Two Faces

'Two Faces' -- one may be familiar, but I am certain the other is

not. Your ratings and critiques are invited and most welcome. If

you rate harshly or very critically, please submit a helpful and

constructive comment; please share your superior photographic

knowledge to help improve my photography. Thanks! Enjoy! John

John... I find this work interesting. The one thing that bothers me is there seems to be some light banding across the face of the young man. It is across the bridge of the nose and the cheek. Becky

very nice and interesting

Thanks for the comment; I'm glad this photo is 'interesting' to you -- to me that is a very high accolade.

 

About the 'light banding' that is something that goes with 'street photography' as opposed to some 'banding' problem with my camera.

 

Such photos are taken from highest-quality work, usually worked on in Photoshop as TIFFS, but then the graphics work is reproduced and the work is often made up of individual panels or pieces. And if not, a photo/mural like this is subject to 'printing exigencies/problems' and also exposure to the people who put them in place -- the installers -- and those who carry the photo/murals about.

 

Finally, there is exposure to weather as well as people, and weather includes sunlight.

 

'Street' shooting carries with it certain things and one of those is that 'you take the subject as you get it' -- banding across murals and all.

 

And thank you for your sharp eye.

 

John (Crosley)

I'm happy this photo pleased you.

 

The initial ratings were abysmal, but I found merit in this or I wouldn't have posted it; but posting street portraits in black and white invites low ratings; it just goes with the territory.

 

Thankfully, there are some critics out there, such as yourself, who are willing to give a photo a 'second look'.

 

Thanks.

 

John (Crosley)

One thing that may have 'interested' you is that the toning of the background photo is 'mirrored' in the lighting on the woman -- especially in her hair, which is partly multi-colored, and in the sidelighting on her face and upper torso as well.

 

As a matter of fact, this photo is a good example of 'mirroring', (the tones of the photo and the subject) but one that most people might not recognize.

 

Just for the record.

 

John (Crosley)

No time for big lengthy critique - just wanted to say I find this awesome! Great capture!

Very strong BW image would love it if the belt rack was not in the image but the expressions are perfect....what a find...well done!!!

Evey time I go out with a camera, I look for 'interesting things' including juxtapositions.

 

This is just one of them -- here mirroring of textures . . . these are things I never set out to do; I just 'find' them on an increasing basis.

 

Thanks for the comment.

 

John (Crosley)

Every day when I go out with a camera, there are new 'finds' and when I'm at my sharpest (or sharper than other days), I have a special ability to 'see' which I'm trying to systematize (with some success). It's a special feeling; being 'in the zone' but that implies there are things to capture -- subjects like this.

 

Fact is, we're surrounded with them daily, but in the US security guards prevent our seeing many of the best, because they're in guarded shopping centers, and they're deathly afraid of cameras in those places -- sure somebody's going to sue them or steal their secrets. Too bad; capturing a whole society of indoor shopping is going wasted in the US, because few can document it without major fights with ill-informed and poorly-trained 'security' guards. And they're not even really aware of why they're barring cameras -- it's just that they are not smart and have power and 'cameras are forbidden'.

 

They generaly have no real reason why they're doing what they're doing -- they just were given instructions and power, and with these poorly-trained people the 'power goes to their heads'.

 

I often get such shots as this overseas; not in the US, which is a reason I sometimes reside overseas.

 

As for the belt rack, that's just the price of 'street photography, where you get a second or two to focus and frame a shot, then release the shutter -- often 'at most' before the faces and the scene changes on you.

 

Regards,

 

John (Crosley)

This is an attractive photo, I think, in Black and White.

 

What is interesting is that it also is a pretty good photo in color.

 

I actually had to wrestle with myself as to which version to post -- color or B&W.

 

The color version may surface some day, somewhere.

 

Maybe not here, or it may languish, since this is not a stunning photo, but a 'good enough' one.

 

John (Crosley)