DEEP IN THOUGHT

This one caught my attention as a thumbnail. First it is well composed with an imaginative diagonal line, from the girl, woman's back ,and the red on the upper L side( decoration?), I like the reflective mood of the girl ,as the main central focus ( but not in the center) and on the blured back of the woman she is even more prominent, with her folkloric clothes. I like as well the very colorful clothes in contrast of her mood, the different delicate form of her young form vs, the older woman's back .The warm tones vs. some points of cold ones is adding to the color palette , the flowers on the upper L and the cup ( I would have tuned down the cup color a bit ) on the low R. ,another diagonal...

 

There is enough of surrounding details.

 

A bit different from your other images Dave ,and is touching.

Great, intense expression, vivid color, and a fascinating composition. Fine shot. Warm regards...

Thank you both for having a look. The last four posts were taken at the start of my community's Swedish Festival. It's an annual event that has been going on for many years and hearkens back to the days when the community was comprised largely of Swedes . I wrote a grant and received the money to publish a photographic book that is to be a sort of photographic snapshot of Kingsburg in the year 2008, which is the town's centennial year. I have opened it up for submissions from anyone, and I will edit and compile the images. Thus, I am doing some fairly straight type of shooting over the weekend, as my usual style and subject matter would not be entirely suitable for a book of this nature. I'm also hoping to do a number or portraits over the next six months, as a part of this endeavor. That will be a real challenge for me.

Congratulation! sounds an interesting assignment! I like this one and I'm sure you will do it as well as all your previous work.

I'm glad for you, and I hope to see your next photos on this book subject.

Very nice shot and it will fit very well into your project which sounds like it will be fun and a challenge!

 

Regards,

 

Dick

Thanks. As I said, I'm a little out of my element, but it will be good training for me. I'd hate to think I might start doing "nice" and "pretty," but I may have no choice on this project.

And, BTW, I think you are right about that cup. If this one ends up being in print, I'll tone it down.

Thanks for looking. I have not done much visiting on Pnet lately. Last week we tore out my back yard, poured 15 yards of cement for a patio and walkways, finished a garage, built a storage room, and did some rather extensive electrical work, so I have had my hands full. I probably would not have been out shooting today if it weren't for the book project.

The lighting is perfect for such shots. Color fidelity is what caught my eyes. Nice!

Thank you very much.

in a very busy environment it's always difficult to find a good shot. You managed to find a great one.

Thanks a lot. Glad it meets with your critical approval.

"Nice and Pretty" --> What ever pays the rent!

 

Let me know when the book is published, and if I can purchase a signed copy.

Lovely color tones and a nice captured moment.

Wow. Great assignment. That's incredibly exciting and congratulations on what I'm sure will be a rewarding project.

 

Are you contrasting this particular photo with your "usual style?" I see it very much as fitting in nicely with most of your work. True, you don't do a lot of portraits, but this still has your stylistic stamp and flare.

 

The colors are good and you've certainly told a story here, which I like. The swirling movement around her is quite effective.

 

I find the woman's back consuming a fair amount of energy and attention. Also, I love the dazzle of the light and geometry in the upper right-hand corner but it, too, is attention-grabbing. I understand that the girl is in thought and so it feels to me as though you wanted her subdued relative to all that's going on around her. Nevertheless, a bit more presence given to her might connect me a little bit more. There seems to be a very equalized approach to the various elements in the photo which, to me, zaps energy from it. Imagine the way in which a bit of a gleam in her eye might be more of an engagement. Or even her face having a bit of its own light allowing her little world some more richness. One thing I notice is that the light doesn't drop off much from the girl to the lady with the back to the people beyond. I wonder if a bit of post work could create a little more depth to her thoughts.

Thanks. While I'm really looking forward to learning about publishing, and I'm going to use it to force myself to do some images I might normally not do (posed portraits), I'm not thrilled by the prospects. The book will largely be documentary in style, and will not attempt to look at the underbelly of the beast. You know me. I like irony anti religious, anti self righteous, edgy stuff. That is exactly the antithesis of the book concept and content. And, remember, that since it is being paid for by someone else, I am somewhat obligated to give them what they expect. I have three or four other photographers who dally in that type of image much more, and they are professionals to boot. So I may not have too many of my own images in the book and simply edit what is submitted. It's an evolving project that I'm still formulating. But it WILL be a learning experience. No doubt about it.

Thanks, amigo. Take care

Thanks for your thoughts on this. I'm not sure if it would work very well, but perhaps burning in some of the background would help. I've never found the burn and dodge tool to be of much use. I also thought about a tighter crop, and perhaps should have tried that too. I guess I wasn't displeased enough with the background to feel it necessary. And, yes, a little sprinkle of sunlight on the girl's face might have made a significant difference.

Have you ever worked with the lighting filters?

 

Try the omni, in particular. You can designate the circle to be widely around the girl, then really jack up the light to an extreme on her and fade back the light on the background also to an extreme, then go up to edit and choose fade, in the drop-down menu choose darker, and then see play with the slider bar in the fade menu. Avoid a halo around her (you have to be delicate with the lighting filters), but it can really help isolate a subject quite nicely. The directional spot can also be used to fade a background some.

Beautiful capture and colors Dave

Thank you very much. I have worked a little with Fred's suggestion and now realize that it can be better. But I sure appreciate your taking a look.