mark_starr

Like everyone above, I think this is just a fantastic portrait. For some reason this portrait seems to bring out the feeling of hope in me. After all of the junk we have had to listen to in the political world, where you begin to lose faith in our country altogether, this image of this bright-eyed young man gives me the feeling that we may be able to find our way again in this world. Perhaps it is the feeling of a return to something in the past with the way he is dressed, but I think it is more the directness of his gaze into the camera that gives me the sense that we are still raising children that can make the difference. The colors, the crispness and most importantly, the feeling captured in his open pose really make for a timeless portrait. (Of course I would also love to see it in black and white....) Like the other portraits in this collection, it tells us something of the young man beyond his likeness. It gives the viewer a sense of connection, and for me, a renewed sense of hope in our future. On another note, I would love to see your junkyard abstracts all hanging together in a gallery- the colors would just be fantastic.

Mark

Excellent image- wonderful b&w - perfect. Also, you have a great portfolio- I especially love your b&w work- glad I saw this - 7/7

Mark

This image I really love (not just for the black and white...) It really is perfect with the word coffee drawing your immediate attention and the rest of it feeling like you just had a double hit of caffine. The motion of the image is wonderful, especially when balanced against the standing group in the window. The bright and dark sections of the image are perfectly balanced, and for me, it feels just as if I was dashing down the street and just caught this scene out of the corner of my eye - all in a quarter of a second before rushing on. This is the type of image that makes me jealous.... Great shot-

Mark

I am always drawn to this image when I visit your work. I think it is the straight forward composition which perfectly suits the word DINER along with the color treatment, which does indeed, give it the nostalgic feeling it deserves. Whenever I come across buildings such as this I always wonder if future photographers will be stopping by the old, defunct, big-box stores to take photos of the WAL-Mart or Home Depot signs and reflect back on the old days when you could go there and know someone by nametag who had worked there for a solid three weeks. Who knows, with the economy the way it is we may be photographing them ourselves... I really like the greenery creeping its way around the corner of the building on the bottom-right corner of the image - you just can't hold nature back. Thanks for your recent comments, and keep on shootin!

Mark

Another wonderful street image. I love the composition with her knee placed as it is - it lends a very casual feeling to the portrait, and the black rectangle in the upper right corner really balances out the darker lower left corner. Street portraits on this site tend to favor huge distances and people walking away - I prefer your much more intimate approach!

Mark

I had some time to go through your images of children this evening - a very impressive collection of portraits. I love the brilliant clarity you achieve in portraits such as this one. It gives the images a slightly surreal feeling that really accentuates the subject of the image - as it should. You also have a talent for capturing emotions in your young subjects that elevate your photos above mere snapshots. Even without knowing these children personally, your ability to grab the right moment means I can identify with them and see in them what it means to a child - the mark of good portraiture for sure. The shot above is just wonderful for all of the above reasons, as well as for the contrast created between the elegant dress, headband, and the leather glove. The sassy and assured look on her face gives us confidance in her ability to get the job done. This study gives us more than what she looks like - it gives us a hint of who she is. I will enjoy coming back to revisit your work-

Mark

Great shot, and it will come in handy when she is a teenager - take my word for it...

Mark

What a charming photo! As with the comments above, it is always so delighful to come across an image that shows the wonderful side of life. The interaction between the mother and child during this very important lesson really is heartwarming, and just what is needed after a very long week. Just wonderful, and I am really glad I saw it! Have a great weekend-

Mark

What a wonderful scene you have captured here, and I am a big fan of "white" images such as this. The tones are so rich in this photo, even with the whiteness of the scene. The textures and shadows are excellent, as is the punctuation added by the shoes waiting by the doorway for their owner. The viewer can feel the warmth of the sun and how wonderull it must be to still be in bed on such a glorious day. An excellent image in every regard, and one that will stick in my mind for a very long time-

Mark

Great tension in the image leading from the man to the dog on that wonderful diagonal. Although they are probably not connected, the viewer knows they soon will be in some way as the man passes in front of the doorway, and we have to wonder how the surprise will affect them both. Its like watching a thriller without ever getting to know the outcome. All this and great black and white tones too!

Mark

This is a very fine image of the flower, and I admire your ability to get it right in such harsh and direct light. I have tried many white flowers, even in diffuse light, and have never been able to produce such a nice image, so I do appreciate how well this is done! The level of detail in the petals, the softness of the greens and the general compositon are all perfect. I can almost smell it... Very nicely done. Thanks for your comments as well, and this image shows that some do need to be in color, much as I hate to admit it...

Mark

I love the geometry of this image, as well as the great colors throughout, and perhaps most of all the complete lack of people, which adds a surrealistic touch to the photo, as one would expect to see people there on such a wonderfully bright and beautiful day. It almost comes across as a tinker-toy creation (especially the ferris wheel with the colors of the carriages) because of the lack of people to give it scale. The party is all set up but there is nobody to enjoy it! Great shot-

Mark

This is great - it reminds me of one of the bigger shocks in my life - taking my first daughter to college for her first year. I always knew that I had more time to do things with her as she grew up, and then, suddenly, time was gone - there never would be a time again for us. This image brings back this feeling for me - the fleeting nature of time - our children are there running and laughing and sitting in our laps for stories and then they are married and living a thousand miles away, leaving a blurred trace in our memories. Photos may steal, but we can at least drag them out again to refresh them!

Excellent!

Mark

What else can be said- fantastic!

Mark

Great shot - and as in the above comments, it is too bad there are cars there, and I hope you go back some day to shoot it without them, but it is a wonderful architectural image and the tones to it really set it back in time for me. Your black and white work is really nice, and I hope to see some of your Point Judith photos in black and white in your portfolio soon!

Mark

This one reminds me of the charcoal drawings my wife used to do when we first met, so by default it goes straight to the top of favorite images for me- after all, photos that awaken memories in others are the best. It is such a lovely image with its softness and muted hues. The blacks within it really captivate the eye - just excellent-

Mark

I always come back to this image when I go through your portfolio. I think it is the notion for me that all photos reflect something about us, and in this case, it is a reflection that does the reflecting! I always get the sense that photographs (good photographs that is) reveal a part of us, but only a very small part. This image reminds me of how fractured that reveal is - we are made of many more than an image can show, and for me this is symbolically shown with the fracturing of the individuals in the image. A photo reveals some, and hopefully gets us interested in discovering the rest. For those reasons this photo really keeps my attention, besides the fact it is a great shot in every other way-

Mark

This is a wonderful rendition of this portrait - the warmth, the timeless feeling and the tones are exceptional. The foliage in the foreground is a perfect counterpoint to the young lady and her white dress. She must be thrilled with this shot-

Mark

This is a great bw image- excellent production to it. I love the casual nature of the image - it seems just like what we would see walking down the street- no fuss or muss - a perfect daily snippet. I also love the number 5 in the top left corner - for some reason this little detail adds a bit of mystery for me. Very well done-

Mark

The perspective of this image is great (perhaps it is only as we get older and we are all peering over our glasses do we fully appreciate it...) and the colors are magnificent, as is the closeness of the photographer and the composition with the hat and the space in front of the subject, but what I really think brings impact to the shot are the glasses themselves - again perhaps we see a bit of our own reflection in them as we age and look out onto the world around us. A fantastic portrait in every way-

Mark

I really like your images from these parks - they really give me a sense of what they must be like (and the desire to go there and see them in person!) I think I like the black and white version a little more, but I tend to favor b&w anyway. I really love the deepness of the blacks on the ridge, and the level of detail in the background blacks - it really keeps the eyes wandering over the image for more - great composition in this as well - keep up the great work!

Mark

Very nice black and white/toned image- great detail and great simplicity - I like your black and white images a lot - a very nice series-

Mark

This is a very dramatic shot - just spectacular clouds behind her, and I hope she can outrun them! I really like the low angle you shot this from, as it emphasizes the drama ot the background. I see you are a new member to photo.net, and I am looking forward to seeing more of your work on the site!

Mark

Your images often create such a sense of calm that they are theraputic in nature. The soft colors, the simple geometry and delicate composition of this image again show that when you know what you are doing, beauty is discovered in everything.

Mark

What a great shot! It really captures the exhuberance of the young girl and the sense of motion that encompasses her. The pink glasses, the butterfly on the shirt and the stuffed animal remind us of what it is like to be very young again.

Mark