tom leoni

Hi, John-

You captured a superb subject with a really beautiful expression. I'd like to know more about the circumstance and the "story" behind this picture.

I think your crop is good, and to be honest, things like the white panel on the top-left and the black microphone (?) at the bottom don't bother me at all. We are getting too used to post-process wizards just cloning things out and making pictures look unrealistically antiseptic.

The only thing that I may do differently (subjective, of course) is tone the saturation down a bit, and perhaps find a way to soften the white of her scarf, although not being too close to her face, it is not too much of a problem. Also, there is a faint artifact just between her chin and her shoulder.

Your depth of field throws her beautifully in the foreground, and makes her fresh features stand out more. Overall, I really like this candid portrait. 

 

 

 

So sorry to hear about your loss, Andrea. She must have been a very thoughtful and caring person, judging by this wonderful portrait. Hugs, Tom

Thank you, Andrea--you are kind and your warm wishes are heartily reciprocated!

 

Tom

No--no PS whatsoever on this one (or on any of the shots I've posted here). I'm not quite comfortable with it yet--I would probably make things worse instead of improving on them! ;-)

Thank you for the advice. Cheers. Tom

Well, I thank you so much for your generous comment--although I wish that streak of light on the right wasn't there on this particular shot. Thank you again for stopping by--you are very kind!

Dear Andrea,

 

I just can't take my eyes off this shot. It's fabulous on so many levels--tells a story, it's unusual, it takes me somewhere "I'd want to be," and it's of course very well executed. Great job. Tom

Coming from you, this really means a lot. Thanks for your generous comment.

 

Tom

Hi, Meg, great shot! Great capture of the eyes and the youthful, beautiful expression. Perhaps playing a bit more with the color saturation (since she has great eyes and hair) may make this even more powerful. I also would experiment with a tighter crop, since that would eliminate the somewhat distracting light spot on the top-right. I really like it though, great portrait.

 

Best of luck, Tom.

Hi, Andrea,

 

Lovely to hear from you!

 

Actually he was made of wood. He was right outside a little shop in Charleston, and I was intrigued by his surly look and loooong beak. Also, I loved the fact that there was just this splash of yellow on his head... only reason why I didn't buy him is that he was HUGE! So I thought, why not have him pose for a quick portrait!?

 

Tom

Grazie, Paolo--da un Italiano in lungo esilio, una splendida foto delle mie Alpi.

 

Mi sembra di riconoscere il Resegone (a destra) e la Grigna? Che bei ricordi.

 

Tom

Thanks for the great pieces of advice, Chris. And thank you for visiting my page and taking the time to offer me these pointers--it's very much appreciated.

 

Tom

Yes--this stopped me dead in my tracks. Fantastic job.

Thank you for finally treating that subject creatively. Wonderful creation.

Do I really have to tell you what I think? ;-)

...Da un Italo in esilio volontario... Grande foto, grandi emozioni.

 

Davvero, bella foto. Mi piacciono le braccia e le bandiere cosi' angolate, che danno un bel senso di tensione. Bellissimi anche i colori (probabilmente non di facile realizzazione viste le circostanze di luce).

...But I'd probably get a little closer ;-)

 

That would make the composition a little crisper. Good job, though. Tom

Great idea overall. I like the fact that the only real color is the russet of the soundboard--intersected by the geometrical play of the chisel-sharp shadows and the F-hole. I think the inclusion of the string at the edge of the frame is a nice addition. Well done.

 

 

Dear Jen,

 

This is one of the most brilliant wedding shots I've ever seen. It really conveys an incredible sense of joy. It's nice to see that a subject that has been done so many times receives such fresh and wonderful treatment.

 

Tom

Carissimo Luis, ti ringrazio per i commenti, cosi' generosi e magnanimi, e per l'aiuto che mi hai offerto sul forum Leica. Grazie di cuore.

 

 

Love the simple pose and the idea of using an old-fashioned racket as a prop. A beautiful, direct and sincere shot--the fact that she is quite good-looking helps too.

Nicely done--it really stands out, especially for a classic subject like this. It would be awesome if you gave us an idea of your camera settings.

This guy really attracted my attention...

Hi, Andreas--I meant light that would project some shadows on the model's body, adding volume to her shape. For instance, light slightly from her front or back, which would pencil in some shadows on the opposite side of her legs/arms & make her look even more "real."

 

Tom

Mauro, bella foto. Il cane e' simpaticissimo, ma quello che mi ha attratto ancora di piu' e' il contrasto fra il prete cattolico e il "santone" indiano.