GAIL, POET-PANHANDLER

Beautiful portrait !!!!!!!

Great to see you looking here. It's been awhile.

". . . some photographers will sell their soul for a good image, and who am I to try to rise above the rest of humanity?"

 

You're David Meyer and in many ways I think you do rise above the rest of humanity. That's one of the things your photography (and your writing) most clearly shows, in my eyes, and why I respond to your images.

 

If I believed that you felt you sold your soul (or even your principles) to get this photo, you can be damned sure I'd raise some questions about it.

 

Instead, though, what's real here is this portrait you've gotten. You've successfully translated the David Meyer approach to portraiture. It's an important step and a great start. There is the seemingly-patented David Meyer color. The primary yellows peeking out at her cuffs. There is the ever-present sense of composition, especially aided by the perfect placement of an interesting yet simple tree (with wisps of branches providing atmosphere) behind her. And there is her natural and engaging smile, simple, relatable, knowable to all. If this photo felt good to take or provided a challenge you feel good about, whatever, then by all means you are on a path of discovery. What I feel most when I look at it is the genuineness both of the subject and of the photographer.

the spontaneity and natural makes this image very appealing....real real nice David,..it has some communicative energy and positivism...

Thanks. I'm determined to do better portraiture, and I consider this a rather crude attempt, but I'm not displeased with it.

Hardly crude, Dave. Rather the opposite. It's a fine, strong portrait with a charming expression. Warm regards...

Thanks a lot. I think I still have miles to go before I can create portraiture as good as what I have seen in your portfolio.

Beautiful David. This has a deep humane feel to it that makes it an excellent shot IMO. The kind of portraiture I like very much.

This is a wonderful informal portrait of Gail.You caught her with a big smile to show the happiness she has. The exposure is is very good and the colors are very true. The only thing that bothers me is the tree that is growing out of her neck and shoulder..If you could have taken a step to the right and then take the photo the tree would have been over in the left side of the frame. I took the liberty of retouching the photo to show you how it would look with the tree removed from the original placement and moved over to the left of the frame. Ths was all done with the simple "cloning" tool that you find in many editing programs. I hope that the retouched photo come thru OK.

Trying to send you the retouched attachment

 

Arnold

Thanks. As I think I have already stated, I like if more for the lessons it taught me than the technical excellence.

Thanks for your viewing this and the commentary. I very knew the tree wasn't working in my favor. Biggest problem was the urban and cluttered environment. The image before this had her head straight up, and the tree looked like it was growing right out of her head. I picked this one because I thought it worked a little better in relation to the tree. But I should have moved right. I promised her a photo, so when I run into her again, I might try some more of her. I'd love to see your version, but so far do not see where you have uploaded. it.

It came through while I was writing the comment to you. Thanks for your thoughts.

I like the energy this photo is generating, a comment about the re-touch of Gail, WOW,It is now growing directly out of the roof of that building, somehow that is also a part of this big picture and getting bigger all the time, you have lit a fuse here and everybody keeps adding more gunpowder to the pile. I look at the follow ups and there you are. I add my spin on a photo sometimes I would not dare touch this one! Regards. One thought the day after this photo was posted there was talk Starbucks is going bankrupt.

Well no wonder. Gail is hitting up the customers before they get inside. Then they have less money..... well, you get the idea.

I want to add something to what I said in my comment above now that the placement of the tree has come up.

 

You surprised me when you just spoke about it. I assumed you wanted the tree where it was. It seems to me to give the photo that David Meyer quality of straightforwardness. The tree does not seem to be growing out of her head, so I think it was a good move to avoid that. I think most others would have composed this differently, but it seems so much to have your stamp on it the way it is. It feels unself-conscious and done as you found it. Rather than using the tree to create compositional tension or a different sort of compositional interest, it seems as if it's used here to keep my attention where you want it focused, which is on the woman's smile. It also simplifies the image which I always think of as your style.

 

I wonder if whatever made you not step a few inches to the side is instinct worth considering.

I did deliberately set Gail under the tree. I thought the branches spread out above her head would provide some interest where there would otherwise be a really blah sky. I wasn't terribly unhappy with the placement here with her head tilted, but I had a couple with her head straight up, and the tree was a definite distraction. And I did give some thought to taking the tree out altogether, but reached the conclusion that it added more than it took out. I also took a few of her beneath the Starbucks sign, as I thought it was appropriate, but they simply did not appeal to me as much as this one.

This appears to be your channel for messages, thank you for all your comments, one thing about this photo. It is no longer about what if's, it has a profound meaning of what is! Regards

Straight-up , honest and real. I really like this David. I admire your efforts to get beyond your self consciousness. To a large extent I share your reluctance to approach people on the street to photograph them or to point my camera at them. I salute your bravery.

 

As for this young lady - in your photo, she looks at peace with herself and her life. I think it is great that she is offering of herself as she asks of others. The tree, the store, the car, are all important to the portrait, they give it context. This is not just a portrait of a young lady , it is a portrait of a young lady handing out poetry in a Starbucks parking lot.

David, I have enjoyed viewing and revisiting this image over the past few days! Thanks for sharing! It's wonderful! Doug

I appreciate your taking a look and giving me your thoughts. I guess we all have our photographic demons to work on.

Thanks for leaving a comment. I'm very grateful that you viewed this image and honored that you deemed it worthy of revisiting. Regards