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John, Am I crazy or is not one of the cardinal sins of portraiture to cut off the top of someone's head? That is what I had drummed into my thinking, anyway - and that the only exception would be for an extreme facial close up where you also cut off the chin. Now I see everyone doing it! Perhaps I am showing my age, but I believe it never appeared before wide screen movies required closeups to do it. You are, my friend, one of the finest photographers I have seen so I would appreciate your thoughts on this.

Jerry

Hy Jerry, a very Happy New Year to you … and many thanks for passing by.

 

I have always considered it wonderful that we can discuss such things on PN and mingle in the rich diversity of opinions here, inasmuch as some people don’t come along and claim to know the only truth, least of all myself. The older I get, the more I discover that I don't know anything. Sure I can state an opinion, but it’s no more than that. and maybe it will change tomorrow, only fools never change their mind (with no allusion to any outgoing executives) !

 

Who said that one should never cut the top of a head off? It’s funny, but whenever I ask who wrote the rules or where they are, no one ever answers.

 

Ansel Adams stated that “there are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs”

 

Now if you look at this picture above and get annoyed because you feel that something is missing or it feels unbalanced, then the photo is BAD, and I have nothing more to add. But if the remark is principally academic, then

my opinion is that it is not of much consequence.

 

There is an ongoing exhibition at the Petit Palais in Paris of Patrick Demarchelier’s photographs. A first ever for a living photographer. The walls are filled with missing limbs, slanting walls and horizons and without doubt, absent hairlines too! Do these diminish the splendour of the work, I don’t think so.

 

I called my photo above “film noir”. The idea is not so much a portrait, as a fleeting moment caught during some ongoing saga ..the wineglass, the pearls, the partial state of dress, the slanted look and yes, even the crop, are all reminiscent to me of a brief instant caught in time at some special moment. .. who knows, maybe a breakup ... just as it would appear in a film, “un film noir”. On a more personal level, many of these images that I re-create are memories that resurface …

 

Now the reason that I post my work is to see how others see it, and if you find it’s a disaster, then I am delighted to hear about it and to weigh in your opinion among others, thank you.

 

I should add that my computer has blown up and I am posting from a laptop. I don’t really know what the contrast and lighting look like in this image …I may have to backtrack and change some of my recent posts ...

 

Hey, John. Take my advice, ...for what it is worth, ...although you have amassed many good portraits, ...and have been subjected to much criticism,..............Don't Backtrack!

 

Steve

Hi John.

 

Great shot full of splendor and ellegance of this angel !

 

I loved

 

congratulations and best regards // Jean-Jacques

 

 

Jean-Jacques, thank you. Glad you like the photo. The model does have an amazing presence, which incites me to explore different facets.

 

Stephen, not too sure what you mean about backtracking above (unless on second reading you are most likely referring to the contrast). I don't think I stray very far from my beliefs, though what I do in photography is mostly instinctive. I looked at my chip and I see that five or six frames taken of this scene all have the crop made in a similar way, so this must be what "my eye" was seeing at the time and I think that is what should be reported.

 

In a few lines written on such a page, one tends to take up positions, but I am certainly no anarchist and I abhor the abuse of basic rules such as are not respected when people swarm out in the streets in France, more lately Greece, and paralyze the country. I guess even in photography there are some fundamental esthetic guidelines to follow, as long as they do not become dogma and they are imposed on others. There is no art without spiritual freedom.

 

 

John, I'm agree with Ansel Adams ... and I'm convinced you are an excellent photographer. Thanks for share your work with us. Regards.

Wonderful idea the focus on the hand!...Ciaomau!

A good image, but I tend to loose the eyes and for me they are the subject of this image. I have taken the liberty of cropping the image a bit to get rid of some of the "dead" space. Also, all of the texture in the dress appears to be lost (at least on my monitor) and the B&W is GREAT for this image!

 

 

Jim Phelps

Many thanks Jim, an interesting crop. But I find that one loses some of the "film noir" effect, for which the surroundings are important. An unrobed lady with a glass is different from a similar one standing in a doorway ...

 

No texture in the black dress I'm afraid. With just a flash available, I opted for the remainder ..

Hi John.

 

It is me again....

 

This shoot is very nice, and I confirm you I like also this to frame - cadrage -

 

This picture was made by a great photographer which is also a artise for the pleasure of the eyes.

 

Sorry for my poor English

 

Friendly.

 

Jean-Jacques

 

 

Ah, I got almost murdered on a different forum because I called one of my shots Film Noir. For the purists out there, it didn't meet the idea they had for movies Film Noir.

 

I'm really liking your work! In many cases, as you mentioned, the missing limbs or heads make the portrait akward. In this case, as I can see it, it doesn't at all. It is very balanced, super light quality and great modelling. Really enjoyable photo, even if it breaks a rule, but we all know it, rules are meant to be broken occassionally.

 

And happy new year too:)

Oh, ps. the original crop makes the image! Don't do it the tight way.

Excellent portrait, with a fine atmosphere and an interesting model pose. Congrats.

Beautiful and sexy.

 

Alberto

PDE

Drunk ans sensual , A bit more sharpness on the face will be great

ha ha, not really Alon. The girls that smoke and drink in my photos do not necesssarily do so in real life, nor does she walk around with her dress open. We are recreating scenarios here for photography ... :-)

John!

come si fa? a fare queste foto!

Devi essere un grande oratore con una profonda conoscenza del genere umano, per essere in grado di tirare fuori il lato privato delle donne.

Prima ancora di un grande fotografo, sei una grande persona.

Questa è la spiegazione ..

Sorry, l'impeto mi ha portato a scrivere in Italiano ;)

 

traslate:

 

John! how you doing? to make these photos! You must be a great speaker whit deep knowledge of mankind, to be able to pull off this private side of women. Before even a great photographer, you're a great person. This is the explanation..

You are very kind my friend, thank you, but you exaggerate strongly. What I think is important is to gain the trust of our models and to develop some kind of complicity with them. It's really more a mattter of friendship and mutual understanding than anything else.

John, even with laptop, you are great. Excellent composition and contrast in B & W. Model and her skin tone are superb. Cheers to her & the great artist-photographer for such an exquisite portrait.

Great expression...its so meaningful.....she has raw expression

I've often wondered how a model can create such a sultry look without feeling sultry? Your models exude emotion, passion, intensity, seduction, and elicit such restrained smouldering reactions that their expressions must come from a genuine place.

 

You are a genius (I don't use this word lightly) and viewing your art is an honor.

 

Happy New Year John!

 

Sharon

Sharon, you are so generous, undeservedly so, thank you very much. Have a wonderful New Year, John