Sad Solitude

Looking at this image I am very unimpressed with it's quality, color, lighting, and composition. I'm not sure if this is the "lifestyle portrait" you were talking about but it sure doesn't give me any information into his life.

 

The lighting is harsh from the right side, a reflector or another light source from the left would help. I can see that there was a minimal amount of light, considering the use of 1000 iso, and the 1/15 shutter speed. You did a good job geting him to sit still, so you could get good focus. The skin tone is really warm, which is what you were probably going for because of the cloudy WB setting (setting a custom WB would help show his true skin tones). The highlights on his check and arm are blown out, but yet you still can't see the whites of his eyes. (in my book that makes the "portrait" useless)

 

 

Same old story : A man smoking his pipe ( or cigar ) No originality at all. Poor lighting.

Stephen Speilberg puts "storyteller" on his tax return under the section "job". If you can't see the sorrow and saddness in this man's eyes and posture than you are missing life as it passes you by.

 

The lighting and focus are exactly as it is suppossed to be as this is a reflection of life.

Stephen Speilberg can put "storyteller" on his tax returns because he is a master at telling a story through the lens of his camera and in the finished product of his films. His artistic vision and hard work has earned him the title of "storyteller."

 

If you were trying to tell a story with this image, you have sucessfully failed. You sit there and tell us that life has passed us by because we can't see the sorrow and saddness in his eyes but yet you didn't take the time to give this shot enough lighting (or proper white balance) to show the saddness in his eyes (eye's are white).

 

A good story teller gives the viewer either multiple images to tell a story or gives them one images that tells the whole story. The way this image is lite (one porch light) to the side of the subject leaving harsh shadows across his face, and leaving the cig in dark shadows doesn't tell a complete story of this gentlemen.

 

Does this image tell us about why he's sad? Does it tell us what he does for a living? Does it tell us where he is from? Does it tell us what he does when he's not smoking and being sad? In my opinion it doesn't tell us any of those things. Instead it is an image of a gentlemen sitting on a porch, at night due to the harsh porch light, smoking a cig, sad about his pathetic life.

 

If you are going to tell a story in a picture, it is key to highlight those important details to tell that story. This image does not do that.

 

 

"If you can't see the sorrow and saddness in this man's eyes and posture than you are missing life as it passes you by. "

Sorry, but I can hardly see the eyes of this man. Still, i like the high contrast that shows his profile even from the front.

Regardless of the heated debate which seems to surround this portrait, I really like the lighting from the side here - the warmth of it compliments the guy's skin tone. Whether it's been done before or not, I wouldn't have minded seeing a second version of this with the cigarette smoke on the illuminated side. Incidently, he looks mellow/relaxed/lazy to me rather than "sad", but that appeals to me here.

He had just been released from a mental institution suffering from depression and other ailments. I shot this all with available light and a very slow shutter speed. Look at a large version and you see the details of his facial expression.

 

For the next shot I backed up a few feet and fell in the pool. Fortunately, only my $2200 camera got screwed up :-( Actually, it works fine except LCD which Canon refuses to replace for less than $850. Ordered D1 Mark II. Hope it gets here quick or I may have to go back to film (eeks).

Hi..first of all, let me just say that im an amateur in photography..as for that i can not say anything about the tecnical side of this picture..but as an artist working with oil mostly..creating images that are supposed to make people feel something i will say my opinion on this..also from working with people as an occupational therapist i can see the suffering here...the picture makes me feel..and it tells me a story..and it makes me want to talk to the guy...its kind of sad this one..the mood in it anyway..i like the mood here and thats enough for me at this particulary picture..

mvh willy

Thanks! You read his eyes perfectly.

All nat light, very slow shutter.

Moving photograph.Much like a painting.