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The Professor
The Professor
PenelopeK


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Hidden Gem -- 1,000th Challenge! (Advanced Editing VII*)
Collection: Challenges: People, Other
Camera: Sony DSC-F505V
Location: Amsterdam
Date: Nov 11, 2001
Aperture: F/2.8
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/30
Date Uploaded: Mar 10, 2009

 Entering the 1000th challenge was a great introduction to the site. Thanks for the comments. This image was taken in 2001 with my first digital camera and I had less than 1.5 M pixels to work with after cropping. I have always found people's hands fascinating when they are doing something they love. My friend would rest his hand in this way when taking a break from reading to discuss something. While photographing something else I noticed the light on his hand and the shadows and took this photograph. Only this last year did I begin to acquire sufficient photoshop skills to take a stab at reducing the glare from the book, a distracting background above the hand, etc. etc. While I have other images that are technically better I find this one more evocative than many of them.

Statistics
Place: 660 out of 1129
Avg (all users): 5.4226
Avg (commenters): 6.0682
Avg (participants): 5.4276
Avg (non-participants): 5.3976
Views since voting: 638
Views during voting: 688
Votes: 504
Comments: 53
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
 03/29/2016 04:08:34 PM
Yup -- it got a 7 from me, as well. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/27/2009 04:20:35 AM
I liked this one. Got a 7 from me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/23/2009 09:25:25 PM
Entering the 1000th challenge was a great introduction to the site. Thanks for the comments.

Message edited by author 2009-03-24 01:30:22.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
03/17/2009 10:05:59 AM
I think this is a great portrait without a face... there's personality here, character, it's interesting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/17/2009 09:01:28 AM
The professor's hand?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/16/2009 02:46:37 PM
Awesome capture and presentation. Gorgeous. I originally scored this a 5. What was I thinking. It is much much better than that ... enough drama ... 10!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/16/2009 02:19:00 PM
Good focus on the hand... good for a stock image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/16/2009 01:42:06 PM
great capture - keep up the good work
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/16/2009 11:50:03 AM
The pose of the hand just doesn't feel natural
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/16/2009 06:44:17 AM
Nice pose. The chair is distracting and there is a shine on the bend in the page.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/16/2009 12:09:23 AM
nice shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/16/2009 12:06:55 AM
Love the light and shadow play.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 11:47:16 AM
Good composition and idea. The lighting is a bit harsh, though.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 10:06:21 AM
Hmmm... interesting image. The fingers have some noise underneath... but this is interesting... It makes me study it for meaning.

Not voting yet.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 09:45:39 AM
I like the composition and lighting
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 09:32:41 AM
a little late for "self portrait w/o ppl?" nice lighting
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 08:38:58 AM
Nice shot, the lighting is good.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 06:15:14 AM
Nice light here, an interesting photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 05:59:44 AM
nice shot of a bodypart, but why is the chair there (if that is one). This shot could have been so appealing with just a nice plain background. 6
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 03:53:38 AM
Nice portrait and composition of a hand.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 02:14:07 AM
if it wasnt so noisy...
4 ;D
brano
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 01:49:00 AM
Beautiful image. It invokes images of someone reading when you look at it. I like the lighting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/14/2009 06:38:22 PM
stunning detail and natural skin tone
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/14/2009 12:31:17 PM
an interesting photo of a hand, well done, nice lighting
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/14/2009 10:56:49 AM
Interesting idea, and well done, but not very realistic. I can't figure out why his hand would be at this angle. He's not pointing at anything, and not following along the text with his hand while he reads. So the picture starts telling the story, but the story doesn't go anywhere. 7 for well done, would have been 8 if I could come up for a reason why it was this way.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/14/2009 07:49:59 AM
your book and shadow is very grainy..wonder why...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/14/2009 07:25:56 AM
Simple, yet effective.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/14/2009 06:22:37 AM
Simple and elegant. Great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2009 11:29:38 PM
A very sympathetic and pleasing study.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2009 03:58:14 PM
interesting shot, the hand really stands out on the photo
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2009 03:42:16 PM
Well done on capturing the personality with just the hand in the shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2009 11:10:48 AM
This shot is very thought provoking
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2009 10:46:36 AM
seems a bit noisy on the fingers, I think it would have benefited from a duo or tri tone treatment
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2009 10:14:14 AM
I don't think this is a strong image.. it's a weird angle of his hand
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2009 09:21:45 AM
Very evocative shot, I like the lighting and the pose of the hand a lot!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2009 07:53:48 AM
Excellent detail shot. Very emotive! Good lighting and contrast! 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 08:03:50 PM
Great shot. The only thing I don't like about it is the chair/arm of the sofa in the background. I think the effect would be much stronger on a simpler, an all-black, or a gradient background.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 04:42:28 PM
I love, in particular, that the hand, for all its grace, seems careworn, well-used, not effete in the slightest. The lighting is lovely. I have mixed feelings about the chair back, which I'd have darkened or at least desaturated quite a bit.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 04:29:56 PM
I love the softness to the light in this picture, and the position of the hand is restless, like the professor is staring out the window and comtemplating life.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 04:22:07 PM
Great distillation of a profession.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 03:21:17 PM
Nice composition with very effective lighting. Reminds me of a reading light... but I don't know anyone who would be reading like that
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 03:19:06 PM
This almost looks like an orchestra conductor's hand. Dramatic lighting and the tilt adds interest.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 03:00:31 PM
Great lighting and composition
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 10:43:38 AM
Great hand model. Good shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 06:25:39 AM
a little noisy, but well composed and nicely lit image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 09:20:34 PM
excellent lighting
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 07:25:29 PM
interesting subject and presentation. I think the noise helps the image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 02:42:56 PM
Would have had a plain back ground rather than the arm of the chair. That detracts from an otherwise good shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 12:19:01 PM
Reminds me of a preacher as well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 11:51:31 AM
Makes me want to know what he is reading.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 11:10:45 AM
Nice piece of story telling. Then hand is perfectly exposed, but the sheet to the left is distracting (especially where it contrasts with the black background).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 06:37:49 AM
Great lighting... nicely done
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 05:25:18 AM
Kind of boring to me but it does have a small amount of artistic flare that is kind of interesting. I guess just not enough for me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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