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Inner Conflict: Battling Despair
Inner Conflict: Battling Despair
mocabela


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Conflict (Basic Editing I)
Camera: Canon PowerShot G5
Location: Home
Date: Feb 18, 2004
Aperture: F/2
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1 sec
Galleries: Emotive, Black and White
Date Uploaded: Feb 18, 2004

 Not the most flattering picture, but inner turmoil is rarely pretty. I'm not sure if this will be an overly common take on the topic or if it'll instead suffer from being thought too much of a stretch, but this was my favourite idea of the few that I had and shot when all was said and done. :)

Observations/editing: The blur was meant to show motion and give a sense of urgency, but it just ended up looking sloppy. Softening and noise reduction done with Neat Image. Border added in Photoshop. Far from a perfect picture, but I like it nonetheless.

I'm usually better with landscapes and nature than people, so I'd especially appreciate tips and suggestions on how to improve this type of photo.

Update in response to comments: No, it was not originally a colour photo - it was shot in black & white. And yes, it is a tad overprocessed (though the detail is not entirely lost; I can see the fingernails just fine)... it's a vanity issue, as this was a self portrait. My skin may be okay, but what girl wants her pores showing?

Statistics
Place: 9 out of 202
Avg (all users): 6.4863
Avg (commenters): 7.6341
Avg (participants): 6.2561
Avg (non-participants): 6.5762
Views since voting: 2226
Votes: 292
Comments: 45
Favorites: 4 (view)

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AuthorThread
 Comments Made During the Challenge
03/02/2004 04:56:18 PM
Beautiful shot, very strong and emotional Great composition and nice choice of B&W.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/02/2004 07:31:54 AM
I've seen this look in my daughter's eyes on a daily basis. EXCELLENT capture of the emotions.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/02/2004 05:48:09 AM
I like it...makes me feel!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/02/2004 12:03:39 AM
Touching...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/01/2004 08:20:47 AM
Like the mood in this pic and grade contrast.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/01/2004 08:15:02 AM
This picture really shows conflict. Great photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/29/2004 12:07:20 PM
GREAT SHOT! Horrible frame!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/29/2004 10:52:47 AM
The mood is conveyed very well in this image.
Maybe just smoothed out a bit too much for me but excellent framing and should do well overall.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/28/2004 11:33:43 PM
Ya got me right up to the edge of your overbearing border, then you lose me. Damn, nice shot otherwise. I just keep getting pulled to the border...
TC
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/28/2004 10:54:16 AM
Great expression and tone, but focus is just a little off. I would put this one in second place. Good work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/28/2004 04:53:04 AM
Extreme emotional content with great lighting. Excellent portrait!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/27/2004 06:49:42 PM
Beautiful Image, convincing, nice Bw tonal range
Was it converted from color?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/27/2004 11:50:03 AM
Neat image completely RUINED what appears to be a fine photograph. The border doesn't help either. 5
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/27/2004 08:46:47 AM
I wonder if you did not go a bit too heavy on the neat image or similiar. All the detail of her fingers has been lost. I like the composition tho.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/27/2004 08:32:34 AM
I believe this portrays despair more than conflict itself.. nicely done though
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/27/2004 03:01:10 AM
The lighting here is sensational. Great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/27/2004 02:46:44 AM
wow
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2004 09:55:50 PM
one of the better actors in this challenge. good job nice quality.nice cropping. don't like the inner grey border, its too thick
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2004 05:27:46 PM
Nicely focused, very emotive, good job. The frame would not be my first choice.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2004 05:05:28 PM
Good god. Did you break Neat Image on this one?
 02/26/2004 04:47:31 PM
Great shot - eyes are full of emotion, very clear, border might have been a bit overdone
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2004 04:40:06 PM
is this blurred out?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2004 02:49:04 PM
Love it!. Meets the challenge and one of few that did. It's soft and the image colors are brillant. I see the emotion in this shot. She's aboout to cry. Great detail to this photo. I'd think it would have done much better in a challenge perhaps called, emotions, despair. ect. However, it's a inter conflict we all have, the feeling of despair....I give it a 10 for image quality and the challenge requirements. Good Luck. Oh, yes there are a few loose strands of hair in there that are somewhat distracting. But when you feel like crap, who cares right? :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2004 09:42:36 AM
very nice
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2004 06:19:41 AM
A lot of emotion here. Lighting is just a bit too soft for me though and I don't like border - it just takes away from the image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2004 05:57:26 AM
Beautiful image
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2004 02:13:24 AM
great eyes, something about the smoothness of the hands is funky (would be better w/o the one in the lower left)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 09:48:47 PM
Very nice....... too soft for me though.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 07:46:46 PM
I really like this shot. I can see the despair in her eyes. It gets an eight from me. I did however find the border to be a bit distracting. I found myself looking at the white space in between. I kept going back to the girl though. Nice shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 03:14:47 PM
Beautiful and sincere, but the focus seems a little soft. The eyes make a very strong statement. Great shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 02:46:52 PM
Lovely skin texture...good framing
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 01:55:43 PM
An excellent composition and exposure, good choice of B&W. Some minor hot spots on upper forehead, but but IMHO the main problem is simply that your neatimage settings are too high, giving the skin a plastic look rather than just clean of noise. Also, you can see signs of oversharpening by the lashes and eye brow.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 12:25:35 PM
I like this one because it's simple, well composed, crisp and clean. Your model's expression captures the theme perfectly. Good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 11:12:47 AM
Wonderful focus and lighting. Love her eyes, good expression and mood. Little too much on the neat image..smoothing look. Just my opinion on that. She is gorgeous.
I love the emotion here.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 11:06:14 AM
Nice and light; the eyes are so sad.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 10:45:06 AM
Excellent! Love the B/W treatment on this and the tight crop.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 08:30:59 AM
fantasic clarity in this pic.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 07:12:40 AM
Great photo, i'm not particularly fond of soft focus/light but I do like this alot. Her expression is wonderful, the lines in her forhead and hands-to-face are what makes this great. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 06:30:49 AM
Lovely photo, lots of expression with this and I love the tight cropping. It makes it much more intimate. -->8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 03:21:51 AM
Could use just a bit more contrast...skin is a bit too smooth, I think.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 02:11:18 AM
very nice stands out
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2004 12:41:35 AM
very nice photo
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/24/2004 11:56:48 PM
Excellent work, looks real.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/24/2004 10:44:48 PM
wow....this is a wonderful shot...very emotional...very well done...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/24/2004 08:03:21 PM
Nice sharp focus and good use of space.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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