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Very strong photo! Not a millimeter I don't like.

The whole series is very good, this one just stood out for me!

Portrait of Mark after surgery

Wow.

Though there's nothing I like here and nothing I dislike. Only plenty I admire (and that goes for the series). Admire in the sense of "got to hand it to you, fine job". At the root of this picture is the scalpel of light which points via its sharp end to reveal a wound and sutures; the source of this person's complaint. That alone is spectacular ingenuity. That's all we know of him. But with the benefit of that black face we are able to transport ourselves to the sobering reality of this fellow's suffering. Plus there's something about the bulge in the forehead that connotes brain activity and reflection / contemplation. Photographically, nothing is too bright, nothing takes you off course. All is bang on target.

Exceptional work, not only in this image but in the entire series. This image makes me gaze for a long pick out various elements and bringing them back together for a view of the whole. There are a a few compelling elements to the image: the outline of his head and face, the wound, and the way the light falls on the back of his head. I'm particularly struck by the way his face is shrouded in darkness. Gives me the sense he's brooding on the future created by the condition that resulted in the wound you see on his neck. Very good from a story-telling standpoint. That's something I find compelling about the whole series. Each image has its own self-contained meaning, but it cohesively combines to tell a very striking story. This is excellent work.

 

By the way, I couldn't disagree more with the those who rated this image poorly. I can't say for sure what the motives were because of course these people didn't (perhaps couldn't) articulate their rationales for their ratings, but I think they missed the point.

Remarkable image. The lighting has obviously been handled with great care. Allowing the sutured incision to fall into shadow, with the face itself in shadow but with just a hint of detail. Add into this the angle of the head and the chosen depth of field and I find that it all contributes to minimizing shock value and introducing a feeling of uncertainty. While compositionally placing the profile in such a central position in the frame is very well suited for the stark reality of the situation.

 

Some images hit home more than others. In my case having watched my fathers health deteriorate for quite some time before his death 18 years ago, this is one of those images that hits home. I'm sure this series was difficult for you, but you've handled it with great respect.

I really wish to thank Phil, Andy and Bob for their incredible intelligent and illuminating critque.

 

Avner

I am very moved by this picture. It is simple, clear and unsentimental, not striving to evoke any shallow pity. The light is not used to brutally expose. By leaving the man's face in the dark and revealing just enough of the wound to make us understand, the light and the dark are gently protecting him, giving him (and us) room for his sadness, but avert despair.

This is a very powerful portrait with great emotional depth. The downward tilt of the head and closed eyes, just discernable in the shadowy face, perfectly evince the mood of the situation. We don't know whether the future is bright for this man following his operation, but the lighting and pose here have powerfully captured the foreboding reflection on mortality experienced by anyone faced with a serious illness. The man's identity fades into the shadows as the life-threatening condition, highlighted by the suture becomes dominant. Exposing such an affliction is not a pretty sight, which probably accounts for some of the low ratings on this picture. But while the subject of this image is not an attractive one, the manner of its presentation has been beautifully crafted.

I like the photo, I don't like the scan.

 

This incision looks like cancer treatment to me (even if it is not, that's how I see the picture). The face of the man is too dark and without enough details on this scan, so I don't like the statement the SCAN makes. He has undergone cancer surgery (again, if this is not the case it doesn't matter for me right now, as I don't know what he has, I can only listen to my inner story) and a dark face after cancer is too pessimistic... I would like to see some more details, for one thing it will be a statement that this is a man, with his individuality, and not only a cancer patient. The other reason is hope, and I believe there is hope.

 

All these things concern the scan. I'm sure a print of this on real paper will address all the issues I have.

 

Very good work (at this point I haven't looked at other pictures in your folder).