Bust

Best regards Donna!

PDE

Donna this is striking, and one of your (if not your) best photos to date, imo.  I really like the odd vibe & combination of the different textures and layers, notably the fan-shaped stone & intriguing profile against that of the blurred bricks in the BG beyond. The dark hair of your subject is particularly striking here, and seems to further enhance your very nice B&W tones as well. BTW, your title seems very appropriate, because of the way your subject is positioned on its 'stone pedestal' ( = this the back of a bench by any chance..?) Sincere compliments, Marjolein

grazie sweet Pierre; indeed this chap's profile is remarkably handsome; i blurred it a bit in PS because sharp it was too realistic to fit the inanimate feel of a "bust"; but he's quite handsome sharp as well. ;-} dp

Marjolein, attached is the fuller picture of this stone sculpture which is outside our local public library; a flat slab projects from either side of the sculpture which functions as a seat. i took this picture the day of our town square Labor Day festival with all its carnival activities and crowd; but this lad, sitting solitary, while i was walking home, struck me for the look of classical antiquity he gave to the otherwise Stone Age looking bench structure. i live in a cooperative community established during the Great Depression and we have a a lot of art here.

i'm extremely edified by your comment about the value of this image relative to my others. you know how much i respect your critical skills on my pictures, so your comment here gives me a sense of perspective on my whole portfolio ala your long-time familiarity with it. most most helpful at this point. grazie, Mar ;-}

Yes, I agree with Marj.  This is your best photo to date.  Have a nice day.  K.

Donna, please allow me to explain.

The technical is less important in a piece of art. I can tell you what I see but I can’t tell you what you see and mean unless you tell me. That is why I may comment on lighting, movement or framing but I can only explain what it means coming from my eyes. To do so otherwise would be unkind and reductionistic. Movement here is evident and what I see is juxtaposed against other lines that contrast that movement. It speaks to me about youth, exploration vs. the things,people and ideas that counter it. Have a nice day. K.

grazie so much your input, Katie. seriously, you open my eyes with your interpretation "youth and exploration;" really cool way of seeing this image that i kind of was thinking, but i couldn't articulate with a clear thought in my mind (sort of a modern young Odysseus or Socrates or Achilles, because he is looking enthusiastically at something), but surely you affirm that my imagining got articulated enough in my image. totally insightful on your part, and extremely gratifying for the picture maker. you're great... thanks ;-} dp

Donna, when I first saw this, I had a similar thought - this is one of your better photo's. Technically, it is very good. Nice B/W tones, you have the full range, and good composition.

It does look like a scene from the days of the Roman Empire. I'm sure it's the stone. Maybe you should be making movies.

You cut down on the sharpness you said. Looks good. I tend to like more sharp, but I'll trust you on that one.

Excellent photo.

your comment means much to me coming from you, Sid; really i mean it... you and Marjolein have always had unblemished and spot on eyes for my pictures. yah, it's the tonal range, crop ala composition.. exactly these specific elements that both of you hone in on here that i need to hone in on. grazie much your solid support, Sid. also, Katie is a clever new PNer, said she sees movement in this shot, so see ya at the movies, sid LOL; she's right, though, which affirms that you're probably right about the blur; i blurred it to treat it like a statue, thinking statues don't move, but sharp, yah, the lad looked interesting, but more like in a story ;-} dp

An interesting contrast between the lines of stone and body lines!

But I think that just bw and a little more contrast in this photo would be more expressive.

6 from me

bella provocazione,ben legata,complimenti !

grazie per la condivisione,saluti paul

The boy's profile could be cut into an ancient coin. I won't repeat what has been said about this unique work, except - you have a rare eye.

Paul, Neils, Michael... thank you... i'm glad folks are still viewing this handsome and statuesque lad ;-} dp

I think the warm toning works quite well here and am not sure that any more contrast would work for me, as that would likely render it more harsh and it's the delicacy, both of the boy's face and skin and of the overall statuesque quality that is so important here. Young man as sculpture, textured humanly against a very sensuous stone. The brick wall background, as soft and light as it is, is the perfect foil for the foreground, as it grounds but does not intrude. The separation between the boy and the wall is very helpful in giving this photo depth and making it work so well. It is truly three-dimensional and each plane speaks quite clearly. The defining shadow under his chin and along his neck gives presence, life, and chisels his face so well. I'm very interested in finding theatrical or posed or even somewhat artificial (in this case sculptural, and I use artificial in its best sense of something intentionally created) in the world around us. This accomplishes it. A striking image, easy to stay with.

thx, Fred, for all ur assurances on this image... it was taken while i was leaving a town fair... and i just found this boy sitting in this stone bench outside the town library... i'm satisfied with where i positioned myself to get the profile right without him noticing me... luckily he was very absorbed in what he was looking at, which made the statue-like rendition possible. ;-} dp