Morning

It is an amazing strikingly wonderful image in all respects. It also reminds me of a commercial artist who painted pin-up girls some years ago - they were known as "Vargas Girls."

Stunning work - This is a very unique image in its color treatment. #1 the photograph is beautiful and extrememly well executed. Lighting, composition, thematic elements and lastly the color treatment finish it off 100/7 100/7 perfect on every level in my book. Congratulations.

...were he alive today. (He's also be a photographer IMO.) The composition, the pose and arrangements, and *especially* the lighting are worthy of that great Dutch master.

Very Baroque! The setting is fine, I would not take a thing out. It all contributes to the

atmosphere, like a cinema set. Beautiful, tasteful and classy. Thanks for a some beauty in

this crazy world.

The tonal range and desateration are intriguing, not to mention her attire. I still don't understand the reference to being painted and am hoping for some enlightenment.

 

While the bright area in the upper left makes sense when viewed as a light source, the most contrasty element in the picture space is indeed the partial picture frame which is quite distracting. The other elf comment about the elements reflected in the mirror is also valid, so while the subject and treatment in general is quite interesting, the image is far from perfect. Too bad, because both problems could have been easily solved.

Well, I would start by saying; this is an interesting and quite delicate photograph with very soft gestures. Scene is lit well, probably over lit on left hand side and the storage unit loses details from the shutter, lower shutter is open and a lacy fabric rests on it [i believe this is intentional, as it balances other fabric on right hand side]. The cut picture frame, the flower basket and these fabrics make your eye wander around the frame [i am not sure if it?s distracting or not] but it does draw my attention.

 

Now the female, I am kind of hanging between fantasy and reality, her pose the way she is sitting, her right foot [which is very lightly resting on floor] and her left hand [where her fingers are very softly folded], generates a fairytale mood, her fancy bra and her skirt and of course her hairstyle. There are many interesting focal points in this frame, which helps my mind generate a lot of imaginations. All I could say is its very well-thought and very well executed photograph and of course quite imaginative.

 

Overall its soft portrait without any diffuser effect, as light is soft; colors are soft and even gestures. Do females usually [or sometimes] sit like this? Not sure, may be someone married could answer this who sees her wife everyday?or may be this only happen in dreams. I am not sure if it displays a particular era or lifestyle, if it does would love to know more about it.

Love the movement.

This has to be one of the best examples of soft lighting I've seen on this sight. It gives such an ethereal quality to the picture that it resembles a master's painting more than it does a photograph. The composition of the subject as well as the items in her environment are well placed within the frame. You have stolen a private moment from the subject and her pose examplifies the beauty and grace of the female sex. Superb work Maxim!

I can't agree with those who praise the lighting. Anyone can light soft, and quite often

the result is less than compelling. There are also blown highlights all over the place,

and I'd like to see darker shadows. In fact, the whole frame just looks overexposed to

me. It has been titled "Morning", but I see no evidence of a recent sunrise; just cold

directionless light. Skin tones are grey and patchy, possibly a product of the cold light

and too much Photoshop. And there has to be a better way of presenting the body

paint to the camera than having her peer at her armpit in the mirror...

 

With those problems out of the way, what remains? A surprisingly good picture, which

makes me wonder what might have been. The colours are interesting, though lacking

a certain richness that is NOT incompatible with desaturation. (The Divine Comedy's

recent album "Absent Friends" has some good cover photography which proves this.)

You have put together a remarkable scene here, with painstaking attention to detail.

Congratulations for avoiding the pitfall of trying too hard with the mirror reflection:

the mirror angle here is appropriate and plausible, and not in the least "awkward".

And yet overall, for me, this is one of those all-too-common "nearly" photos.

A beautiful model and composition, but it is the light that does the shot. Perfectly executed- I could only do it better if her eyes would reflect off the mirror and into the camera. :) Brilliant.

Maxim, I wonder if you would mind uploading the original, before it was shopped, so that we could see some other possibilities.

 

As I said earlier, I like the picture a great deal. I would still like to see what else might be done with it.

Maxim - congratulations on your selection to POW.

I find myself disagreeing with most criticisms about this image. There is a a 'twist' in the treatment of the light in the image as presented which works. Firstly you have an overall light filled ambience funnelling onto a darker area (the mirror) which is a reverse of usual lighting arrangements for shots like this. Usually you have the mirror and surounds eminating light which progressively darkens (Renoir like) as the view recedes from subject matter.

Second observation, there are a couple of tricks regarding 'presented' exposure - most striking is the well exposed frame against the (not really overexposed) wall. This little trick is played here and there through the image - which delivers a pleasing (despite heavy post production work) result.

As an image it deserves the attention it is getting, and I like to think that a photogrpah that mimmicks many of the examples of illustration posing as photography on the TRPs is a welcome relief for viewers of the PN gallery. Well done Maxim and interesting selection elvish people. George.

So much to say about this photo... had to examine the other in the folder with this woman (and her incredible hair) to prove to she is of this world. Very pretty, perhaps a dancer?

 

I like her position in the composition, with more space behind than in front. Not an obvious choice, but very effective. The mirror and reflection look fine to me; no distractions, just a dream. Congrats on POW and thanks for sharing! -- Greg --

I think there is more to this than the title suggests - the body paint (not grey skin tones) must have another story. If we are to accept the title, then I only have two criticisms: the mirror really needs to show a reflection of her face, and the light from the left, presumably from a window, needs to be warmer. Otherwise, a beautifully executed photograph with incredible attention to creating a period atmosphere. Well done.

Perhaps not the kind of pictures I love most personally - maybe a tad too artificial and complex for my personal taste -, but I think of this image as extremely original and very well executed: in short, a very successful image in its own way.

I love the set-up, and the pose of the model. I wouldn't have colored the flowers top left, but here the colored skirt works perfectly well for me, in opposition to the overall grey painted look of this image. I think the value of coloring the skirt and the value of the entire concept and set-up can't really be assessed well as "art", but the majesty of the result is flagrant if you regard this as commercial art, and if you imagine this as an ad to sell such a skirt. I think of this as an excellent ad and a well deserved POW. Regards.

Wow - this looks like a painting?? manipulated?

One beautifulst composition, tried, intentional and decidedly guessed. Sincerely a photo therefore I had not never seen it, that wonderful quality!

Visuallly, it is the best mood that has struck me in maybe over a year. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about a mirror and a painting ruining composition; these things come naturally with portraits. Was heavily set-up, or is this just someone you know who happened to be sitting at the right place when you decided to take the picture?

It would be really great if when an image is picked for photo of the week we could do better than equipment unknown!!!!!!!

Kak de la Maxim, horosheya photographia,

 

wonderfull ambient light and such soft colours to the likes of pastels makes this image the masterpiece that it is.

This is a striking image, but the already pointed out shortcomings are significant distractions. The partially visible pattern on the chest is what draws my eye the most. Perhaps if there are additional frames with more detail there the left side of the image can be photoshopped. The mirror is less of an issue IMHO.

 

Of course it's just persoanl preference, but I find "breakup" to be better executed.

Maxim,

This photo has a very ?Saturday Evening Post? (I hope you know what I mean by this) look and feel to it. Nice capture?well done!

 

Regards

 

Richard

The picture is wonderfully composed with very few colors giving that artistic appearance. Although only a part is reflected in the mirror it brings out the action of doing something -- I mean the verb in still picture! Nice work :)

I love this photograph and find nothing imo that i'd take out. One thing i have noticed though is her right arm appears to be silver. As her left arm has a visible sleeve from her shirt, the right does not. Curious on your thoughts regarding this. Well done and congrats on a very deserving photo of the week!

 

robert.............

The color aesthetic in this photo is in line with my personal tastes. Excellent technically.

Worthy of a spread in a major fashion magazine. Ultimately doesn't do anything for me,

but I suspect I am not the target audience.