John & Amy Portrait

Very stylish and creative portrait. Has a stage feel to it.

I tried to get a vintage feel for this shot though lighting and

costume - hopefully I got close.

 

Any comments critiques on this portrait shot would be

appreciated. I'd appreciate it if you DO nit-pick the details that

come to mind when viewing it.

 

Thanks!

A very original portrait, interesting lighting.

Conveys various emotions to me... detachment, longing, affection... Both subjects looking away from the viewer is very interesting. Very original portrait indeed!

Agree with all of the above.

If I had to be critical at all I would look at the backdrop. I can see some sort of pattern in the material and the folds are a little distracting. What I have done in the past is move the model away from the backdrop more to send the backdrop out of focus. But saying that this may have been then effect you was after and I am not going to knock for it because the overall mood of the picture is nice and warm. I do keep wondering what he is looking at, almost gives me the feeling that although I am seeing a couple they are not together. His hand on he chin is a very dramatic pose almost like he is dominating her.

 

Overall I like it.

Chris

The lighting and setting produce a highly artificial, theatrical setting - which is obviously what you intended. Old cinema, yes. Oddly enough, of all things, it reminds me of the film version of The Sheltering Sky - a complete irrelevance I'm sure!

 

Ok, so what is my reaction? The girl looks straight at me (at least that's the way I see it, tho Badri says she's looking away). Her expression...almost none, tho she seems alert and aware. But the man is the interesting figure. That hand, fingers stroking Amy's cheek. Loking away, apparently off-stage. His expression...fear? And that hand on the cheek - not love, but possession, caressing her cheek the way a collecter might caress a new and priceless vase. A very complex relationship between these two. If she;s possessed, her alert pose suggests it is willingly. His protective crouch suggests that he'a afraid of losing her - jealousy?

 

Well, this is all a personal interpretation. Others are possible. The thing really is, this portrait invites such interpretations. It's complex, evocative. Chinese Proust.

 

Incidentally, I take it these were models, posing at your directions? God help them if they're a husband and wife!

Thanks for the comments so far.

Interesting - I am glad that people have responded to the pose.

 

Many of the pro models I shoot are also friends... So we have a friendship as well as a working relationship. It's interesting because I find this does effect shooting sometimes.

 

ha ha - I wonder if I should add a "delving-into- inter-model-personal-relationship" clause in my model release form?!?!

 

Philip - the 'Chinese Proust' angle wouldn't be too far off the mark. I'll leave it at that - lest I get an upset friend or a lawyer knocking on my door!

 

cheers,

Luc

 

 

 

I don't know from Proust. Technically, I wish the curtain folds were out, they sort of pull me away from the figures. Or if they were blurred some. If male figure looked just a little to his right, the symmetry would be better I think, and the effect would still be cinemagraphical. Vis a vis plain background, and warm lighting I submit this snap.GS

sharon seated against warm b-ground

Hey Lucas, I think you hit your mark on this one. Maybe a Chinese character("Chen, The Arousing"or "Lu, The Wanderer" perhaps? Sorry I don't have a Sanskrit keyboard!) embossed in gold in that lower right corner would raise the iconic quality and further enforce the Chinese Theatre Poster effect you want... t

I've heard some people say studio work is dead. This is a good image with which to prove them wrong. Creative work, borrowing heavily from Oriental theatre, but repaying in full with the remarkable tension you've managed to instil in it.

 

It's interesting that where Philip Coggan sees possession, I see protection. On second thoughts, the difference is slight...

Hi,

Thanks for all the positive comments from everyone so far.

 

Samuel,

This is the same model (believe it or not) as in this shot that you also commented on.

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=001z60

 

Just FYI.

 

cheers,

Luc

I love the warmth and how their poses work for the good of the photo. It really isn't original when you think about it, but it shows how simple can be original and very good.

I could stare at this for a good long time, Lucas. In fact, I already have. And I can't think of a thing to say except that I like it very much!

Maybe (no doubt) I'll think of something more later, but for now: the colors, lines, warmth, figures, pose, attitude - even the clothes - they all come together neatly here to form a picture oddly powerful - made more so by its subtlety. Very Asian in that sense. As well as in several others. Sure you weren't born there? (And how did I miss this the first time?)

 

Let's see: posed - i.e. "created". not "found" type of photography. Therefore one expects some original "artistic idea" to be present and its execution the subject of such a photograph.

 

What we get is, a weak - and POSED - shot that is quite obvous and lacks originality. Not worthy of POW, certainly, as all other posed portraits from the author's portfolio - all similar, all kind of medium level, far from advanced and masterly. "The warm glow" praised by someone does not come across as a deliberate and interesting technique to my eye.

 

From the comments the author looks like a nice person, but that is not the reason to select weak works for POW. Raises question about the judges - an advanced practitioner of photography would immediately recognize less original work and exclude it from consideration.

How could this crap become POW? Just kidden lucas its a great shot. i like the warmness and body position. i hope everythings going well.

I'm suprise that such posed and simple photo is regarded as something special. It's very good from

technical point of view but one can find many similar pictures in fashion magazines. Kind of virtual reality I think.

Sorry to say but nothing interests me .. The image is boring and corny . Could improve with some cropping. I think this pic is too much over rated.

Lucas, this one is nice, but my favorite from you is this one. In your portrait´s gallery there are others better.

You deserve this POW!

 

Great job on this Lucas. A nice warm looking shot, with a lot to think about. Personally, I would have preferred a bit less space towards the top, but as is it's still a wonderful shot.

Nice photo. Photo of the week? Not by a country mile. I have to agree with Marc Gougenheim with regard to Lucas' best.

Lucas, it's a good photo but I feel like it's meant to be a theater poster - it has a story to tell. To me, it hard for it to stand by itself.

 

By the way, Gerry, you portrait looks like Singer-Sargent painting - beautiful.

very much akin to movie posters i see around most of asia - you could fit in the title and teaser up around the extra head space. good, warm setup, but i'd agree that it's not the the best work in your portfolio.

sorry to admit i thought it was a hostage-taking drama at first glance.

kudos

This is the kind of picture I dislike as a rule. This shot, however, is exceptional. I love the subdued colour palette, the theatrical backdrop, the "Shanghai" smokey tones, the psychological complexity (the complicity of one, the staged look of the other). This is a fine photograph - a brilliant portrait, stage shot whatever. Very well done - wouln't look at all out of place in the monograph of one of the greats.

Emotionally, this portrait brings to mind many different possibilities as to the relationship that truly exists between these two people. No matter what their factual kinship is, the woman appears dominant with her direct and impenetrable gaze, however, the man is no less dominant even though his treatment is much more submissive: His attention is diverted from the camera; his compositional placement behind the woman; his white shirt demanding more visual attention; the gesture and placement of his arm crossing before the woman and placed intimately on her cheek.

 

Compositionally I believe its the power and intent of the males distraction that throws this portrait, if you could call it a portrait, onto a level separate from either fashion for fashions sake, or as a mere family keepsake. I mean, his expression is one of disinterest with both the woman and the photographer, but his body language is all about the woman. However, the woman is likewise expressive in her indifference with the male, her body language completely stoic and unemotional. But it is that same detached body language that makes the males gesture all the more puzzling: Is he possessive, or protective? Imagine small changes in body positioning and see how they powerfully affect the clarity of relationship: Everything as is, but with both of them looking towards camera. As is, but with her head and eyes downcast. As is, but with her hand on his arm. As is, but with his arm at his own side. As is, but with her smiling, etc. The ambiguity of the couples relationship is what makes this photograph interesting, I think. Having read that these are models, however, sort of deflates the mystery. Maybe that could have been a secret unrevealed for a little longer time.

 

Technically the studio attributes are handled well in terms of the spot lighting, the vignette effect, the balancing of the Cokin with the hues of the backdrop and the womans dress, even the underexposure all complement the ambiguity of the overall conveyance. I can see where one might find the background distracting, but sometimes monochromatic backgrounds are themselves distracting by their lack of contribution. This particular drape lends itself to possible interpretation to the end that maybe this wasnt a studio, but some set on location. If so, where? Where were these two photographed and how does that affect their relationship? The vertical patterns of the drape, as well as the shadows cast from its folds tend to appear to be coming from their heads, so a little less depth of field would not have hurt. I like the way the lighting and the vignette create a near-heart-shaped projection on the background, enhanced by the mans elbow.