mark_starr

A very cute portrait of a very sweet looking child. I wonder if the hand placement draws our eys slightly away from her face, as they are sharply in focus and perhaps more strongly lit? I think if there were a gap between them and her cheek it would help as well, but these are just minor things, as the portrait overall is quite lovely - thanks for sharing it -

Mark

That is a wonderful portrait - the long arm and hand wrapped around the ball really make the image, as doe the colors and the expression on the young model's face- I also love the blank space on the left as it perfectly balances out the weight of the subject - most excellent!

Mark

Excellent! How do you get your subjects to put on such a natural smile? I hate those smiles that look like they were drawn on people's faces, and you have obviously overcome this problem. While the rest of the look is a little blank, you haven't completely boxed yourself in with the pose. Great colors, great concept and perfect execution. - 7/7

Mark

Wonderful - her eyes have the pwoer to draw you right through her- quiet mesmerizing!

Mark

A very charming portrait of a lovely young cowgirl. A wonderful expression on her face - a little bit sceptical it seems to me, which adds to its appeal. I wonder how it would look in black and white as well? Great shot-

Mark

I have to ask-- why a green face? I assume you are trying to communicate something to the viewer with this choice, but all I can think of is the Incredible Hulk

series, which doesn't seem to fit the rest of the image. I am not asking this to be mean- I really am trying to understand what your intention is. The image would be a lovely portrait without the green.

Mark

Wow- great portrait! Tremendous expression on both of thier faces, and nice to see an image where they are not smiling for the camera. Their looks stop the viewer in his or her tracks and warn them to keep their distance as somewhat unwelcomed intruders into the moment. It leaves many questions for the viewer to ponder. Great black and white work too! A very refreshing image-

Mark

I did stop by the other day to admire your other photos, but didn't have time to comment then. I wanted to say that you have some very, very strong portraits, the type that keep me up at night green with jealousy. Any portrait I can envision days later is a great portrait in my book, and the above example is typical of many of your shots. Firest and formost is the expression you have captured. I think it is a real shame more people don't take images like these of the people close to them. After all, we do not go around all day smiling like a camera is pointed at us. We have pensive moment, sad moment, angry moments and simply bored moments, and I think portraits such as this one tell us much more of what makes up a human being than the smile for the camera shots. The feelings of your subject are well reflected on the deep blacks of the shadows. The girl's left hand makes for a strong counter-point to her beautiful eyes, and with the curve of the white piping on the collar of her shirt lead the viewer's gaze endlessly back to the girls face. The close crop gives us the intimate feeling you want in such a private moment in her life. This is a haunting image, made bold with the tones you have used. Excellent -

Mark

Thanks for filling us in on the story behind her gaze. I am always amazed at how differently people look at a photo with just a few words attached to it. We all know that a good picture stands by itself, never needs explaining, is worth a thousand words... I think nothing could be further from the truth. I received a book of all of the best photographers from LIFE magazine - each had about 4 pages of thier best shots. The kicker was that the book was in Italian, and so the captions were readable and understandable for the most part if you took some time with them. What was interesting to me was that many images meant nothing without knowing what they were. Of course many were beautiful and moving without text, but by adding just a few words from the caption their meaning changed dramatically. In the case of the photo of your wife, a title can drastically change the meaning and the effect it has on the viewer. "Mother watching over children" gives real meaning to her expression, especially to someone like me who has seen their children grow and move away. I have seen gallery shows with the usual title and no text, where people walk up, read the title, glance at the work, and walk to the next. I have also seen shows with brief explanations below where people stop and discuss the image in detail with their friends for quite some time, and both shows have first-rate images. I am not saying you should always have explanations, but just pointing out how some titles or text can add real power to images such as yours.

Your reactions to taking this photo were certainly spot-on. There is real pathos in her expression reinforced by the mood of the scene, which is what drew both of to comment on it. Keep up the great work!

Mark

I look at these images that that come with no other written information as to their purpose as something that must stand by itself (or fall by itself!) Without input from the photographer, it is up to the viewer to critique it on its own merits and decide what it means to them personally. One thing I find on this site is that I quickly go by the images that don't make a personal connection with me. There are hundreds if not thousands of images of women sitting on stairs that I have probably seen but can't remember a thing about. As with this photo, I have no connection to the person - I don't know who she is or know anything about her, and yet it stopped me and held my attention enough to comment on and discuss with others. If a photographer can make me care about someone I don't know, I think he is really done something - moved from a snapshot to a portrait. This, to me, makes this image stronger than the thousand others I have seen. Heck,

he has even gotten two complete strangers discussing it over the internet! Thanks for the discussion, and have a great week-

Mark

While I appreciate some of the comments above, I would disagree with them on certain points. Certainly what we normally expect is to have more room to the right, and while that might always work, it doesn't necessarily make for a better image. The tension that you have created by breaking that rule is a large part of what makes this successful to me. I want to know what it is that is drawing her attention off-camera. The image would be completely different in feel were she moved to the left. While it would still be a wonderful shot, it wouldn't focus the attention of the viewer in the same way - I sook at the photo and I am forced to ponder it. With her to the left, I would see a lovely portrait and move on. I also feel she is completely balanced by the staircase on the left. The strength of the light cascading down the steps and the arc of light on the wall balance her very well, and it's continuation on the treads at her feet complete the sense of motion started by the light at the top. The brightly lit heart pendant makes a wonderful focal point for not only our eyes, but also our minds, as it gives the viewer a hint as to what she may be thinking. While it is only an opinion, I think you got it just about right!

Mark

Beautiful shot - really well done - a great mood to the image-

Mark

Fantastic - just great all the way around - wonderful idea and perfectly executed- what a very nice group in your portfolio as well - I look forward to seeing more of your work in the future!

Mark

I had to come and see who left such a nice comment on a photo, and boy am I glad I did! What an amazing portfolio you have! Your appreciation for the simple things we generally pass by in our daily lives is quite remarkable, with the photo above a typical example. Net, sky, and one broken strand. That broken strand is the beginning of a an entire story in the mind of the viewer - and a different story in each unique viewer at that. It reminds me of the story told by Hemmingway when challenged to create a story using 6 words. He came up with: "Baby shoes for sale. Never used." This image does the same thing for me. I will spend a lot of time looking over your very rich portfolio!

Mark

Great portrait - just a wonderful feeling in her smile and the hat can't be beat. I hope you frame it and hang it in the kitchen (or at least a large copy on the fridge!) Great job-

Mark

A very magnetic portrait - all of the motion within it really makes for a dynamic image - the long diagonal of her hand leading the viewer to her eyes, the slash of her dress and the hair flowing out to the right of the image are just great, as is the counterweight provided by her long earring on the other side (it wouldn's work without it!) The only slight distraction to it is the hair on the top of her head leading us off the image, but other than that it is a really well thought-out and executed portrait-

mark

Very well done indeed! Such a strong graphic feel to the processing lends itself well to your subject. Reminds me of Salgado's portraits, and it could easily fit into one of his shows - thanks for sharing it-

Mark

This is a lovely portrait, and clearly shows the warmth of the subject despite the cool color of the background. Her expression is wonderful, and the way the spots are placed on the wall behind her really leads the eye of the viewer up to her face and back to her shoulder traveling from the left to the right, which really helps with this landscape style portrait - either great planning or wonderful luck. The only thing I wonder about is it seems a bit dark on my monitor, and I wonder what it would look like a little brighter. Very well done, and you have captured what you said - a warm and caring people-

Mark

Great shot- the inclusion of the streaks of sunlight add to the feeling as does the hot-spot on the rail. I think you have the right mix of high contrast and detail in the shadows for an image that is hard to shoot (because of the lighting you are dealing with.) Nicely done-

Mark

Absolutely charming photo- the stance of the "model" is perfect, as are her sunglasses - great fun and a portrait of children much different from what we usually see-

Mark

I like the image and the feeling you have created, but I wonder how it would look a little lighter than it is now, as it might bring out more detail on the left end of the porch? Nice work, and thanks for sharing it with us-

Mark

This is a wonderful portrait - a very thoughtful expression and wonderful color - very well done-

Mark

Great shot and great black and white processing - I also really enjoyed your portfolio- thanks for sharing-

Mark

This looks like a very nice portrait, but at this very small size it is hard to say as much about it in terms of detail. I like the mood that you have established and the fact that there is a bit of a storyline to the portrait (not just a head and shoulder shot) but I really wish it was larger to be able to appreciate the detail. Great composition- nicely done, perhaps you could post a larger version?

Mark

This is just a wonderful image. I think what really makes it for me is the length of the young ladie's arm and the very dleicate touch of her hand on the animal's nose. The long, yet graciously extended arm suggests to me the real need she has to make contact with another animal, and there is real comunion between the two in their eyes. I am also struck by the elegance of the young girl in contrast with the somewhat ragged appearance of the sheep - certainly two very different worlds that still find a point of contact. The darkness of where she stands in opposition to the lightness of the animal's habitat and the strong, dark, vertical lines of the boards and battens that define the human world as opposed to the softer fencing (softer in focus and lighter in tone) in the background try to seperate the pair, but her very caring expression breaks through those elements to ultimately connect them. It makes for a very charming image, and an image that is most welcome at the end of the day. Thanks for your comments, and I look forward to more of your work!

Mark