His mother's wedding...

still think that the image is a triumph - I know from bitter (!) experience how difficult it is to produce a shot of this style which elevates itself above the snap shot - perhaps I'm being over protective of the photographer - I dare say he needs no such help...:-) My remark about landscape photography was to allude to the distinction between a photographic field where light can and should be waited for / neutral graduated / polarised and one where that kind of waiting is not appropriate/not on the cards - I was making the comment in response to one of the earlier posters who bemoaned the lack of subject incident light - I really am very sorry if that seems rude but I think that kind of comment misses the point - after all you could always stick them in a studio with some red heads and get them to adopt the pose again - heck you could even get the bride to breast feed the kid (oops, irony again)

thanks chris... thanks for ummm, raising the bar as they say. excellent, envy-inspiring work.

 

as for your detractors, look at their photos... they're flinching hehehheee... awww shit.

 

thanks again chris.

I actually do not like this image much. I do admire candids, but this one is a little too cluttered, too distracting. That said, the exposure is fine, the window is not blown out to the point of a distraction. Exposure on candids is certainly not going to perfect, anyway.

 

However, this image has so many possibilities, so many details, that it has no theme -- it says nothing clearly. Two dramas play out with precious little connecting them, creating the disparate feel that this image leaves me with.

Admittedly, it still is a nice candid, but not quite excellent -- there is alot of 'real' in this image, unfortunately I simply find it vague and disconnected. Perhaps it would be better as two images, but I see how that would lose the story that this one almost tells. Critique of the players follows:

 

The son at foreground left, looks vaguely disaffected, or annoyed, or cautious, or tired -- maybe all four, but nothing clear. If the point is just that, these conficts of emotion that he feels, then it occurs to crop it to him alone -- of course that would leave his mother out, eliminating the source of his emotions -- so I would suggest a different composition entirely.

 

The man at center is an excellent subject, and has such keen interest in his expression that he dominates the scene, but unfortunately he is not really the emotional focus of the image, though he occupies that position in the print. He is so strong, that he and the son could carry an image alone.

 

I also feel that the little story between the bride and daughter-in law is worthy of it's own image as well.

 

I now await a verbal massacre.

Pissed again, looking at another selection of stimulating images on photo.net.

This image is captivating, for no reason and every reason. I love it because it fit's into a feeling I have about photography thats with me all the time.....Energy.

Much comment about the shutter speed. Chris, correct me if I'm wrong, but looking at the framing you had both elbows braced on the table, correct?

I love this photograph, and every other one you have in your portfolio. The people's expressions, the perspective, the composition...everything is great. By looking at your portfolio, you seem like a very creative and abstract person, and I like your unique style that you applied to all of your photos.

Good job.

that the chaos and clutter and the many unremarkable attendant subplots are what comprise the true nature of weddings and all and more are so perfectly communicated here...

 

uncluttering the scene would ruin the honesty of chris' message... and strip it of all it's subtextural beauty.

 

it's perfect.

 

most of his shots are...

 

 

It is really encouraging to see that Social Documentary Photography still warms the hearts of so many.

As a genre this type of work has been going the way of the Dodo, which is a great shame because for me it's the most rewarding way to take Photographs.

'His mother's wedding' holds mixed feelings for me, I think I enjoy it mostly because the scene is from a friends wedding and so it's a reminder of home as well as being a good photo.

Looking at it now the picture tends to fall off on the right hand side, where the second son sits beside the daughter in law. In an ideal world both sons would have made it into the composition.

However, when something magical happens you can't really complain about what you think needs to happen, you just have to press the button.

 

I know some of you think the composition seems jumbled and a little confused, and this if anything was intentional.

After I had learned the basics of framing, and then moved beyond the thirds too another technique involving spacing, ie allowing each shape air to breath without overlaping, I started to compose front to back instead of just left to right. I think this way of composing a picture gives it depth and engages the viewer.

I was fortunate to be at a wedding when this picture happened, my success could have occurred at the market or at a fair, weddings are always full of story and so it worked well.

 

For those interested, my principal mentors at the time were, David Hurn and Sue Packer.

I studied the compositional techniques of Eugene Smith, Gilles Peres, Mary Ellen Mark, and Josef Koudelka.

I'm name dropping here because I used to dream about these people and their photos, I think if you can get to the point of being able to recognise the work of great photographers simply by recognising the style in a given picture, then you're well on your way to seeing your own style emerge and pressing the button when you're sitting in the right place at the right time.

 

Thanks again.

 

CB.

(That "beer" might have to be champagne, Chris).

 

Seems you have survived the initial onslaught and come up trumps with this one.

 

Don't take any more than "polite" notice of the detractors (not that you would, or should). They're not jealous or anything venal like that, by the way, there's no nastiness there... they just don't "get it" (as many of them have admitted). You can't please everyone all the time. In this case I'd venture to offer that the nay-sayers are just plain wrong. Maybe this pic will help them to understand what it's all about: interesting, witty subject(s) as "found objects", extracted from ordinary life, superbly executed. A simple formula, hard to realise. No pretence to be seen. Just an excellent photograph.

 

You have single-handedly resurrected POW. Congratulations.

congratulations ... finally a P.O.W. deserving that title. I was immediately drawn to that photograph... there's some magic about B&W photography, something I quite don't understand yet and, perhaps, never will but can tell nonetheless...such is your photograph.

Excellent. I am giving this a 10/10 because: it is Very interesting, this is the style that I like, I Love Tri-X, I like the light and right now it's averaged 7/7 or so and deserves better. The best POW in a long time!

I like this shot. Yes, the window is blown out a bit, and to some that would take away from the image, but I like imperfections.

 

This image intrigues me because it's a candid shot of people interacting, and that's all it needs to do for me.

 

oooh, fantastic. reminds me of an old photo in life or maybe national geographic, ca. 1956. the one lady in the b/g is a little imperfect - but what to do!

-robert

Congratulations on the p-o-w! Very fine photo that's won the respect of a fairly wide range of photographers. Unlike many of the past few months' p-o-w's, this one is worthy of discussion.

While I don't like to make sweeping judgments, I wonder about those who slammed the photo. But Photonet's a democracy, in the truest sense . . .

Just cruised by after a long absence and this PoW hit me as a really fine photo. Congratulations! Apparently this scene is more or less timeless in that some think 1950s, I remembered a very similar scene in 1970 yet the photo was taken much more recently. Would it be too much to suggest the Dream Academy's "Life in a Northern Town" as the appropriate soundtrack? A good photograph can set the scene for the rest of our senses to kick in and this photo did just that for me!

I'm feeling very sorry for next week's POW photographer, whomever they may be. This is a tough act to follow, and knowing their sense of humor, the elves are likely to pick something that will get everyone all stirred up.

 

That being said, this image is from a realm of photography that at this point I can't imagine ever belonging to. But I can appreciate it. A very complex image, and so well composed for having so many people spontaneously doing so many things. All of your work is very, very good. Thank you for sharing.

[Edited upon further reflection]

Obviously, there's a lot here, and some have called it technically "perfect", some have called it "cluttered". I lean toward loving it - it's like a library full of stories, though it lacks a memorable central theme for me to hang them on.

I particularly like Mr. StripedShirt in the center - he's menacing, like in a spaghetti western, sizing up his opponent (foreground), who's in a different movie altogether: "I'm so drunk, I wonder if I can find my car?".

I can look at this for only a few minutes at a time before a fit of giggles carries me off.

For capturing an instant, it's a great shot - judging by the candor of the subjects, and the date, all done without a motor drive, wow. But a stronger central message - instead of 3-4 interesting side-notes in a fine composition - would keep me staring at this photo.

(I stil need to shred my naff negatives in honor of this shot).

I feel that the light from the window gives the balanced image additional perspective - the harsh light of reality on the superficiality of it all.

Hi Chris,

Regarding your comment on the "technique involving spacing" - composing front to back.

Do you think any other images in your folder and/or that of another "photo.net-er" illustrates the technique? Thanks in advance. B.

You could check out Ian Maceachurn's photos, which I really like

 

eg

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=291429

 

Of my own, the two guys asleep and the portrait of the three girls, both go someway to pull your eye into the picture, instead of just scanning left to right.

I learned more this week than from the past few POWs combined. Cheers to Chris. Cheers to the elves. Cheers to all who shared.

 

-m

It struck me as a good photograph. There is not a single element in this photograph that doesn't contribute to the story. To me the window adds to the edgyness of the situation.

This might be the best POW ever. It is the first I commented. I could spend minutes watching it. Bravo!

The only other photograph that drew my attention in this site a couple of months ago is also great, though completely different. Now I have two favourites!

Well, just in case you're willing to take "more than polite notice of [this] detractor," let me add a similar impression to the one Frank Jason has voiced.

I do like this sort of photography and I do "get" the picture. Unfortunately, it promises to give a lot more than it ends up delivering. At first glance, the nice balance of figures and the wealth of expressive elements successfully draw one inside with a desire to assemble all the pieces and unscramble the story. Once there, however, it doesn't quite fit together in the interesting way one expected and there really isn't a story beyond what was obvious at first glance: a group of people at a wedding celebration. I don't know if there was a better moment or angle, but the image captured here suggests that perhaps the photographer should have aimed for two photos. Of course this sacrifices the generally positive attribute of complexity, but the complexity has not been fully tamed in to a telling image: actually, it has in terms of the spatial relations between objects*, but not with regard to the psychological relations between subjects.

It's still a fairly good picture, but, to me, not outstanding or of the same quality as others in the folder. Congratulations on being selected--it was good to be alerted to your portfolio.

*the exception is the woman behind the central figure: it seems as if the man's arm was actually sprouting from her body--not the end of the world really , but quite distracting once you've noticed it)

Before you all cream your whatsits - nice pic Chris. Along with your judgement of my POW I say about the same - 7's.

 

Classical is seen because of the b&w medium plus the subject. We've been marrying for so many years.....eh? "We grow old, we grow old..." And some never grow out of b&w. Yes, there exists balance, and a top class composition - but that cannot rescue this image from being rather ordinary and lacking very much in the originality department - just MHO okay?