting of his (not a repro or a website) and look at the palette of colors used in the painting of skin color/tone. Green, blue, yellow, red... we photographers (especially wedding photographers) are trapped by an ideal (see Maxim for idealized skin tone/color) that removes us from the spirit of natural light and traps us in the letter of "correctness" and "accurate" color.

Naturally occuring light is frequently not neutral. "color correct" light is frequently inaccurate... and boring.

Often, even those of us who are willing to step outside "normal" will accept only some commercially approved "other", such as "cross processed", or "grainy" or "desaturated" etc.

Free expression suffers when a closed society defines correctness... t

Very nice photograph. Perfect expoiure in difficult light.

I like the composition a lot, very good use of (not really) empty space. The colours are a little wacky but they're not bad at all.

I like the photo. The model does attract the eye first and the expression does make the viewer wish to be the one to get a fire going. The eye next seems to move to the spot on the coffee cup. My first impression is, I wish it wasn't there, then I get over it. The clutter does not distract me that much. It would be a fun photo to play with and try for perfection given the time and freedom to do so. But this one image is sufficient if one has to stop here.

Jochen, I tend to agree with Mona on the point she raised about the bright area, bottom left. I think that simply cropping out that area does nothing detrimental to the shot but does make it stronger. If it was my shot I'd straighten the verticals (can't see a reason not to) and remove the stain (just bugs me) on the cup. Does that make me an obsessive compulsive? I hope not. I like the model's contemplative mood, and the soft directional light that illuminates her provides good 3D modeling. Cropping out a lot of the area above her still leaves a fine photo but including the extra space makes the shot less confining and allows her to 'breath'. Congratulations on POW. Best, LM.

Wow, i'm so happy to see a photo like this get picked for POW. It's what I love to shoot (though I don't post many/any here) and, to me, has the most layers of interest. I really dig those beams with the circular holes-- those really make this photo. Great job.

And I'm throwing my hat in with the people who like the contrast. Flattening this makes it far less moody... I happen to like shadows and dislike anything that starts to look like the flat light of a sitcom set ;-)

Excellant photo. Well composed, interesting surroundings. Other than the title which I am still baffled by, I don't have much to complain about. I like the b&w fuzzy/foggy version you posted, also.

-GB

Well - I think I've been accused of being a wedding photographer ;0)

 

In any case, my "opinion" still stands. Let me set it straight that I love grainy work. I shoot with 3200 quite often and it is fabulous film. What I object to is the splotchy chest skin and the wild hues of color in the arms as well as the face. First of all - as a woman - I find it widly unflattering. As a photographer I find it flawed because of the extreme dark muddy (unflattering) shadows and the blown highlights. As a consumer (I've hired photographers to shoot my portrait), I'd reject the image for the quality but I'd love the image itself and the mood it projects. As a designer or pre press/production person, I'd reject it for the way it would print in a brochure or magazine. (I've done that too).

 

On the other hand - as an "art piece".. maybe. I'll defer to the "artists". After all, I'm just a lowly wedding photographer - currently... ;-(

It's a pretty nice documentary shoot. Bit too saturated for my taste. Why should the photographer try to flatter her?

 

I can't see the relation between the title and the picture.

How utterly ordinary. This is remarkably similar to a snapshot my grandmother took of her granddaughter in 1994. Thankfully, Grandma did not consider herself an "artist" or a "photographer" - just someone who saw a nice snapshot and wanted to use up the last few pictures on the roll of film.

 

The selection of this shot makes a nice contrast to the others which evoke real emotion and passion. This is ordinary and not terribly exciting. I do like some of the special effects others have added, though.

"This is remarkably similar to a snapshot my grandmother took of her granddaughter in 1994"

 

Please, let us see that picture !

good composition, overall the exposure and lighting is really good i like the extra space and how the focus is primarily on the girl, you still need the mood of the cafe, to make the photo.

"everything draws the eye to the girl"

 

I still think the window frames have the greatest draw, away from the girl. Must be a matter of how compostional pattern affects people diffently. -Greg-

Fabulous. The mood of this photo is awesome. As stated I would crop the leg at the bottom. Once that is one this is done, the photo draws my eye to the woman's face. To me it has a sad/lonely feeling to it.

 

chris

There is something about the color, tones, and the look on the girl's face that makes this image stunning. I can't really explain it better than that. Just the fact that it has engendered so much discussion makes this image a success!!

I can say a few things, but I like the origional better than anything else shown above. The tech flaws are not a problem, the goal here wasn't to capture a technically perfect image. If you put all your efforts into technical perfection you lose the soul of your images, especially with street photography or photojournalism. As someone else asked, I'd like to know if it was staged or not. In other words is it a photo or a photo-illustration?