Sydney No.1 (Retouched Version) - Etude Op.2 No.1 - After Alexander Scriabin and Vladimir Horowitz - Dedicated To Christel

Experiments with my favourite light. Thanks for your kind attention.

Regards.

Another lovely portrait, Kelvin. Her 'lazy' look against the subtle light makes her even more attractive.

Very good light and colors. Though I find something disturbing here, maybe because of her challenging look, sensual mouth and bare shoulder, combined with her young age, and the shooting situation. She's probably too young to be a professional model? So she has entered into something she doesn't really control, and she is playing with it, like a child playing with the fire. This is my interpretation of the shot. Why the reference to Scriabin and Horowitz?

This image appeals to me because of its' tender transparency and childlike innocence. Personally, i find the photograph extremely beautiful, but not sexy. She was in no state of undress, wearing a tube top like many girls of her age would. One of her parents and her modelling agent were both present at all times. She is not wearing any makeup, nor is her hair done-up. She has NOT BEEN PHOTOSHOPPED either. Alexander Scriabin's etude op.2 no.1 is an aural masterpiece that is adored by me for its' dreamy musical palette, tender transparency and childlike innocence. It was composed when Scriabin was fifteen, which incidentally is also the age of this model. It is one of the most delicate utterances produced by hammers hitting strings. Vladimir Horowitz's interpretation is among my favourites.

Kelvin, lovely, lovely, not to mention lovely! One of the most original and well-crafted portraits I've seen in a long time. Perfect lighting.

Simply wonderful.

right half of the upper lip?

Love the spot-lighting. Great exposure and her eyes are so intense and beautiful.

Kelvin, please don't get me wrong, it was not my intention to indicate that something indecent was going on :-) Though I had the impression that the photographer, i.e. you, intentionally wanted to create a sensual mood. That's why I called it disturbing, because I think she is too young. I understand I misinterpreted your intentions. While writing this, I am listening to Scriabin's Sonata No. 3 Op. 23, the only Scriabin work I have in my record collection, played by Glenn Gould. Thanks for reminding me about him, it's an excellent recording.

Thanks for following up. Much appreciated (:-))!!! Have not listened to Scriabin's Third piano sonata by Glenn Gould, but have listened and enjoyed it by Vladimir Horowitz many times and will listen to it later, now that you have reminded me. Interestingly, it is believed by one Gould biographer - Otto Friedrich - that Gould recorded Scriabin's Third piano sonata in F-Sharp Minor, Op.23 and Prokofiev's Seventh piano sonata in B-flat Major, Op.83 as a possible unconscious challenge to Horowitz, who virtually "owned" these works. In any case, I LOVE Glenn Gould!!!! He introduced me to the keyboard music of J.S. Bach, Prokofiev, Scriabin, Hindermith, the Second Viennese School of Arnond Schoenberg, Alban Berg and Anton Webern. His recordings of the Goldberg Variations, made me aware of Beethoven's Diabelli Variations, though Gould never recorded the Diabelli Variations. Interestingly, his biography introduced me to Vladimir Horowitz as well - apparently Gould said that Horowitz faked his double octaves. Gould is one of my favourite pianists. Here is a "portrait" of the great man by my dear friend Richard Hans - http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6092675.

It is exactly the point Jon has refered to, the young look and pose, something between a girl and a woman, the "changing" process where she is still a girl and not yet a woman( even want to...), just in the middle....that is the charm of this one!

 

Dim ,only partly lighted, BG ,composition, as usual, perfect!

So beautiful portrait.Lighting is so great and using a beautiful model with excellent experience and gesture is so well.Her eyes and looking are so great.All the best

Vraiment superbe ce portrait! Charming with natural beauty. Refreshing!

 

Thierry

Wow! I'm speechless. Incredible image. All the best.

Excellent!

Beautiful moment in time, perfectly captured.

I like the composition ...the lighting is perfect ...and the focus on the right eye makes it appealing.... this is a good portrait...

Lovely Sydney & lucky Kelvin! This portrait is a true gem.

 

About Alex, I'm glad to find more Scriabin' fans.

 

After my meeting with his music in Kingston, Ontario, Canada in 1981, I began to collect all his works. His last symphonic works are the most interesting in their genre. And about his piano works all are great. Vers la Flamme Op.72, his Piano Sonatas 3, 5, 9 & 10, or his Poems Op.69 & 71 are among my favorites. His mystical personality is reflected in all his works. Horowitz, L. Berman, Michael Rudy, V. Ashkenazy are excellent performers.

 

One day Stavinsky said: " ... Scriabin...Where does he come from? And who are his forebears?". (...) Regards!

 

It is great to know that you adore "Alex" as well. After reading one of Glenn Gould's biographies in 1998, a knowledge of Alexander Scriabin was kindled. It was mesmerizing how he started out in a Chopin-esque late Romantic style and finished his compositional output at the doorstep of atonalism. It is a pity he died so young, and from a possible treatable septic boil on his lip. The "God Complex" is a dangerous thing!!! His cycle of ten piano sonatas illustrates his evolution so well. Although my tendency is to listen from No.5, Op.53 onward (given my atonal and dissonant tendencies), the funeral march in No.1 is a favourite movement as is the complete sonata No.3, Op.23. While I write this, Sviatoslav Richter's Vers la flamme (Towards the flame), Op.72 is playing. Hey, I have a VHS recording of Vladimir Horowitz playing it. Try to get your hands on it if you can. It is called "Vladimir Horowitz, A Reminiscence" and released by Sony Classical Film and Video. I have often found that Horowitz's left hand had a tendency to bang and be a bit wayward and unmusical, but with Scriabin he is completely at home. My favourite of Scriabin works is the etude mentioned above, Op.2 No.1. There is a simplicity that is the perfect foil for the complexity of his later works. The Poem-Nocture, Op.61 is a close second. My friend it is great to know that we share a deep and abiding interest for this enigmatic composer!

Beautiful headshot,Kelvin.

How old is she? 13?

 

Lovely girl...

She is fifteen, but looks like a ten year-old at times. She is five feet, ten inches tall and very hardworking. She practiced her posing a great deal!

Impressive study of lighting, DOF, expression, pose, layers, details & tonal range, Kelvin, another incredible execution for portrait's art, outstanding !!! Best regards

Kelvin my firend, you were on the brink of turning this into a music.net posting ;)

This photo is so exquisitely executed that I am really at a loss for words. I would love to master light as you obviously have. The portrait is at once evocative, at once mysterious, but ever delicate...

Masterful...

Wow. Some people would kill to be able to create this ambiente, which you achieve in your photos. She can be proud to be photographed by you. Again masterful. Regards - Hasan

is a wonderful photo, young or not young.Beautiful.