faces in time Portrait, Man at Rest

This man prepared for his portrait, but I took four in a row continuous

drive as he prepared, and when he was ready, pronounced that he was

finished -- I was done -- I had done the best I could do with his wonderful

face and hands. He liked this portrait, too. Do you? Your ratings and

critiques are invited and most welcome. If you rate harshly or very

critically or wish to be heard, please submit a helpful and constructive

comment; please share your photographic knowledge to help improve

my photography. Thanks! Enjoy! john

is clearly the outstanding image in the forum strip I have just looked over. It makes me think about our struggles in life and our mortality. This is a brilliant achievement considering the background info that you have given to us. The LHS of the picture worried me, aesthetically, in the first instance but the more I view it the more the space seems to give the shot a context i.e. 'the street'. I really like it; congrats. Best regards, Patrick.

Many people do not 'get' my photos at all.

What is most interesting is that this fellow was presenting the appearance of great frivolity, and told wonderful, frivolous stories that were enormously amusing, worthy of a world class raconteur, and envious to boot (his story about the bimbos in his beach house would be the envy of any red-blooded male).

He settled back, made a funny face, hoped I would photograph him, I did, but backlighting interfered, and all for the best, as I adjusted my camera for the backlighting, but he leaned forward.

I saw him do so, he rested his face on his hands, wiped away from his eyes a little fatigue from the day (and from life) and that's when I caught his soul (I think).

The interesting thing is that those seated with him, me and him -- we all agreed that this was the most interesting and telling photo of the man, despite his proffered frivolous poses which would have illustrated the stories he told of the frivolous side of his life.

But he went to the frivolity because of some prior pain, and that is what is caught here, I think - a reflection - however, brief, of that pain, and suffering.

He recognized that.

The fence, however tilted, was left tilted and not level for verisimilitude and to give 'attitude' (are you listening Garry Winogrand?) 

The proportions were chosen with great care, though only in a fraction of a second; it's built-in with me.

Thanks for an interesting and 'right-on' comment.

Please do come back regularly.

Good, right-on comments are most valuable, but I needn't agree for them to be valuable.

john

John (Crosley)

Oh, nice, unconventional and unusual bio photo (keep up good work).