No.7

Very original idea. Congrats.

outstanding photo.

:)

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It's nice. I like it.

It's definitely a WOW, that kid's expression is priceless, and the exposure is right on. The detail of the kids feet really help (interest), and even the veins in the adult's arms help make it interesting (great leading lines towards the kid too). The light colored flesh against the dark backdrop really make it pop all the more. Overall balance is perfect, and for me that's a big plus, most folks have problems in this department. A triangular composition for good eye movement.

I feel a nervous smile inside me; the kid is in awe, and me with him after seeing his eyes and mouth, which says a lot- and will the thrower catch this little one, whom completely has no control of the answer? We say they must, arms are looking ready enough.

This is the kind of image that wins major awards in international photo competitions (hint hint- money is usually awarded WITH the ribbons, and sales can come in too).

Welcome to P/N, love your other pieces too, for the most part, almost as much as this. The others, not this one, it's different, remind me of another E. European artist's style, forget his name. Made most of his work in his basement, setups also with old walls/models. His were more edgey, yours are more 'fun'. Love textures myself so I'm drawn to them.

Oh yeah, Jan Saudek is who I was thinking of. Here is a sample;
http://photoslaves.com/wp-content/gallery/jan-saudek/78-02.jpg
Most more edgier than this, and more than I remembered after searching and viewing.
Probably the inspiration for Peter Joel Witkin is what I'm now thinking- but let's not get too far off track.

Nice. I like it. The lighting is good on the child and waiting arms. Great expression & caught at the peak of action which is important

The lighting and everything else is nicely done. This is a studio shot. The kid is not being thrown up in the air (thank heavens) but standing and looking up at the camera overhead. Very clever.

This is a novelty shot. For me the novelty wore off after five seconds, about it took me to get how this shot was made.

It is a damn funny shot after the novelty wears off because it is so obviously staged. You have to laugh because this photograph is meant to be a joke. A photographic April Fools.

Can you imagine what the child would be like if the "waiting arms" kept throwing the child up until the photographer got it right? The kid would be screaming a scream ordinarily reserved for long distance jetliner flights. There would be arrests for child abuse.
Okay, this is pictorialist silliness, but thumbs up for this POW for all the people it fooled.

Not that there's a competition here, but the Elves have picked a winner!! Definitely a studio shot, but definitely well done! Love the eyes, the lighting, even the color of the carpet accentuates the flesh tones. Nicely done! Regards.

Not much to add, as Alex's fine eye revealed the background to making this image and I agree that it has a novelty value. Perhaps it is even a bit too perfect in composition, lighting and color. The late East European photographer Martin Muncasi's beautiful human action photos come to mind, wherein technical perfection is made second to emotion. I congratulate the photographer for his originality and wonder at the same time if he tried some images wherein some blur was purposely created in either the little fellows arms or in those of the "thrower". That would have given it a different quality I think.

Yes, it's a well-staged and well-executed shot that I immediately liked even before I'd realised how it had been staged. When I did realise how it had been done, it brought a new smile to my face. A clever illusion! I like how the child's feet look like little angel wings.
Mike

Actually, most kids love getting thrown in the air, having six younger brothers, I know. Good job seeing how it was done, explains the 'perfectness' a lot easier. Still a winner.

I like this picture. The expression on the baby alone is worth the price of admission. Very cute. And very clever the effect of tossing the kid. The composition is good and the arms direct your gaze up to the baby. The only thing that hits me as wrong is the extreme difference in exposure between the arms and the baby. It suspends my disbelief for a moment. I might understand a slight down play of the value of the arms but they look positively gray and the baby is so bright. I think a bit better lighting balance here would turn a cute shot into a great picture. Nicely done, Andy!

I too like that the feet suggest wings on a little cherub.

Who's holding the camera? haha, great shot.

Clever. That's about it.

Is anyone bothered by the first three comments and the fourth comment? Does anyone see a disconnect between the first three comments and the POW? Should Patrick and Michael be chuckling to/at themselves? Should they just shrug it off that they got fooled? Does it matter?

Not really. When I first looked at it, I assumed it was a bunch of cutouts, because the arms and the baby look cut out. I didn't give it much more thought than that and honestly didn't look at it too closely because I didn't care much about it. I read Alex's comment and said, "Oh, right." However, it still looks like the body and arms are cutouts (even though I know they're not). The edges are really sharp and the light is such so that the body parts look like they are floating in space. To me, it would make a good ad for a Stephen King novel. I find it in no way cute and am not at all moved by the expression. I actually find the whole thing a bit hideous. There is an incongruity in the floating in space look, whether or not I see it as the baby in the air or the way it actually was shot, which is with the baby standing on the ground. The "trick" as it were, doesn't really take me anywhere.

But that's really my taste. I just don't like it. I do see its cleverness, the workmanship, the sense of humor in it. I also see it fitting in nicely with the rest of Andy's portfolio and think he's developed a consistent theme in his work.

Seriously, the praise for this photo is all above the waist here. I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but when I look at an image like this I have to think commercial and the lighting is NOT good here. The child, yes, this lighting is nice and bright but the arms could belong to a cadaver they are so muddy, lifeless and dark(bluish). A great photo is a photo that is great, not one that tickles or pulls some heart string. I can see this image used as stock, but the user would have to be sure they could FIX the arms' lighting and probably the cropping as well.

Personally, I think this image is very awkward once we leave the child and the child's expression. I am not dissing the idea or the fun of the image, but it is not outstanding in any way, IMO--sorry. It is utilitarian and a lot of stock is not great, it just works for the idea or what it needs to illustrate.

Like Fred, I just couldn't give this image too much time and he may have given it more than it deserves...

I am not trying to dis Andy here, but it is not a good photograph and there are others much better in his portfolio.

I think it is important to realise that the Elves do not select as a POW what they feel is necessarily the best picture they have perused during a particular week. This is important to remember, as is the fact that the POW is not the result of some sort of a contest, as they readily point out. Their objective I think is to create a productive discussion of both the the merits and weaknesses of these weekly posted images. I was glad to recall those declared positions of the selection committee as I quite often see what are for me weaknesses in the communication aspect of some such images (I am as much interested in what an image comminicates as how well it was made, and perhaps even more so the former) and I tend to clothe my critiques in the predictably polite phrases that we north of the 49th are often accused of (or sometimes appreciated for).

My comment that this is for me strictly a novelty image is less direct but in complete accord with the comments of Alex, for whom any message seemingly wore off or was truncated within a few minutes of viewing. He said it more directly than I had in more subtle manner. I believe that it communicates on too shallow a plane and is inferior in my opinion to some of Andy's other images, although I generally do not find that type of photographic approach very convincing. The technical concept of the present POW is original in its execution, but the result for me is lacking in regard to warmth, humour, depth (significance) and naturalness.

O.k., I'm on board with all that was stated, and that primarily related to personal reactions to the image that were well articulated and that I completely understand. Arthur also restated something that needs constant restating regarding the selection of the POW.

Unfortunately, no one addressed my primary question of what, if anything, we might say to those who were fooled and might be upset that they were fooled. I spent three hours writing a two-page background to that question (I realize that's not exactly how I stated my original question(s)), but by midnight I decided I'm taking too much time and space on this issue, and I've shelved it. You're welcome. ;>)

what to say? baby is flying
but something is missing?????
not looking natural
i think if the person catching the boy was also in frame it might look something more close to nice.

Super cool! I love the expression!

a JOY ! wonderful shot