Portrait/Candid

Hahahaa:) very expressive, makes me smile!

Stressed, unhappy. A real, gritty, emotive capture, that I really like. I could see you getting a good cussin after you took this.

Glad you like it. Regards, Joe

I was watching this woman from a distance. I made sure she knew I was taking shots in the area, and she soon forgot about me. This expression was not aimed at anyone, and I don't think it was anger. She just suddenly turned and stared into space, and it struck me then as a moment of true world-weariness. It reminds me of an Edith Piaf song. (I don't mean my image is comparable to anything by Piaf; I mean this woman's actual life may be. Or maybe not. Perhaps she was just squinting into the sun. Who knows?) Regards, Joe

How incredibly sad! Makes me wonder what she suddenly thought about. KW

Me, too. Thanks for taking a look and commenting. Regards...

Thanks for Comments

Yes, she was alone waiting for someone... He didn't arrived yet.!she was thinking to the milk or bread forgotten into the supermarket? very funny. ciao Elena

This is a very good photo.Regards.

Beautiful portrait, natural and expressive. Very good details. Best regards! Glauco

A great catch Joe. Perhaps this expression is more Jerome Kern/Otto Harbach than Edith Piaf.....just a case of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" (sung by Irene Dunne in their 1933 Broadway musical, "Roberta") As a reformed smoker I can relate to this expression. :) Best regards, Neville H.

 

 

I love honest portraits that say a lot about the subject's personality. This image reminds me of my Mom...she seems sad to others and she sometimes she walks on the street so deep in tought she won't notice you but she's much fun to have around and sometimes she talks whith a cigarette in her mouth. I can tell the woman in your image hasn't had it easy in her life but I am hoping she gets just as happy as my Mom when you get to know her.

Technically- I think the cygarette is burnt (how funny is that?)-I mean too much bright light...I would like to see more detail there...but that's in a perfect world.

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I appreciate your reactions and encouragement. Regards, Joe

Thanks for your witty observation -- one that may well be right on. Perhaps it was just smoke in her eyes. As I tried to explain above -- rather feebly, I fear -- the Piaf thing was my reaction, not the actual story. I don't know the actual story. I made the Piaf comment in response to another PN friend before I posted this shot, and I intended to delete that part of it -- but forgot. An image should speak for itself, and viewers should be as free as possible to interpret and react on their own terms. I regret intruding on that process. Regards, Joe

I hope you're right about her. And I very much appreciate your comment. Your observation about the cigarette is accurate; it is blown out. I wish there were more detail, and I suppose I could have faked it, but the truth is there was no "there" there. As you can see from the shadows, the light was harsh. Regards, Joe

I like it a lot. You caught her expresing emotions, and this is something that really matters. Thanks a lot for all of your comments on my portfolio and photos. Regards from Patagonia.

I guess I missed this one earlier, but I'm going back. It is most interesting how one can capture a momentary gesture or expression, and that frames (no pun intended) the whole tone and interpretation of the image. Yes, it does appear that the woman is world weary and stressed, perhaps overtaken with ennui, and, of course she is doing a no-no by smoking. But the viewer reads all this into it based on the visual cues the image maker gives us. And the more successful the image, the more we may read into it whether it be true or not. I don't know if any of that makes any sense, but it well have to do until I can become more coherent.

 

All that to say it's a very good image Joe.

You are the man when it comes to informal portraits. Well done Joseph!