donald_l_fackler_jr

Hi Pnina, the first thing I noticed about this image is all the stron lines and angles zig zagging across the frame leading you from one side to the other and into the angel. Great composition with the angel pointing up and to the last angle. In my minds eye I can see this in B&W and color and it has a strong impact no matter which way you present it. I like the tone because to me it takes a cold inanimate object and make it warm and alive. Beautiful image.

Don

Thanks Graham, I like both poses but I need more contrast in the first one to make it less flat and to give it some pop. I fixed the original but forgot to repost and now I can't figure out what I did with it!! Thanks again for stopping by.

Don

Thank you Antonio and Michael. I was wondering if the left side of her face was too hot. I tried to keep a higher ratio from the lit side to the dark side because Low Key should have a high ratio. In the origianl image before compression the brightest spot is 240 and I jsut checked this posting and it comes too close to 253. I didn't count on loosing that much information in the conversion to JPG. And thanks Michael for pointing out the hand, I hadn't noticed the grasping instead of relaxed fingers, it gives me something to shoot for on the next sitting.

Don

I like this perspective. It lets the viewer know that these palm trees are really tall. I also like the lighting on the trees, you shot this at a great time. IMHO you have a great composition.

Don

Nice stopped motion. I like the lighing that you have as it ephasizes the drop well. The only thing that bothers me is what looks like water drops on the glass and maybe a little more contrast.

Don

original image

Hi Patricia, I did have the eyes darker it just comes down to personal taste, I like the soft image as it adds a dreamy feel.

This was a severe crop and to get it back up to an 8x10 I resampled it bicubic smoother and had a lot of artifacts in the image. I made a duplicate layer and desaturated it useing channel mixer on the red channel about 112% and added a little blue about 12% and subtracted a little green about - 10% then flattened. duplicated the layer again and I used the luminiosity blending mode at 75%.

Then under filters I used Noise, Median at 24% and as a last step I used eraser at 38%.

What is great about this is if you erase the eyes and mouth completley you can leave them sharp. I am going to post the original image and the one with the eyes and mouth sharp.

Thanks for liking it.

Don

Trial at Mid Key work. This image had an extreme crop and a lot of

pixilazation in it, I added noise median on a luminosity layer at 75%

to smooth the image and liked the result.

Critiques welcomed.

Don

I think you have some interesting photos in your portfolio but they lack punch and look flat. Try to up the contrast a little to give yourself better blacks and whites.

Don

I like the mood you have set, it is like watching a caged animal that you want to get closer to but know that if you do you are going to be hurting. The eyes have a glow that is kind of creepy and to me that makes me think of a supernature creature. Puck incarnate.

Don

All I can say is beautiful imagery and well composed. I am very bad with French but think your title means The Sun Workers. To me it sounds so much better in French. Your images make me wonder where reality ends. I like your attention to detail and how much you were able to achieve with what you had. Very creative and nicely done.

Don

I opened this up just to see the colors and pattern that you have created. I was totally shocked to see that you had the insects creating the pattern. Very creative and it made my day.

Don

I agree, this is very well done, I love the grain in the image as it adds to the mood. Great pose and excellent image.

Don

I like being able to see some of the sites that you have seen. I get to see places from around the world and have enjoyed this trip through Vienna. Thank you for taking time to share your trips with us.

Don

What can one say? You have a great way of composing an image. It really draws me in and makes me want to be there. Even if I don't have a camera with me I just want to see sights like this. I like the conversion, nice smooth tones. I like the way the wispy clouds push you back into the frame into the compact clouds which helps to keep you locked in the photograph.

Don

Thank you Carsten, This picture has taught me alot about presentation.

Don

Thanks Patricia, I didn't get the background light correct but I liked the pose because it shows her inner strength very well. I think some of here personality comes through in this pose.

Don

The last time I looked at this it was night with no ambient light in the room. Today I am looking at this and it seems to be more balanced to me. I don't feel like there is a constant push to keep going up and out of the frame. For some reason the darkness in the hair and waist didn't distract from the image. It seems to enhance it, a bit of mystery. I like the detail that you were able to extract from the pedestal and not compromise the balance. The one thing I have learned about looking at your portfolio is that you really know how to control your light. When I look an image that you have posted I have no doubt that it is the way you have intended it to be and I want to thank you for being a great teacher.

Don

Thank you Pnina, Unfortunatly I croped this in camera this way. I should have been thinking ahead and croped the image closer to just the head. Per an earlier suggestion I have been looking at Howard Dion's portfolio and I am still having trouble with cropping in PS. I just can't seem to get comfortable with it. This was the first time I have used umbrellas for my light source and I don't know if I really like it. Without extensive PS work I think this looks flat. Some of the flatness is caused by the JPG conversion as the original has a lot more color and it Pops and looks good as a print. I am posting a crop I was toying with.

Thanks again for visiting.

Don

Wow Patricia, Congratulation on your own personel gallery!! It is great that they have decided to paint an clean the area for your work to hang. To me that speaks of respect and how they feel about your work.

Don

Nice shot, I like this shot. Nice detail in the legs and great crop.

Don

Wow, I love this image. It seem so real to me. I love the rich tones that you were able to extract from your conversion. To me this is real life living. I have a lot of friends that live in trailer parks and this scene is familiar to me. Love it.

Don

I like your use of perspective and toning to bring out the mood in the image, I have to agree with Paula though that I would like to see more detail in the pedastal, although with it being so dark it helps to move me in an upward to the angle but I think because the top is so much lighter then the bottom I keep moving up until I leave the image. I still love the photo as is.

Don

I looked at this for some time before commenting, I was trying to figure out why I found this shot so interesting. I took it a cropped it a lot of different ways just to see some different perspectives and found I like this one the best. I don't know why I like the rock in the foreground but I do. Cropping it out or removeing it you lose something.

To me this image holds a lot of things to find as you explore the photograph. I don't find myself wanting to wander out of the image. Excellent photo.

Don