Ben Portrait
by pram

Comment by BAMartin:
This is a very thoughtful portrait. The focus is a little soft, but seems to work here. Loved those eyes!

rustbar_planacodon_2.jpg
by pram

Comment by pram:
okay, i have been thinking about the DOF comment/suggestion and here is where i am with it; i feel if i pushed the DOF toward the top of the rusted element, then every bit of the bottom two-thirds of the image would fall progressively out of focus. the way it is shot now, the eye is indeed caused to look at the top of the element for focus, then, when discovered the focus is not there, caused to look down a bit futher...this sort of creates an interesting DOF juxtiposition i think...i think with the angle of the shot and this interesting DOF, the image is more interesting than if the focus were placed where expected - at the top...

certainly a thought provoking comment you've made - thanks!

Originally posted by orussell: I too like the shallow DOF but I think your sharpest focus should have been at the top of pin. Looking at the image I find that's where my attention is drawn and not to where your focus is the sharpest, inside the hole and to the left of it on the outside edge. The colours are great and composition is nice too.

rustbar_planacodon_2.jpg
by pram

Comment by pram:
i am thinking about the focal point...considering the suggestion...

hmmm

Mokie and Kirsty
by pram

Comment by melismatica:
This is a really nice, pensive portrait. I like the 'in your face' perspective. I wish I could see more of the girl's face in the background but that is really just a nit.

Purple Haze
by pram

Comment by melismatica:
I like how you captured the liveliness of the dancer in this shot. The problem is, the kids are all looking in the other direction at something else. The moms behind the kids are talking to each other and also not looking at your subject, the dancing man. What this does is take the viewer's eye away from your subject. The person with the floral shirt at the side of the frame is cut off too much to add any focus or interest. If you had positioned yourself more to the right of the man, facing the people who are watching him, it would have made for a more telling shot. You could try cropping out the kids,moms, and floral shirt person but I'm not sure that would be much more succesful as it would leave the dancer without context. One last nit; your title Purple Haze, doesn't say much without your explanation. You might want to consider changing it to something that makes sense to a viewer without an explanation (The Wedding Singer, for example).

rustbar_planacodon_2.jpg
by pram

Comment by orussell:
I too like the shallow DOF but I think your sharpest focus should have been at the top of pin. Looking at the image I find that's where my attention is drawn and not to where your focus is the sharpest, inside the hole and to the left of it on the outside edge. The colours are great and composition is nice too.

rustbar_planacodon_2.jpg
by pram

Comment by ClubJuggle:
Awesome shot. I like the shallow DOF and the unique angle you used here. It's a shame this didn't make it into the challenge... ah well, there's always next time!

David and Michelle
by pram

Comment by pram:
good suggestion about the "rule of thirds" -

this was shot without a flash, so the color cast comes from the available light - neon i beleive

thanks

Grindlewald Deep Snow
by pram

Comment by pram:
hmmm...well, honestly there was no color cast added - this is how it was shot

adding a red cast would only serve to warm up the green in the trees some, and in my mind force the color of the snow out of its natural range - i like the serenity of the shot - and that is has a natural monotone feel, yet is not monotone

thanks

Swinger
by pram

Comment by pram:
see, in my eye, the contrast already encroaches on looking forced - as i did use shadow/highlights tool here. i really try my best to avoid having things look "tweaked" in photoshop

thanks