black and white: then to now 'Hollywood tourist or Hollywood Star? You Decide'

I walked up to this man and said 'you might make a great photograph

with your black skin and black jacket', and he agreed to pose. Here is

the result. Some have said he looks 'famous' but I won't say whom

viewers say he looks like, and I have no real idea. He told me his name

is 'Ray' though he frequents a place where stars sometimes or even

often are found. 'Ray' or 'someone famous' makes little difference to

me, as I am only interested in the quality of the final photograph. 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

This guy, 'Ray' was extremely cool, and patient about being photographed. He kept friends (not seen until the end) waiting.

 

Never showed any hurry, and left without chitchat.

 

Experienced in posing -- seemed to be very patient or very experienced -- who knows.

 

He'll be in my next book for sure (first book galleys are in my hands now.

 

Thanks for the good words. Black and black at night in front of lights is hard to meter for, but with trial and error, I think this made an outstanding shot, and I'm proud I whispered in his ear, that I thought I could make a wonderful shot of him. The first shots were horrible, but as we progressed over five or so minutes, they got better and better (it's usually that way with me as I 'zero in').

 

John (Crosley)

If I spot a potentialy 'great subject' I am getting bolder and bolder, especially if I am carrying or have nearby my recent book (for galleries and museums only -- you'll never see a copy).

 

It has 200 photos in 100 pages of my best work, and it is very, very good; forget all the trash I post, I do post some world class photos -- and this I think is of that caliber or nearly so.

 

I'm proud to have taken this shot, all on a day whan I wasn't getting anything . . . my previous subject, a woman, called my credentials into question . . . and I was tempted to go back to her and show her this (but she was busy selling jewelry).

 

You're not as good as your 'last photo' but as good as your 'last best photo' if it is fairly recent.

 

You can judge my skills by this one, and I'll not feel bad.

 

John (Crosley)

Ilove it..!!

I love it too!!!

 

Notice it even says 'Hollywood', several times!

 

John (Crosley)

 

(Who cares whether he's famous or not, I had no inkling except he's a great subject, and he may just be 'Ray' the guy I stopped and graciously agreed to pose. I do NOT photograph celebrities, unless they agree -- I'm no paparazzo)

 

John (Crolsey)

Image copyright 2009, John S. Crosley, all rights reserved, Image registered, US copyright office. (this notice may be redundant but it is not necessary superfluous.)

 

jc

Good effort, John. I always like it when the story behind getting an image is as interesting as the image itself. GJ

Stories are what my photos are made of . . . . not only am I told they tell stories, but getting most photos is a story in itself.

 

Each one almost is different.

 

It's not like a landscaper who walks or drives, sees a vista then sets a tripod and fires, maybe waiting for the sun and/or moon to be in the right spot.

 

I do most of my shooting in seconds, or at most a minute or a few. Getting cooperation is essential, and having my subjects LIKE me during that time is extremely important. I have to be extremely nonjudgmental (appearing at least).

 

I mainly consider 'what will make a good photo' . . . as opposed to what I prefer in my personal life.

 

For instance, in my personal life, I do not like women with tattoos, but for photography, I love them. A little schizo? Maybe, but I answer to two different standards -- my personal, emotional standard and the photographic standard, and they are NOT alike always, unlike the ideologue photographer who only photographs what he thinks or judges to be 'right' or 'just' or what he 'promotes'.

 

Here, I promote little or nothing, except as one reads my prose -- where I do reveal myself.

 

Best to you Jim.

 

And thanks.

 

John (Crosley)

John, more nice work! Very nice. Good decision to shoot from below. I wonder if some burning in might help tone down that corner. Blessings!

Superb image with lots of character and a great backstory.

I saw this guy, black on black, and saw great potential, plus an extraordinary face and great jacket, and asked him to pose for a few photos, but the first were pretty mediocre.

 

But that's generally my way with models, as I tend to draw them out, review the shots, then move them slightly, this way or that, and bob or weave (or both), a little myself.

 

I did shoot him from below,and am proud I did, just to remove distracting background; but I also wouldn't pull in those highlights because they help the silhouette. Capiche?

 

There's lots of lessons (or one culmination) just in this photo.

 

Best to you, Geoff.

 

John (Crosley

Thanks for the high compliment. If you saw my first efforst in my short sessoin with this subject, you wouldn't have thought this was possible. I adapt pretty quickly, though.

 

I circle a subject, like a wrestler circling an opponent, taking a photo here and there, and looking - bobbing and weaving - trying to find where the best vantage is.

 

I seldom give up, though some will rest forever on my hard drives.

 

;~))

 

And yes,I do deal in stories -- many of my photos are stories in themselves, and almost every photo has its own story as well. I never realized I'm such a story teller, but I guess I am.

 

Best to you, and thanks.

 

John (Crosley)

YOU COULD HAVE burned some of the "variety store" shelet -middle to left and the bottom line.