'The Face You Deserve'

Henri Cartier-Bresson famously said of older people who complained of their againg

facial features that 'you get the face that you deserve'. Who is this man, what does

this face indicate, and does he deserve it? Your ratings, critics, and observations are

invited and most welcome. If you rate harshly, very critically, or wish to make a

remark, please submit a helpful and constructive comment, please share your

photographic knowledge to help improve my photography. Thanks! Enjoy! john

Cheers

PDE

An outstanding visage I think - with the weight of the years (and of the world) so evident. 

A powerful portrait John - very well done.

David

Excellent character  for a powerful portrait.   Very good  B&W  work, but  you forgot  to fine tun  the image. Regardless, I like the portrait  very much.

Suggestion is attached.

-BLM.

John,

All I can say is, when you have contributed your fair share to this society through your struggles and sacrifices, and received a life's worth of experiences in return, you will deserve this face. Your photo captures the unique texture of this senior gentleman's face, his muscle tones and those elegant folds in his forehead. Myth goes that more is your wisdom, more folds you get. No matter whether thats true or not, your photo captures a very special expression in a very special face. Now as far the impressions of the people in the background, I think they add interest to the scene by creating the 'face in the crowd'. I like the gradation and angle formed from left to right first by the ear and part of the face on the left, then your main subject, and finally the blurred face on the right. These elements tremendously add to the composition in my opinion. Some sort of a representation of the society in the backdrop to which this man belongs, where he has served his entire life. So now he deserves to be in front of all of them.

Thanks for the very nice compliment.  I always enjoy finding that you've been lurking around because invariably you comment on the best, as I think this one is from my recent work.

Best to you, and thanks again.

john (Crosley)

I saw this man, standing in a plaza all alone with only far-away people around, all walking mostly away from him, so with my long tele zoom I had a clear shot at him (55-300 mm at nearly full extension), that promised not only some pretty good bokeh, but he had, as you note, the visage.  That's why I was drawn to take his photo in the first place -- a GREAT face.

The lighting was good, ample to stop down somewhat (and still get that bokeh and hold steady enough with my VR lens) so I just fired away, recomposing with each shot (no 'C' drive stuff, but fast single shots, as such moments tend to deconstruct fast.

The secret was in instantaneously being able to see this man, process all the above information instantaneously and fire within a second or two for several frames before the conditions changed completely.  

If I'd had to adjust anything, this photo never would have been possible -- he'd have been gone, or displaced from the proper circumstance before I even changed the ISO or any of numerous very fast adjustments.  I just aimed, fixed my focus point and fired as any adjustment would have killed my chances of framing and capturing him as he was far away.   

This is a crop; in the original he was at frame's center, and I felt some better composition would be in order, and if you look carefully for 'balance', I think you'll find it.

Although a centered image also has great balance, it's horribly 'static' and  therefore less interesting than this crop.  I seldom crop, but when I do, I do for best reasons, and here it has been very successful.  

I also got three or four other good to great shots that I could have posted, but somehow I liked this one.  

Thanks again for the compliment; hope you like the 'story' of how it came about.

john

John (Crosley)

You are one of the very few true 'star' shooters of Photo.net with great standards, and to please you with a capture is the epitome of my craft and art.

You are correct, I did not tune this photo, as you have.  

That's for two reasons:  If I 'tuned' or 'fine tuned' every photo posted, there'd be little left to comment on, as all the decisions to be made, I'd already have made them, then what would there be to discuss?  

I leave my posted photos a little 'raw' just for that reason.

I also LOVE the contributions of experts such as yourself -- the contributions that have helped me so much have come almost exclusively from Photo.net members, especially its expert shooters and processors, and also one man, a Lucie Award winner in printing for the firmament of photographic stars. (now retired).  

He took on the task himself gratis because he said he LOVED my work, and called it 'fantastic'.  We worked long and hard together, as he taught me the gallery/curator world and introduced me to the LA gallery/scene introduced me to a few high powered photographers and a gallery owner here and there of highest standing, then was disappointed when I said I wanted to shoot more, before I exhibited.

I see that you have worked mostly on the background, lessening mostly the bright spots, which draw the eye, and that is not wrong, as they compete with the subject, but I'd do so less, though I do like your version.  I'd modify your efforts and tone them down a bit, but still take down the lights just a little, as I am aware that a 'white' has great power in a black and white photo to draw the viewer's eye and distract.  

Thank you for going to such an effort -- it's great work to do so, and speaks more than volumes about how much you think this is a worthy effort and also of your generosity.

Thank you for that; I am most grateful.

I'm now much more aware of the background, its light spaces and how to 'control' the parts that draw the eye, as well as other adjustments it appears you may have made.  You have given me a very high compliment.

And left without proper words to express my gratitude.

john

John (Crosley)

Your praise overwhelms me, and I thank you very much.

I think what is missing, and maybe is the key to success here is the (1) innate ability to 'see' and 'locate' a most interesting face, (2) 'decide instantaneously it has great photographic potential, then (3) act on it instantaneously with camera//lens combos already adjusted and prepared from every mm setting from 12 to 300 crop sensor (450 mm fx/film).

I am very, very quick simultaneously to process everything, and fast to get that camera and lens to my eye, frame the subject properly (drawing on over a decade of nearly 19,000 comments from able members like yourself, all internalized [minus my replies of course]), and like some sort of supercomputer turn a moment's view into a captured frame.

I get a lot of out of focus shots because I shoot in bad light, on moving vehicles where there is no light and jerky motion, etc., but if I see something that has a chance of being 'good to great', I'm not hesitant (so long as it's safe) to press that shutter.

I try to avoid stepping on people or being rude or a dolt, but I am out to get that shot, and people seem to respect that.  I often show off my work to bystanders who are wondering 'what the heck has got him so excited?' and my enthusiasm often is returned by ad hoc viewers on the street who are my first audience.

I'm curious, and when possible I can be very generous with my shooting, and if up close, one shot taken close up, and a subject treated well can turn into 5, 12 or even 30-40 shots until I"m out of ideas or the person is going to miss their bus, train or whatever.

I have wonderful, chance meetings, with my camera, when working 'up close' though in other situations the subject never knows about the capture, oat least until I approach him/her/them.

And it's wonderful that we get to have this conversation over who knows how many thousands of kilometers/miles in this day and age -- something that was not even possible 20 years ago, and now is the order of the day for the young set.

I embrace it.

I adjusted to it in an instant, and wish it had been around all my life.

You are my cyberfriend, critic, and fellow photographer with GREAT ideas about bokeh, and you an be sure I read them and that when I next work up this photo, I'll process your thoughts and those of Bela, above, and use them to help me make important decisions.

Your ideas are VERY MUCH appreciated, and I am so grateful.

Thanks so much.

john

John (Crosley)

Great portrait.  Great discussion. 

Thank you so much on both counts.   From time to time, I've got black on the 'discussions' but my message to those few who complain is to say 'just don't read', and that is that.

I very much like your comment, and it's in the 90% majority of those who comment.

Thanks again.

john

John (Crosley)

The editing window is closed.

The word is 'flack' not 'black'.  For clarity.

john (Crosley)

Expressive portrait!

Just before I saw your comment, I was thinking of you and your photography.

I think I know your goals, and was wondering if you have connected with ImageBrief.com which is a photo agency open to everybody which not only offers YOUR photos for sale in 'stock photo' environment with best ever share for photographrs but also daily 'briefs' which are special requests from customers which can be fulfilled from your library or even shot specifically which you compete with other photographrs who submit their photos worldwide.

About 55,000 photographers worldwide, I understand have signed on, and I am a member.  Pricing plans vary, and you can get a higher placement and higher commission if you pay monthly, but I think there is a free plan with a lower (but still high) per cent to you.  Highest in the industry.

Sales are not high, but it's also a way to showcase your photos with a worldwide well-seen agency, well regarded and highly responsive to customer/photographers (my opinion as I am a member)

Its prides are pretty high and photographer share of payment is highest in the industry, and no payments of $2 or $3 per photo, but in the hundreds of dollars or even in the thousands, so it's worth while.

I had meant to write you separately, but why not here,  assuming you follow up on your commentaries.  I hope you do, and thank you very much for your very nice comment on this photo, taken at the metro entrance on Khreshchatyk, just a few feet from the door.

Best to you.

john

John (Crosley)