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Look to the future
Look to the future
snaffles


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Hidden Gem -- 1,000th Challenge! (Advanced Editing VII*)
Collection: 2009 Challenges
Camera: Nikon D40
Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR
Location: la boudoir de Snaffles
Date: Jan 21, 2009
Aperture: f4.2
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/20
Galleries: Emotive, Self Portrait
Date Uploaded: Mar 10, 2009

 A self-portrait, one of the first pics shot with my remote trigger thingy. I'm in my bedroom looking at the skylight, and camera is on a tripod.

pp: RAW conversion, shadow/highlight, curves, brightness/contrast, desaturate, crop, resize, usm 2x and save for web.
_______________________________________

Post challenge: I entered this shot not because it was the best I had kicking around, but because I thought it was one of the more interesting shots.

It is a self-portrait, taken probably on the same day I bought the doohickey (remote shutter release). Looked at the skylight in my bedroom, messed around with the settings in Manual mode, shot some more, deleted most shots, kept this one.

Amazing the array of responses to this shot. Some pick on the technical. Others actually sensed the emotion present (umm...I dunno...curiousity? worry?) and try to pin it down. Because I have strong features, I often appear androgynous, which others picked up on. I don't care. I still think it's a cool shot.

But gawdammit I need help on my PS!!!! :-)

Statistics
Place: 855 out of 1129
Avg (all users): 5.0990
Avg (commenters): 5.4783
Avg (participants): 5.1199
Avg (non-participants): 4.9872
Views since voting: 804
Views during voting: 651
Votes: 495
Comments: 54
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
 04/23/2009 10:25:58 PM
I like to think of myself as a futurologist, intrigued by your title and image, the look in your eyes are very smiting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/27/2009 10:46:10 AM
I looked at this for some time when I first went through the photos in the challenge. It reminds me of myself, and that made me uncomfortable. I see a feeling of anxiety, of concern; that the photo encourages some viewers to explain it in terms of their own experiences and character is a strength of the image and the way in which it is presented. Thank you for entering it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/19/2009 04:15:40 AM
Susan, I think the lighting on this is pretty cool. I gave you a 7 for this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/18/2009 03:56:11 PM
great black and white and wonderful use of light.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
03/17/2009 05:55:37 PM
Texture is good.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/17/2009 05:49:51 PM
Poignant! 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/17/2009 02:15:49 PM
Very intense lighting, I like looking toward the negative space.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/17/2009 09:49:32 AM
Simple shot, nicely lit and good expression on the model. I might have cropped a little less on the bottom if possible - the chin seems to hit the bottom of the frame. If the neck was in shadow a little less crop might have enhanced the "isolated face" look that is otherwise well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/17/2009 04:42:10 AM
picture is a bit soft
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/17/2009 02:56:54 AM
Nice lighting in this portrait. Maybe a bit more cropping from the right to lessen that dead black space a little. Maybe an inch or 2
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/16/2009 09:06:53 PM
The look on this persons face suggest the future is not bright and rosy, but filled with cautions.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/16/2009 03:27:27 PM
Dramatic, emotional portrait +1
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/16/2009 01:30:48 PM
Well captured and presented. You've done a nice job defining the face with light and shadow.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/16/2009 11:10:46 AM
Good expression and lighting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/16/2009 08:25:41 AM
bit unsharp and dof could be deeper too ... just four from me sorry ;D
take care
brano
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/16/2009 12:04:27 AM
cool capture
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 09:04:15 PM
Nice low key portrait... good lighting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 05:47:13 PM
nice effort, need to control the highlights better, the light quality is the key here, it needs to be a little softer., 6
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 04:48:40 PM
Good black and white. Also, good use and control of the light.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 02:08:18 PM
Interesting and dramatic lighting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 08:06:30 AM
just a little overexposed on the nose and forehead?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2009 07:54:39 AM
He looks afraid/worried. Lighting could be a bit more even, it's too bright on his forehead.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/14/2009 09:59:41 PM
Wonderful portrait. Nice contrasts and light!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/14/2009 07:28:12 PM
I like this very much. There is a lamentable tendency at DPC to believe that every portrait should have 'tack-sharp' focus on the eyes, and that every pore should be smoothed. But this superb photograph shatters all that. The uncertainty and ambiguity of the photography and the forensic mood of the lighting and composition are perfectly suited to the motivation of the portrait. You give us a three-dimensional person. Imagination. Anxiety. Unease. But not panic; there's a hint of resolution there as well. I'd put my trust in this person. 9.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/14/2009 05:01:33 PM
Great point of view.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/14/2009 04:01:14 PM
wish to see some expression and the focus could improve
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/14/2009 12:59:23 PM
interesting use of grain
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/14/2009 10:39:27 AM
Haunting portrait. Severe and powerful. Good use of negative space.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/14/2009 09:11:44 AM
Nice in B&W
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2009 06:43:58 PM
this is somewhat of a depressing shot...no joy
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2009 06:26:31 PM
Nice idea, but I'd bring the light down just a bit. Her forehead is a bit too hot and I'd like to see more light on the bottom of her face.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2009 05:29:34 PM
Very emotive, good lighting. Nice BW conversion, well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2009 11:02:35 AM
She seems like she doesn't like what she is seeing
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2009 08:29:17 AM
Very pensive.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2009 07:53:50 AM
Not sure I like the crop right at the chin like that, and I wish it was a little clearer (particularly the eye on the right side of the photo).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 09:05:55 PM
Good lighting. Could be a little sharper.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 07:08:04 PM
The harsh lighting and dominant blacks speak of a very dark future to me here... Also, the image does appear a little soft.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 04:52:08 PM
nice work
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 03:52:17 PM
I don't feel the title matches the photo very well personally; she doesn't look like she's looking to the future, she looks pained, lonely, borderline desperate maybe and like some hope she had has just been crushed....I'd have recommended a sadder title. That aside, her expression is wonderfully moving and the lighting really enhances it. It's a great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 12:05:27 PM
The lighting really draws the audience into the eyes.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 10:48:45 AM
Expressing feelings and stories. Well Done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 08:22:14 AM
The lighting is okay, but the composition is rather distracting, such as the stray hairs at the top that could be burned out.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/12/2009 03:01:39 AM
Oh, her poor chin! The lighting is compelling, but the crop is too harsh for me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 04:54:12 PM
Lighting gives an intensity to her look. A bit harsh on the forehead, nose, and lips.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 04:37:14 PM
I like the crop... perhaps just a tad bit more of her chin?

Not voting yet.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 11:45:10 AM
Too much concentration!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 09:37:04 AM
i like the angle of your subject, it feels as if theya re leaning towards the future as well. sees a tad grainy though
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 08:31:11 AM
nice portrait, i really like the emotion presented here.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 07:26:19 AM
The lighting and expression add great suspense to this portrait
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 06:31:09 AM
Nice emotion from this. I like the lighting but I think its still a little to much on the forehead.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 01:54:39 AM
nice lighting, I like the black and white, also love the title
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2009 01:03:11 AM
stress?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/10/2009 10:29:49 PM
eyes look off.. b&w good choice.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/10/2009 08:06:20 PM
Interesting angle of view, nailed the catchlights too
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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