Insularity

Critique Request

Okay. I will be the first and hopefully I won't be the last to comment on this image! The left side of the image that features her is fine but the right side does not offer any balance. Some editing to smooth things out a bit would have been helpful.

I'm pretty much with Haleh. I'm not sure that it's a question of balance as much as contrast or complementariness. The surface on the right is simply plain and bland; it draws attention but offers nothing compensatory. The color and smoothness are too much like that of the model's sking, so that it simply extends a rough visual surface. The model herself, however, her pose, and her expression are striking.

I meant balance as a whole. From sensual to metal with no visual connection.

And that's what I meant by complementariness.

i still need to understand if it's better the picture or the model!!!

 

.oesse.

A very attractive shot, well composed. Congrats for the whole tones.

This image has been selected for discussion. It is not necessarily the "best" picture the Elves have seen this week, nor is it a contest. It is simply an image that the Elves found interesting and worthy of discussion. Discussion of photo.net policy, including the choice of Photograph of the Week should not take place here, but in the Site Feedback forum.

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I find the composition interesting, but the general subject less so. The model's posture is peculiar in that the head seems to sit on the body like an afterthought. Color is good, and I like the contrast in texture. You would have thought the photographer could have eliminated the many skin blemishes--there must be 8 or 10 dark moles which would't have taken a minute to clone out.

I think the moles are fine. However, what i find distracting are the harsh highlights from the light/flash reflecting back. Plus the image looks too cramped for me and the pose looks awkward.

 

Although the previous poster likes the composition, i don't. The "thing" the model is resting against dominates the frame too much. Personally, i think use of dead space would have been more effective.

 

She's pretty and all, but i don't feel this picture is worth such an accolade, but then, what do i know?

First of all Congratulations on having your photo chosen for discussion, Oleg. It is a very interesting photo and worthy of the attention.

Recently I have been viewing some of William Blake's paintings on the net. This photo fits in perfectly with the themes and colors running through Blake's work. Blake.

In that context the brightness of the flash does not bother me. It works to highlight the harshness that is the very essence of this photo. The pose of the model is perfect. It is as though she is trying to hide from some anticipated punishment. I would like the right side to be a bit darker, with the whitish marks on the wall running to a darker greenish color to make the overall appearance more grungy and frightfull.

"to make the overall appearance more grungy and frightfull."

 

I think we would be going different directions on this. :) But then you are probably more in line with the intent.

I like this. In the Elves' disclaimer, they specifically state that the selection of the POW image does not necessarily make it the best in show just that it is worthy of discussion. So to comment on it's worthiness as a recipient of a POW 'accolade' is a non-starter IMHO.

 

Interesting? Yes. Worthy of discussion? Yes!

 

Bearing in mind that I respect every photographer's perspective as their own, I would like to point out not what I feel is weak in this image, but where I feel this already strong portrait could be made even stronger.

 

I feel that the balance - as others have mentioned - would be better if biased towards the model. Cropping the structure by half would dramatically focus our attention to the lady. The highlight could be slightly toned down I feel.

 

Secondly, I feel that if her eyes showed some white on either side of the iris (if she was looking at the camera directly) the image would have more impact.

 

Other than that I love the toning, perspective, and vision of this.

 

Bravo!

The interesting question is whether the skateboard, especially the gray streak on the board, distracts from the seductive expression of the beautiful model. Personally, I would have preferred a totally blank background. However, I really love the tones, both the skin and the board, but that is more a celebration of the equipment, which, sadly, seems a preoccupation here at photo.net.

Emmanuel, where do you read a skateboard into this? I see a large metal enclosure with a very cold looking model leaning against it. Interestingly, there's an almost ghostly apparition in the lighter paint on the enclosure.

Take a look at Oleg's portfolio.. obviously he is not going for the sicky sweet model look that many other photographers do.

 

The pose, the highlights, the moles, the dingy surroundings, etc.. all contribute to the mood. Is she happy? Is she scared? Is she shy? The photo would seem to say she is definitely of mixed emotions.

 

All I can say about the object (cabinet?) that she is leaning against is it could perhaps have been oriented such to lead our eye back to the model? It is just kind of sitting there, in an akward way.

 

The photo seems to tell some kind of story, that's the important thing. And probably a story we might not all be comfortable with.

I find the highlight distracting away from the model and her face in this shot and it should either have been eliminated or reworked. If the reflection is removed though the shot requires less of the metal panel. The hole in the panel also takes my attention and should also be removed. All IMO of course.

For once somebody's crop actually makes sense.

Keep those moles coming. I like blemishes that reflect the reality of the human condition. That said, I do like the crop and clean-up of the metallic cabinent presented above which is perhaps contradictory to my first statement. I suppose the imperfections of my human eyes only allow me to focus on one type of blemish at a time. In this case it is important that most of our attention be directed to the woman.

To Ben: what do you know, I was sure that was a skateboard. But, my earlier comments stand. I think I like the later version with the gray blemishes removed works better. Perhaps that takes away from the artist's statement. All I know is that as an image, that is distracting. Now, as far as the artistic merit of the STATEMENT itself, and not the image, I do not profess to know what Oleg is trying to say. I need to visit his portfolio before commenting further.

Technically it has pleasing qualities that might fool me into thinking it's a good shot. I see a lot of that on PhotoNet and I think for many that is enough. But to me this is staged and I don't believe it. I have to believe it for it to work for me. This model is perfectly made up, knowing she is going to be photographed but her look is as if there is no camera there. I don't believe she's as unaware of the camera as she acts. So my willing suspention of disbelief is shattered.

 

I think it must be difficult to take an authentic shot in a studio setting since everything is set up but that's what I crave and I think a good shot is always authentic, always true. Karsh shooting Pablo Casals or Hemingway; Avedon's portraits like the boy with the gutted rattlesnake. I cite these, with many others uncited, as evidence that you can shoot something authentic in a studio setting. A staged shot tells me something about the guy taking the shot but I'm not interested in that. An authentic, true shot tells me something about the world or the subject and what's more something that's meaningful. That's what I'm interested in. I don't want the photographer coming between me, the viewer, and the world. To stage everything and script it kills it for me.

Once during a sitting with Churchill Karsh snatched the cigar out of Winston's hand illiciting an angry, determined expression from the great man. Then and only then did Karsh open his shutter. It is authentic and you know it without question as soon as you see it.

Technically great. I'd give her something to eat though.

kent, i have to disagree..respectfully. to stage everything and create a scene is a talent in and of itself; a common technique used by artists to show things they cant otherwise: fabrication. Totally not related, but composition wise i think the very first poster made a good comment. If you were to cover up the left half of the composition with your hand there wouldn't be much to look at on the right. (imho.) And I like the moles too! Oleg, congrats on POW and continued success. - chuck.

Nothing wrong with moles, but her face looks very blotchy...posterized. Maybe that's just inadequate light control Vs shadows from her hair,

but it looks more like oversharpening in camera or in PS.