india 2007 India 2007

The worker, India 2007..thanks for looking.

A marvelous use of the light, and excellent dof control. But most of all I like your interaction with the man--it reveals more about your state of mind than just of the man himself--the true goal of portraiture in my mind.

 

[i don't give points any more because people are abusing the point system here. Pardon me.]

The lighting, tones and color are Excellent. What and expression he has!

Brilliant photograph Seems like he's a coal miner

Exellent picture Birte. Like this one even better than "smile".My compliments how you managed to capture the mans intriging expresure! With regards, Jaap.

A Breathtaking portrait, Birte. Your signature lighting does it!

I would definitly crop some off the top for better composition. Otherwise, great work.

Wonderful portrait..a picture!

Some have suggested an 'obvious' crop, the top 1/4, removing the black area. This would have the effect of putting the eyes of the man at nearly the top 1/3 position of the frame, thus making it a classic 1/3-2/3 composition--an elementary lesson in novice photography.

 

I disagree with the crop.

 

In my opinion the force of this photo is not merely due to the man, which undoubtedly is a very strong element of the photo and is the apparent 'object' of the portrait, but the prominent dark band at the top makes the man peer out of the bleak darkness which provides a relationship of the man to his surroundings, which is the true 'subject' of this portrait. By the 'obvious' crop this relationship would be lost, the photo will draw undue attention to his eyes and hence the photo will degenerate into a merely pretty picture rather than being a sketch of this man's life as it is now.

Thanks for all the comments.The shot has a frame around it, and if that was removed, I think Karen you will find that it is in proportion.