solitude

Self portrait taken on a day when I just needed to think.

Critique/Comments please ~ thank you! ~ micki

A very good self portrait Micki. It really looks like hard thinking. Maybe many thoughts at same time. Best regards, Torfinn.

And she jumps right into the mix!!

 

Another great self portrait Micki! Lots of tension in those eyes!

 

I love the harsh light, and the shadow running down the left side of your face!

 

Welcome to the Warriors!!

Great expression...

Before the kids were out of school I am alone all day. I can't drive (I have seizures). I spend lots of time alone thinking in solitude. This is me as is.

 

No glory no manipulation but me in B&W.

 

I like being alone with the computer. Thinking and looking.

 

I don't really know what I'm looking for... maybe some peace. hmmm

Inspiration! That's what you look for...

This is a portrait of a Warrior if ever I saw one. The black stripe down the face. The sun in the eyes as they look to the future. The exprssion that takes the viewer into her thoughts. The "Solitary Warrior", who is solitary no more. Would have been a nice choice for "Strength" as well, no?

~Anthony

Love the "rawr" in the folder title!! LOL!

Hi, Micki. Welcome to the warriors! I like your take on this, here. Way to jump right in :) What is that on your right? It looks like you're standing by an open window or something. Not sure.

 

Leslie

When I saw the title of this weeks lesson I cheated a bit but I wanted to get out in the open WHO I was since some of you don't know me and why I am who I am. This was done a couple of months ago but I reworked it. I could have easily done the same picture but this one means the same as countless pictures of me that I do constantly of me with this same expression.


contemplation

finding.

I have learned alot more about B&W and contrast and what works better in the light since JANUARY.

I have only been working as a photographer since January but working fixing crappy pictures for others for a long time (late 80's) but never trying to fix my stuff.

So since January I have just been clicking away at everything and everyone including myself.

Thank you so much for looking and understanding that this was my opening up myself first so you get the "ME" NAKED ~ no not like DARREN silly! HA! no nudes here you would FREAK ~ unless I manipulated it (only toes are naked). Just wanted to give you part of me. These pictures are hard to share, much harder to then the manipulated ones as they are me in the "raw" ~ as in I really forgot I was clicking.

~ micki

Micki!!! This is cool! You DO look very solitary in this! Welcome to the warriors...

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Micki- This is a really good photograph. The contrast of the brightness of the sun (which does just enough to strengthen your face without burning it out) and the darkness of your hair is great. The texture and beautiful highlights and detail of your jet black hair, its softness and sheen is beautiful. (I'm sure Darren will agree! LOL-I always give him a hard time about hair detail.) The vertical shadow is a nice touch in creating more interest in your face and letting the radiant light in your eyes work its magic. Technically, an excellent job. Considering it in the context of your other self portraits, a couple of which you mention, I think this one would work well if you had allowed that vertical shadow to be more of a diagonal as in the classic NOT sign we've all gotten used to. That's how I read your gaze and posture and facial expression here. NOT letting you in, guys. And I think that would be kind of a cool message. I was surprised to read comments that feel as if you're letting us into your thoughts. I feel very differently. Pensive gaze, yes, maybe. Mysterious gaze, no. More staged than mysterious, I think. More like Leonardo diCaprio and Kate Winslet in that very Hollywood moment on the bow of the Titanic. Posed beautifully, yes, but not EXposed. When I look at my favorites of your other self portraits, I can't help but think that this is, really, not a self portrait but a portrait that you've set up the camera to take of yourself. It feels objectifying rather than revelatory. And so I think using that diagonal line would be the artist telling us what she is doing here. And I think, in the context of your other self portraits, that could be a great statement and a creative one that I could easily see coming from your wonderful mind. But standing alone and as it is, honestly, it doesn't reach me like the others (which I will comment on below by comparison). If you had only one self portrait in your portfolio and this was it, I'd be much more satisfied with it, although I still think I'd find something lacking in terms of connection. But given that I think the following self portraits are so genuine, moving, self-expressive, vulnerable, and intimate, I don't find as much in this new one. I hope you know I only give you this extensive criticism because of how much I respect your photography and your great personality which pops off the page from every comment you write. And if you disagree on any of these points, please let's talk about it. After all, we're both here to learn and grow and these are only my opinions and food for thought.

 

CONTEMPLATING is probably the most similar to this shot because of the vertical shadows, but I can't escape the look of your eyes and I love the way they look right into mine, with just a little protection from the sweet whisps of hair blowing across your face. The guy in the background gives me a sense of space, of humanity, a view of life in the world outside you as your eyes and wonderfully open mouth express the world inside so well.

 

LOOKING AT THE YELLOW FLOWER is SOOOO YOU it's not even funny (although it IS a little funny). The combination of your face with your creative art is wonderful. This one makes me feel as if you are looking down at your own reflection and I am your reflection looking back up at you. Here, there is a great connection with yourself and with me. What more could you ask of a self portrait?

 

WHAT ZEBRA makes me feel like I've caught you in the middle of a thought. Are you thinking about the zebra? Is the zebra like the balloon in the cartoon telling me what's going on in that Micki head of yours? Where are you that there's such a casual zebra hanging out behind you? A zoo? It looks like it could be your back yard? I get raccoons now and then but never caught a zebra behind me! (By the way, your skin looks perfect here, with the light just grazing it enough to give it life and bring out your outer beauty.) I can only imagine that this one looks very familiar to your husband and kids. They've seen this expression before!! Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

SMOKE AND MIRRORS doesn't need much said about it because it does the job so well and needs no words. Anyone can see that this is you. Both sides! And the light is great.

 

DON'T IT MAKE YOUR BROWN EYES GREEN is my personal favorite. Because it shows that you can gaze away from the camera and still make a connection. I'm not sure I can describe what makes the gaze away work so much better in BROWN EYES than in your new one. That's that quality that maybe really can't be named. But, for me, it's there. Compare how you feel when you look at BROWN EYES to how you feel when you look at the new one. I feel so much more connected. Maybe it's the closeup, maybe the angle, maybe the mouth open instead of closed, maybe the warmer lighting, maybe color (although I never have trouble responding to black and white, obviously), maybe your hair is just a little messier. Don't know what to say, honestly. Maybe that's why I like it the best. Because it's got that certain something. You kinda just know it when you see it.

I think I picked this one mostly because I was hunched feeling like I was not wanting to have any one "ENTER" in.

 

I like your critiques as all you said were wonderful! I am thrilled you liked my picture with the flowers in it since it is one of my favorite ones and I did that one for myself. Well all of these are for myself.

 

Contemplation is one of my favorite ones to. The man behind me is my husband and like the ZEBRA I had no clue it was there.

 

SEE, I set nothing up. I don't brush my hair and put no makeup on. I do NOTHING like a street photographer does. I just click. What happens happens.

 

I might edit a pimple out (if needed) and I will put on lipstick and some eyeliner (early that day) and mascara but what you see is normally all me. I don't wear base and I have freckles and I am 40 years old. It is me.

 

The Zebra shot was one of those OMG there is a Zebra and frankly I was beyond tired during that time I had no clue I was even on a train (HA). I didn't even notice it till I was really looking at the pictures. I have no problem posting me as me. SO, thank you for the hair comment as I of course toss my hair and blush! ;)

 

 

___________________

 

I personally think the eyes are the soul to a person. If you can look at someones eyes and capture their eyes you truly know something about that person (even in photography and that is hard). If they will not look at you in the eyes then you should not do business with them or be their friend.

 

Thank you for being my friend ~ I treasure it! ~ micki

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Hey Micki, and welcome to the Warriors! I can see why you chose this photo, but I'm wondering if a wider angle might work better with this particular shot. It seems as though there is not much in the background and possibly showing more of the empty backgound with just you or your face might bring more of the idea of solitude. I could be way off base with that, but that is my initial impression. Technically, this is great. I like the shadow over the side of your face. Without knowing you, it is hard to tell what your eyes are saying. It could be deep in thought, angry, or sad. I didn't read any of the other comments yet so that I could give an unbiased first impression, and if any of that changes I will let you know. Great work and I'm excited to see what you have for next week-- Jason

The only thing cropped on this was part of the bar.

 

I have uploaded where I was in this so everyone can see what the bar was (shadow) and how I took this because it was a very weird shot.

 

See I had to actually stick my hand through the bars of a railing to get this shot as I wanted the shadows from the sunset on my face. I was waiting for the sunset to get some of the sunset shots (reflection off the railings).

 

So I put my arms through the railings and took the shots from different areas to get the different shots. My recent TIGER shot is also from these series when I was messing around.

 

Sometimes you do the weirdest things and you do them without thinking and they really work. I tried to use the bars as a frame to frame the picture and so I had to crop it to the bar. I also cropped a bit of the top of my head to match the shadow.

 

Thank you so much for your comments. I was actually very frustrated that day and really trying to get the stupid SUNSET shot over with so we could go eat SUSHI. I had a CRAPPY doctors visit and really was very hungry. I was feeling sorry for myself and just was tired of actually being alone. I have come along way since then.

 

 

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Welcome Micki!! I love this shot. I love the strenght it shows... the wall you may want to put up but don't. You are so honest and open in your comments, I look forward very much to having you a part of our group.

Perfect mood and lighting, best regards.

Beautiful lighting, wonderful expression of solitude, very nice portrait.

 

Regards

I'll get to the technical side first (something I'm much better at than interpreting art): Tones, exposure and composition are on the mark. A little blown out on the forehead, but something, if one wished, could be handled using the highlight adjustment in PS. Detail in the left eye is great, meaning exposure was damn near on.

On the assignment: when it comes to seeing something in a photograph, I have trouble seeing the "meaning" of a photo... You giving the details you did provide the key to seeing this as you did... I see technical details and try to interpret the picture (art) presented. In this one, I do see someone looking for the missing detail in their life....And BTW, this little insight you provided, provides some explanation to a lot of your work. Never a dull moment viewing your photography!

 

So, here I am with a new hobby and learning fast. The craft of doing and playing with the picture I can handle. the actual "taking" the picture I am still out of my element.

 

I have a great eye but I still haven't figured out how to get it on the camera sometimes.

 

YES, Jan helped me by saying your horizon is off one day and I went OH I can fix that.

 

Yep, I have found something that is making me think and finding joy like I never though possible.

 

Silly isn't it. To be struck down to find yourself in a place where all you had to do was look at what you were gifted at and do it in a different element.

 

Thank you for your kind comments. I always enjoy going to your portfolio and just dream about going traveling and taking pictures of animals and places and things I could NEVER do. You have more talent to do that then I could ever dream of. Ok, I got that one picture of the Zebra but that was a fluke. Oklahoma City Zoo was always one of my favorite Zoo's growing up (my grandparents lived in Lawton).

 

Thank you!

Micki

LOL... Hi Micki... I don't have so much to say as the others. I do love the expression in this image, and the detail in your eye is perfect. I really like this one! :)

I am cursed with the gift of an ability to type over 100 wpm (an not spell well). HA

 

Thank you ;)