At the BiLo Market

But I buy them here.

....and so would I

Well, you ought not be smoking. Wonderful portrait, full of your usual warmth and simplicity. While I'm not fond of tattoos, since she has one, I'm glad you showed it. As false as it is, I think it aids one in forming an opinion about the person portrayed.

I beg your pardon. I once had a tattoo.

As for the photo, not tattoos. TO ME if would be neat to have her and the packs in the background in focus. Dates the photo. They will be interesting 50 years from now. But it is an indoors shot; you probably had to shoot wide open. That panel on the left with the Kool sign. The Kool is intereting. The panel breaks up the photo on the left; kind of like someones hand poking into the photo. It is not a good frame; it runs out the picture. But it is there so what can you do unless you move to the left and shoot from that angle but maybe something on the right side you don't want also. It is a warm emotional photo that touches my heartstrings

I'm so very pleased that you two have taken the time to look and comment on this.

 

As to the tattoo, I thought about it a while. And like you both, I find myself wishing it weren't there. But it is, and I see it as part of who she is, at least right now. Also, frankly, I wanted this to be an environmental shot. She works in a convenience store, and I didn't want to crop it so much that the setting wouldn't be apparent.

 

Meir, I agree totally with your good critique. If I could have arranged this, I would have done it better. But this was like a street shot - a few seconds to shoot and take whatever light and setting you're given.

 

There is no lofty intent here. It is just a pretty woman with a warm smile who brightens your day a bit. I wanted to capture that feeling.

Two things. I was not for a minute suggesting that you not show the tattoo. I'm only expressing my own feelings. They are defined not for me. And, for some people it has a negative connotation, which is then imposed on the wearer. We make suppositions either rightly or wrongly based on some things. So my comment meant to say that it was right to have it there, because for better or worse, it is her.

 

Secondly, I'm not sure how many of your wonderful portraits are from the same town, but if there are as many as I'm thinking, you should get on blurb and do a book of portraits from your town, or region. It would be meaningful to the folks you have chronicled and to the history of your neck of the woods. Hell, I'd ante up some for that book too.

 

The last page should be that old guy who was walking down the hill with his cane and had just picked up the mail. I don't know if you still have that one in the portfolio, but it will remain emblazoned in my mind seemingly forever.

Well, damn, I was literally about to suggest exactly the same thing Dave did. So now I'm reduced to seconding his motion. The fine photographs of your town and region -- such as this portrait -- should be collected and published. Warm regards...

No wonder you drive 17 miles out of your way to buy cigars.

If people were paid for kindness, you two would be filthy rich!

 

I did have an exhibit in the fall in the Appalachian Center of the local college. There were about 35 pictures, all of which are on PN, I think. It was interesting to me that folks liked the landscapes, but seemed to want to talk about the portraits. Maybe putting them together in some fashion can be a retirement project.

Yeah, but that's round trip mileage. And good roads.