macmoss

This has a 'you are there' quality that contrasts strikingly (and sadly) with most of the current crop of oversaturated, oversharpened, luridly unrealistic landscapes here and elsewhere. The dwindling (and uncompensated) tonality in the background, and the muted colors, actually look like something you saw, and make me want to be there.

This was the only one out of many dozens in the past month I could find that is distinguished by some sense of restraint and subtlety. An unusual subject, and an original and effective interpretation that comes across as deeply felt.

It is a terrible shame that photos like this are invariably rated lower than the multitudes of overprocessed, oversaturated, oversharpened, cliched images that have become the norm for modern landscape photography. It is one of the reasons many of us have moved on to other styles.

I think there is much more here than initially meets the eye. The pose and expression, hairdo, light, choice of clothing, and natural beauty of the model present a perfection that is enhanced and made more sensuous by the soft pastel color scheme and low contrast.

This is not just a beautiful photo, but an admirable example of genuine fine art meeting fashion. 

Note Kombizz, the beauty mark on her nose I always leave, because it is part of her unique identity as a model, and she wants it left. I always ask about those things before shooting.

Shot using a setting sun streaming through slits in an old piece of furniture,

sitting on end in a yard, and a blue NC sky as fill.

Formal, careful, tasteful, elegant, and the tones, pose, expression, and color are all excellent. I love the way the hands overlap the model's right foot.

I would have cleaned up the model's left foot and right upper thigh, and perhaps even reshaped the left foot (or had her try to extend the toes instead of curling them). In current PS all of those changes would be quite easy after the fact.

Jeremy and James,

Thanks for your clearly useful and constructive comments. I did play with cutting out either or both windows (both on this and another similar photo), but then decided to leave it as is.

You are very astute to point out that the window highlights on the right are blown (it is a west wall, and that was where the sun was setting). I wanted to show how magical the corner room light was, and, I guess if I had to get analytical, I would say that the contrast between one blown and one not helps explain the very bright highlights on the model.

Ultimately these decisions tend to be more visceral than analytical, but the whole process- including conceiving, interacting, processing, and discussing as here- strikes me as a useful way to spend time!

Again thanks for your input!

To create an image like this, it requires a lot of work and coordination between photographer, model, light, and even choice of prop. At the same time, it makes a simple and esthetic presentation. This is a style I really like.

There is a related image for critique in the 'nudes' category, though

it's more fine art than nude; the usual confusion in categories.

The love of light is fundamental to all photography, in my opinion.To

that purpose, this farmhouse has been a wondrous playground.

I think every element of this photo fits and enhances your intent, including the color scheme, the tilt of the head, and the gradation and layering of light and texture. It's a sensuous figure study with a lot of originality and craft, IMHO.

A very forceful and convincing image. Your use of underexposure here was very successful. And it does convey the sense of a magical and rare moment, not arduous processing to achieve an effect. The highlights from the "God rays" in the background are quite literally scintillating.

I can't help but think that this is the kind of image that demands viewing as a fine print. The Internet is great for sharing, but it is frustrating not to be able to also feel the power of memorable images like this in their most fully realized form.

Fine work and real poetry.

This is genuinely sultry, and there is a sense of power, intelligence, and character in the model's expression. Also, the hand, hair, and ring all complement each other.

Technically one could argue that there is a color cast here. But I've never understood why it's necessary to eliminate that, if it works for the feeling the photographer wants to convey, as I think it does here. That would be an interesting subject for discussion.

Very nice work!

Certainly there is a place for analysis and open discussion, but there is altogether too much analysis here IMHO, and also some extraordinarily ungentlemanly combat (and some comments that should have been deleted).

The photograph itself really doesn't care about whether people are arguing about whether the elements are precisely in alignment according to explicit or imagined rules. It's like arguing about whether or why Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn all violated the structure of sonata form (as they did, often). The music is still sublime.

Personally, yes, I know all the rules, but here I just love the thrill of appreciating a fine photo. It's an example of why street photography, like other genres, is worth pursuing as an art form for its own sake.

Bravo to Carlos for finding, capturing, and submitting this.

Not all nudes need to be so full of delicacy, grace, and genderless sensuousness that goes beyond simple eroticism. But this has a very special appeal, and certainly affirms strongly the fact that nudes can be magical and artistic.

I love the way the golden streaks in the model's hair merge so well with the ferns. Also, the fact that the photo is painterly without seeming in any way derivative.

Also, the curves of the model's body are echoed by those of the ferns; in both these ways, the image seems to make a point that the beauty of the human form, and the beauty found in nature, complement each other.

Truly lovely work!

Very lovely, well composed, evocative. This has the look of an inspired 'grab' shot in a household. The elements all work amazingly well. Bravo!

"Women are the poetry of the world in the same sense as the stars are the poetry of heaven."- Francis Hargrave

This seems especially remarkable and worthy of praise not only because of what is achieved, but just as much for the very difficult and lofty aspiration behind the photo.

Of course it is derivative of Renaissance painting, hardly a criticism, but the detail and delicacy of the shadows, the variety and perfection of facial expressions, and the oval movement of the composition within a rectangular frame all speak of deep understanding and technical control.

A true bravura image.

All the elements of this photo contribute to its success. In another context they would not work: that includes the harsh, glaring light, the mix of disordered and hard textures, the heavy makeup, the disordered hair, etc.

At the same time, the skin tone is spot on, the hands are posed perfectly, the light and shadow on the face are exactly right (a classic butterfly, with hair and back lights), the composition includes strong repetitive diagonals, and the jewelry is just subtle enough to add impact.

A truly distinctive photo.

Truly excellent, nothing to critique really, more like a jewel to appreciate!

I do love the way the pose and light show off the model's arms, neck, and hands, and the adroit way in which you have merged the subject and background. Also, the hairdo and the way you have rendered the hair all work beautifully.

The jewels were $4 per bag. They would be much more if they were not fragments from much larger broken items.

Once I rented a complete piece with many jewels for a shoot. When I took it back, one precious jewel was missing... it took at least an hour of crawling around the studio to find the one tiny jewel. That's part of the reason I jumped on the chance to buy inexpensive remnants!

A local antique jewelry dealer was selling broken pieces of old

jewelry, in little bags. And we're always looking for unusual pinup

ideas...

There cannot be enough compliments to do this image justice. I love the fact that this is both truly distinguished fine art, and also utterly politically incorrect from the perspective of the chipmunk, tern, and sunset photographers.

It is always refreshing to see such fine craft and care put into a photograph like this, with no apology for celebrating sensuality.