black and white: then to now 'Peek-a-Boob' (B&W Ed.) © 2007-2009, John Crosley, All Rights Reserved

This is one view at the 'porn' convention (Adult Video News convention) I

visited in Las Vegas a while back, previously posted in color and now

desaturated. I had hesitated to post it previously because of elements

of unsharpness (except along the farther top bust line), but viewers

pushed this to my most viewed photo, color or black and white, though

it was hidden deeply in my folders. I have now desaturated it, and your

comments and critiques are invited and most welcome for this B&W

edition. 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

I posted this in color and buried it in a very much lesser folder, about two years ago.

 

Even so, it has shot to my most-viewed photo ever. And almost all of those 'views' are clicks, since most or all are were gained after the system changed to counting 'clicked views' rather than 'thumbnail views'.

 

I buried it because I was not proud that I had posted a photo in which there were substantial elements of unsharpness, though there is one area of substantial sharpness -- the top inner bustline -- also a focus of (male) visual attention, I think.

 

Since then, some members have urged me that 'unsharpness' does not always mean 'bad photo' or even 'bad photo technique', and some have suggested the lack of complete sharpness may even have enhanced this photo . . . . and I am open to your suggestion on the issue.

 

So, I'm interested in your views on the subject and if you are interested and view the color version and can search it out, also a comparison of the two -- e.g., which do you prefer?

 

Thanks.

 

John (Crosley)

This photo is entirely candid.

 

Though taken indoors in a vast convention hall, for my purposes, I term it 'street' in that it has all the elements I look for in 'street' shooting.

 

John (Crosley)

I really love the idea. It makes me smile. The black and white works well but the unsharpness puts me off a bit. Congrats.

I feel the exact same way.

 

I posted this in a minor color folder and cringed because of the unsharpness.

 

After a while, it was getting from 750 to 1,500 views (clicked views) a day over a period of months and in just a few months gathered over 100,000 clicked views in that minor color photo. Somebody had 'found' it, and obviously it had been linked somewhere, but I don't know where.

 

But it's a 'view' magnet, at least in color, despite 'sharpness' issues.

 

So, I decided to enliven my Black and White folder, now that is has over 175,000 views in my minor (and mostly little viewed) folder, devoted to 'trifles' or some such which few people enter, and certainly don't expect to find anything that will bewitch them.

 

This may not rate high, but it is sure to get clicks, and it is NOT a nude photo, either (it is suggestive of course).

 

Like many of my better photos, it tells a 'story', as I've been told, and correctly so, I've learned.

 

It is my champion 'viewed photo' in color -- hands down, despite 'sharpness issues, so I've learned a lesson.

 

Other photos with ultra high views often counted thumbnail views and not just clicked views, but this one did not (at least for most of those views -- perhaps all).

 

Best to you Raymond, and thanks.

 

John (Crosley)

This is a wonderful and homurous candid image, and when something is candid and in lowlight the blur is to be expected, so considering all the elemants of the photograph I feel like you captured this unique moment as well as you could and from that I think this is a great image, I will have to see the other images from this convention, it is such a bizzare and unique place to get incredible candid images.

Thank you.

 

Look around, here and in my color captures. This is two years old, and I just decided to desaturate it.

 

Other captures from that year (and the next) are like hidden gems (did you see the one of the guy in the recliner, with these same mannequins in the background?).

 

This year, I skipped the 'convention' - porn now is more passe.

 

Although it's still wonderful for 'shooting', it's very expensive to attend unless one has passes.

 

Best to you, and thanks.

 

John (Crosley)

Hello,

 

A refreshing picture. Great expression. Great mood. Good overall processing, though the mannequin's lower arm line shows some ugly edges and a white halo.

Hi Nuno,

 

Thanks for the superlatives about the capture. As I wrote about regarding the posted color version, elsewhere, I was actually bent over with my somewhat smelly rear end sticking in some seated guy's face (he was in a lounge chair opposite, as I was bending over, with my zoom telephoto taking photos of these mannequins.) He was kind about it and accepted my apologies and enjoyed it when I showed this to him and others not quite so 'telling'.

 

This guy was posing, I suppose, for a friend with a camera -- though I cannot recall for certain -- and never saw me, far away. I did capture him perfectly clearly in other photos, but without the mannequin left, looking on with startle-possible disapproval.

 

Nuno, I posted this in color with great hesitancy, it languished a long time in a lesser folder (Some Trifles) for a while with very low ratings for Aesthetics (higher for 'Originality), then somehow it 'hit' and began getting 500 to 2,000 views a day for a number of months - linked I suppose from somewhere (I know not where, though I did try to find out without avail).

 

You are correct about the arm, but at the same time the right top breast (as we view) is in perfect focus. I am not sure what sort of movement my lens was in to create that problem but a review of EXIF info reveals my Vibration Reduction mechanism for this relatively slow shutter speed was set to 'off' where it had inadvertently gotten 'set' probably by being brushed in the passing crowd.

 

Of course, that's a lesson.

 

I suppose with hundreds of dollars worth of Photoshopping, or simply a great deal of work, this could be perfect, but that's not me. I take 'em and I post 'em.

 

If it were in a gallery, that might be different, but it's not, and I have more than enough for a gallery, or several, and museums, as it is.

 

Thanks, Nuno, for the kind remark.

 

John (Crosley)

The man's shirt says 'Pure Filth'.

If that connects with anyone.

It is obscured by his lanyard, and his hand-held camera. somewhat, so I know it is impossible to be seen.

But that was interesting to me; maybe to you too?

john

John (Crosley)