Pure, Unadulterated Joy of Youth

The facial expressions tell the story of JOY, spelled in capitals, here as

two siblings play at a party. 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

to be honest this one is - imho - a bit under your average production: there's a bit too much noise and the facial expression of the young lad seems more due to epilepsy than joy ;-) Pardon my frankness, but I appreciate too much a large part of your production not to be honest with you. Thank you, ciao Giuseppe

This one is intended to have LOTS of noise, and to have facial expressions that overwhelm the rest of the photo.

 

It is, in my own estimation, one that I am proud of - very proud of - and among my very best -- and I make no excuses for it.

 

It may not be up to your expectations of me, but if I could take a whole portfolio of photos as good, I would be exceeding my own expectations of myself.

 

I have learned that 'sharpness' and 'grain' and 'detail' can, in certain circumstances, be irrelevant, if the whole photo carries over.

 

In your opinion (to which I give great weight) the photo with its expressions, does not carry the day.

 

To mine it does.

 

That's why they make chocolate and vanilla.

 

I invite critiques because I'm interested in the opinions of others . . . particularly those of respected critics such as yourself, and by no means do I dismiss them at all. I learn, first of all, what is popular, and what is not on this service, and sometimes I am swayed by the reactions by others considerably.

 

For instance, I have found that the reaction to this photo is that few have critiqued it and those who have have done so with low ratings.

 

But I hold it in high esteem and suppose I always will -- perhaps it will just be a private delight of mine . . . for reasons I can never explain.

 

I urge you to continue critiquing . . . for most often you hit the mark, and whether I accept or reject your critique personally, you are known to me always to be honest, and I always appreciate that, and don't hold back, ever. That would defeat the purpose of the whole critique system. (I did post some earlier ones that were NOT up to my earlier standards not so long ago, and I may move them - if you look, you may guess which ones. . . . . )

 

My very best to you (and your honesty)

 

John (Crosley)

for your clear, pondered answer: you didn't betray my expectations. Be sure I will keep on following your work with deep interest. It's always a pleasure, ciao, Giuseppe

ha

 

Oh I love the quote ha "more due to epilepsy than joy".

 

oh no trust me I see pure joy :)

 

No joy in having epilepsy (ha).

 

So have you missed me?

 

Well I thought I would pay you a visit and see what you fantastic photo's you have been uploading and you have been uploading wonderful things and then I saw this.

 

I just almost did the LMAO.

 

You know the phrase, laughed my arse off.

 

Mostly because of the fact that you actually got this picture of the two kids playing and then the fact that someone thought you wouldn't post it. Truthfully I think it is totally your style if you look at some of the street photo's you have done in dark contrast. The only difference is this is HAPPY.

 

I mean look at some of the stuff in the dark kissy kissy stuff or the stuff in the train station. hmmm

 

I mean I'm not going to go all the way through your portfolio but I can sure picture a few of your pictures in my head (even if I do have epilepsy) and some of them are just this full of emotion, motion and life.

 

So yep, this is John for me just with silly slant to it.

 

Now here is my favorite thing about this picture. Those eyes and that tongue. You hit the mark here for me and keep it up.

 

Me, I have been oh so really really busy with weddings, retirements, sunset beach things and anything anyone calls me for. (sigh)

 

why? because I guess I'm feeling better.~ (smile)

 

~ micki

 

Can you believe it . . . my next task was to look to the member director and look up your name, and send you a private e-mail to tell you that you were very much missed and to send you best wishes, and there you are.

 

Laughing Your Arse Off.

 

That's exactly my reaction to this photo.

 

I think I defended my position very well above, don't you?

 

I just see something in this photo that raters (including one very highly esteemed rater and commenter) didn't.

 

But along you come and 'made my day'.

 

(and not Clint Eastwood style).

 

I'm glad things are going well for you.

 

Maybe I just had an 'aura' that you and I were due to communicate soon -- who knows? Frankly I don't believe in that sort of crap, but we have a sort of connection, and who can deny it?

 

I sometimes take interesting photos, and you LOVE interesting photos.

 

And now you take them too, and better than I, you actually SELL them -- that means people actually give you real legal tender for your photographs, something that I have not even tried to do.

 

(But that's in my near future, I think, if you have followed my year-long recount of my endeavours toward galleries, and other national/international exposure.)

 

My very best LYAO greetings to you. (I'm still smiling -- the great creator broke the mold when he/she/it created you, I think.)

 

(I had the same reaction when I read your comment -- it was worth a dozen 7/7s)

 

John (Crosley)

I'm so glad that my comments are worth more than 7's.

 

Half the time I can't remember if I gave any ratings and have to go back hours later to look. Must be the old age.

 

Yes, I am a big fan of Giuseppe so I am sure he was quick to question why you changed you genre a bit. But then again rememember that picture you took of the kid and the mother taking the picture of him? Wasn't that a wonderful picture?

 

See, you should do more stuff like this just for fun and forget the ratings.

 

I keep telling myself that when it comes to posting in the wedding forum. Those guys are just mean with the ratings and well I am just not going to get anywhere so I might as well just not bother. But then I told myself I was going to post "my style" and not the normal stuff we have been doing. Even if people don't like it. I just keep clicking and clicking.

 

You keep posting what you do regardless of the silly raters. :) ~ I'll keep checking in, I promise :) ~ micki

That's it.

 

You just keep clickin' and clickin' and clickin' and the world's toughest critic is you.

 

You know what you want and if you're getting it.

 

I have recently posted a photo that one very highly esteemed rater called 'just brilliant' but to me was pretty uninspired, and I told her (and the world) so.

 

It was workmanlike, I said, but pales in comparison to this, yet it is followed by a string of 6/6s and 7/7s.

 

You learn a lot about popularity with ratings and postings for ratings, but you don't learn about whether you're fulfilling your own personal goals -- your own artistic vision may, especially at some point in your photographic maturity -- differ quite a bit from the PN concensus.

 

At that point you may be a true artist.

 

The raters get it right a lot of the tiime, but they get confused by 'technical aspects and when those things don't fall into place but the overall greatness of a photo overwhelms technical difficulties, they fall flat on their faces.

 

You can see through that, and good for you.

 

I can assure you (without having reviewed them) that your wedding photos are true to your vision if they please you, for you are one tough critic, and a very able one, who is able to see beyond technical aspects -- which here is a great hurdle for many.

 

Best to you, and don't be a stranger.

 

John (Crosley)

what a treasure. i love their silly expressions - they are obviously having a grand time!

You are right in my opinion. It's a treasure to me, also.

 

Earlier raters said it wasn't good enough.

 

I differed, vigorously.

 

I think you agree,and understand why I disagreed.

 

Thank you for telling me so.

 

John (Crosley)

Those that rate because they just like you and those that rate because they want you to come rate them AND then those that just rate it because everyone else rates it.

 

I try to rate what I feel it deserves BUT more than that I like to leave comments period.

 

For me I look at my pictures and then if I don't like it I just delete it.

 

I have learned to purge now.

 

I have grown alot over the last year and it is funny because I see peoples work that have not grown in nine years in what I have grown in one.

 

So, I won't worry about the fact that I'm not following the mold that the stuck up people back in the 80's of photography want to be.

 

Some people are still nine years behind. :)

 

You are not. You are moving forward which remind me you need to make that BOOK!

 

:) ~ ha

 

 

John, I agree with you about the merits of this picture. It might have noise, but the expressions are priceless. To me, this is a "David vs. Goliath" moment. Look at the triumphant face of the smaller boy overtaking the bigger sister. This one is for every kid who has had a complex growing up with an older sibling.

This also is an 'art' vs. 'technician's' moment, I think.

 

And of course, sis doesn't look like she's having too bad a time either.

 

You can see her in a game of 'chase' with him earlier in this same folder.

 

Thanks for adding what I may presume to be an analogy drawn from personal experience . . . ?

 

But, I do think, like all human females everywhere, she has 'allowed' herself to be caught -- something that the female of the species is very good at in normal circumstances, I think.

 

It's 'choice by slowing down' for the female being 'chased' the way I view it.

 

Your view may differ, but your view always seems to be weighty, no matter what, so thanks.

 

John (Crosley)