tonmestrom

thanks Samme. As you've gathered I printed the whole negative here as a contact print. However, would I have put this in the enlarger I doubt I would have cropped it like you suggested because for me that empty space here is functional as in needed for a balanced whole. With the crop you offered it would lose that,

tableaux, what a great word to describe it and one I didn't think of myself. As far as (the feeling of) directed is concerned you know that the low angle of view is responsable for that. Thanks.

Mathijs,

thanks for your comment. About her face I feel it fits in nicely with that backlit advert poster. As for the right part of the composition I feel it's needed to balance the photo overall.

groeten, Ton

thanks. There were a lot of ugly chimneys and houses in the background all under dreary and rainy conditions hence the cleaning up.

thanks Jack. I'm slowly getting back here. Have a lot of catching up to do.

Perhaps I can take you there next year ;-)

I was kind of lucky here to be honest. I never expected anyone to stand there but noticed him quite by accident.

your sense of aesthetics is a constant. Your composition is of a quality that we've come to expect.

strong and convincing portrait. I like that weary look.

thanks to all of you. I have been absent for some time hence my somewhat belated reply.

I think that any comment for the most part will be somewhat biased as most people tend to have a preference for either the one or the other.

Concerning your photo to me it looks like a stylised and rather effective composition with a great sense of detail and for that you deserve a lot of credit. You certainly knew what you wanted and it shows. It may look like a simple composition but it's not so easy to get away with something like this. You did good here.

Concerning your colour version I have to say that it needs to be colorcorrected, the skin tone for instance is too red as is your photo as a whole.

Concerning your b&w I have to say that I find this far more attractive because of all those graphic elements in your photo. However, just as your colour one it lacks punch and while this is less of a problem in your colour one here it's rather unattractive. This one needs, and in my mind deserves, an increase in contrast because it is way too flat.

Just to give you a hint (because how far you take it is a matter of taste) I'll supply you with another version.

Above all however I think you shot a good photo here.

it looks so straightforward but I actually am drawn into this compelling scene again and again. From the disappearing reflections to the interesting trees on both sides there is interest everywhere but apart from that striking lonely palm tree with it's cleverly presented reflection in the foregrond it's perhaps the deep saturation that brings out the best in this photo. You've convinced me!

nice to hear from you again Meir. Thanks, both for stopping by and your message.

great to hear from you Marco. I trust all is well? Thanks for your compliment, I appreciate it.

it's indeed a good portrait, mainly because of that resigned look that you've brought really into the foreground.

I agree with Tony on the positive qualities of this photo. Great light and quite enigmatic. I know of course exactly where you shot this.

Maybe a square crop would be a good thing.

wow, that look. Great moment exceedingly difficult to capture. You're very good at this Matt. Like it, a whole lot.

glad to see you haven't lost your touch

I agree with Michael. Great photo; you sure know how to find them.

you sure lucked out then ;-) I like the atmosphere of this which you've captured very nicely.

you have a poetic mindset for sure. Beautiful as it is enjoyable

serene was the first word that popped into my mind when I was looking at this. Enjoyable work

I absolutely agree with Kent: visual candy. Impressive!

I don't believe for a minute you lucked out here. It's a very good composition and a very good photo to boot. I'm impressed by what you did here.

Oh and btw. Better hang on to that LX, it's a great little camera.

thanks Pnina; glad you like it

Thanks Jeff, appreciate it. I'll be back shortly