faces in time Two Faces

These are two faces were seen recently in Kiev, Ukraine at a bus

stop. 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

Except for a minor blemish fix, this is not a Photoshopped photo; it appears exactly as seen through the camera viewfinder and on the digital readout -- maybe despite appearances. So, it is NOT a 'sandwich' or 'cut and paste' job.

 

John (Crosley)

John, I really love the woman. She has such a great expression. I bet she could tell us a thing or two. I love her face, her tough mouth, her scarf. In my humble opinion, I think she alone would have made a great portrait. The face on the billboard just distracts from her. Otherwise, it certainly is an interesting contrast. All the best.

Very nice work, John!

The woman quite simply is a 'street person' and quite crazy. The portrait of the poster is simply a reflection or an accentuation of the 'craziness' in her life. (you can't have known that however). And, simple portraiture of such people gets extraordinarily low rates, but she wouldn't even let me get near her. On an earlier pass by with a wide angle lens, she started shouting at me.

 

This is a telephoto view where she was unaware she was being shot in any detail, and of course to catch the juxtaposition. Not all juxtapositions are great, but this one is somewhat color coordinated, with the 'rays' coming from around his head being green and her scarf being that color also.

 

So, I couldn't get her to 'sit' for a portrait if my life depended on it; and this was the 'best I could do' - maybe anybody ever could do as this woman falls through the cracks of society.

 

She certainly has a face of 'character' which is NOT to say she is pleasant/she is NOT.

 

Thanks for commenting.

 

John (Crosley)

Straight and to the point. 'good work'. I thought so too and rush processed my captures just to post this one. No thought required.

 

It's not 'great' but pretty darn good for a little walk around the block.

 

Thanks so much for your continual reminders of what is good (and by your rating absence what is not so good).

 

John (Crosley)

The billboard is and the face on it and her face. The youth of today and her face and the way she looks and his digital face vs hers. The contrast between her and his. The contrast between the "made up sign" and the flowers on her scarf. The fact that she is wearing some kind of jacket that isn't even girl like or looks like something a woman would wear even strikes me weird. The face says it all. The sadness and the pout.

 

The days of her life are gone. The era of the billboard is now here to stay. She must wait for a bus. That is all she must do.

 

SAD

 

 

Yes, Micki, this is a very 'sad' woman.

 

SAD

 

SAD

 

SAD

 

And the contrasts here are numerous, with the billboard era here to stay.

 

In fact, she had commandeered this bus shelter, so real bus goers were lined up just a short distance away.

 

In America, she might be a bag lady, but in Ukraine she just had things tied up in bundles. Your eyesight may be the keenest on all of Photo.net just to notice that she doesn't belong in that outerwear.

 

And not only is she sad; she's mean, too.

 

(Just a personal observation, but relevant, I think -- it may be why she's an outcast, or maybe outcast came first -- a chicken or egg problem . . . and we'll never know the true reason.

 

Thanks for your acute thoughts (and extremely well written, too.)

 

John (Crosley)

Since i have seen already many of your photo's,i already knew it was not photoshopped of course.Also it doesnt look photoshopped to me.

Life isnt always easy, you can see that in her eyes and in the way she sits.

Life probably hasnt treaten her well.A impressive photo John. Best regards,Ellen.

I did manipulate something in this photo, other than brightness, contrast, etc., as a printer might do.

 

The bracket which holds the bus stop frame was desaturated and blackened -- because it was so detracting.

 

I've maybe done this three times in all my photos (one was the steps of Odessa with a red clad child coming down an otherwise drab scene. At the right was a kiosk in red, which I desaturated. It competed and ruined an otherwises good photo, but I keep Photoshopping to an absolute minimum.

 

It's just easier that way. If I blow one, I don't need to make my only 20 captures 'perfect' through digital darkroom work.

 

I just go out and take some more, and in the process I hope I get better at photography.

 

;-)

 

Best to you Ellen.

 

John (Crosley)

A very interesting juxtaposition that is fascinating and engaging. The colors are intense and catchy with the green serving as a link between her and the poster. Both faces tell a story. The one in the poster winks at you as if saying "trust me". Hers, on the other hand, feels more compelling. We know that she is an oddball because you already told us, but you managed to capture her face with dignity and empathy. Her eyes express a sadness that is palpable and her face chiseled by the passing of time makes it more trustworthy than the one winking at us. On a lighter note, I can also see a comical interpretation to this. Maybe this should be titled "rejection". The guy in the poster made a pass at her and she flat out ignored him.

Probably unhappy to the extreme, maybe because of her circumstances, or maybe she has bad circumstances because she's mean/unhappy.

 

One certainly had to use care in photographing her; I used a zoom telephoto (and good for catching the juxtaposition -- I stopped down for maximum depth of field -- front to back clarity).

 

I like your analysis, but her spurning advances, in your fictive imagination, seems a little far-fetched, (though when she was younger, she might have been very 'fetching'.

 

Many of the ugly old women of Ukraine started out as ravishing beauties, but time and poverty have taken their toll.

 

When such women marry (as Russians have done) and go to the US or elsewhere, they stay beautiful through their middle and later years -- it's the poverty and bad husbands who drink and get sick, who drag everything down, I think.

 

Your comments are ALWAYS appreciated.

 

Oh, and I suppose I'm a sort of flaneur with camera -- reference earlier post.

 

And a camera was Henri Cartier-Bresson's raison to be a flaneur. He was rich and had to have some purpose, and a camera suited his peripatetic nature.

 

John (Crosley)

I think all true photographers are flaneurs and those do not admit it are "closeted" ones.

That I am 'out of the closet . . . ' so to speak.

 

John (Crosley)

At your very best.

Regards,Judy

The (formerly) missing 'queen of street shooters'.

 

Welcome back to my comments section.

 

And thanks for the praise.

 

Best wishes to you.

 

John (Crosley)

I'll post one just for you

I'm glad to see you're back.

 

I've been getting 'ahead' while you were gone.

 

I have missed your presence.

 

(I am sure you remember Cary Grant saying those famous words with your name . . . )

 

A smile for you; (unlike my subject, above, who seems pretty burned out and bitter.)

 

John (Crosley)

:)

I did post the photo i promised you-also got a few 3/3s ,but who cares.Anyway i'f you like you can have a look before i'll delete it.

Best regards,Judy

 

If the photo is Romantic Budapest, which depends very much on the appearance of shadows, then I understand why it got low ratings; viewers here don't understand or appreciate the use of shadows in photography.

 

I posted a photo today which used real lines and lines and forms from shadows, and got about the same treatment ('Lines and Shadows') -- with a fair share of 3s and 4s.

 

Although you say you don't really care, in fact you do.

 

Your photography has been in the past exceedingly popular, and we all want to be seen as making great or greatly viewable photographs.

 

One prominent male member showed amazing facility with color and soon (a couple of years ago), he shot to prominence - he rode his motorcycle or whatever, throughout the southwest and Mexico and got great shots -- nearly all in color if I remember.

 

He took down his portfolio after a while, explaining that he was 'tired' of seeing his own photos.

 

Later, he posted a black and white photo of a dilapidated filling (service) station, which was artful in the B&W Magazine sense, but not in the mainstream of Photo.net photos; Photo.net viewers just don't appreciate certain sorts of photos, and he found out - much to his dismay. He was angry at the reception his new style found among viewers and, I think, a little bitter.

 

And he has gone from Photo.net

 

The fact is we all care -- just some care more than others.

 

I have learned to live with low rates on certain photos I think are pretty good, because I think for the most part I understand Photo.net rating and raters -- not always but pretty much. I've had 7,000 rates and am averaging in the very high 4s and low 5s for my rates.

 

There is a large smattering of 3s and slightly higher rates, and for the most part those who rated did not appreciate 'street' photography. In recent times, however, I think through my writing and my improving photography, I have helped educate viewers (or some of them) to the 'worth' of some of my 'street' photography, and the ratings have been increasing. Part is due to my understanding what I can post and get high rates, but I still post what I will, nevertheless.

 

I know that certain individuals will understand what it is I do; the myriad comments reveal that (in most cases).

 

Sometimes I stand alone, but now rather seldom.

 

Your 'Romantic Budapest' photo is a different style for you, just as that other outstanding photographer who was very popular found when he switched or morphed into a different style.

 

I hope you will continue posting new works; I am interested in ALL your styles.

 

You already know you are a great photography; why not experiment a bit?

 

Best wishes.

 

John (Crosley)

Thanks,but i wasnt talking about that picture,which in fact is different for me.I was talking about "down & out in Budapest",and as a matter of fact i dont care,specially when these raters are anonyous . If someone i apreciate would have said or graded it low ,hen i probabbly would have cared.

Take care and keep shooting great pics. Judy

I found it and left a comment.

 

Keep stopping by, will you?

 

I have missed you.

 

John (Crosley)