A couple from Montréal

M

merciful

Guest
TX at 50 for the first, 1600 for the second. Both in Rodinal 1+50.

There's nothing quite like window light.
 

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The picture of the woman is very intense-much is suggested by the stormy day outside and her expression.
 
Thanks, Victor. She can indeed be rather suggestive; though not terribly suggestible.
 
I like these two shots quite a bit. The first one is simply raw, in a good sense.

I'm starting to think of you as a Avedon with 'edge' ;)

Taken with the Hexar AF ?
 
Thanks, Tom (and Jan.)

That's a great compliment, Tom. I like Avedon's work a lot, and appreciate his approach, even though I'm more inclined to get my victims comfortable rather than the opposite. You can also think of me as Avedon without the cash.

Yeah, the Hexar. Recognise the look?
 
There's nothing quite like window light.
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This image is lovely. The exterior doesn't inform me of the woman's personality anymore than the intensity rendered through her expression and yours - of the image's tonality.

I've cropped it (hope you don't mind) to show you how intense it comes across with a little alteration. Contextual journalists will dislike the transformation from environmental portrait to what looks more akin to a carefully poised 'window-light studio'. Never mind - it's just to show you - no obligation to like the crop either.

xoxoxo

Miffy

http://carrotblog.livejournal.com
 

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My daughter won't let me sing my version of the Miffy theme: she finds it offensive.

Thanks very much for taking the time: that's a perfectly valid point and effective crop. I'm coming to like this one better (as does she) and her mother, who rarely appreciates photos of her children, wants a big print. Much more of a real slice-of-life shot, I think.
 

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merciful said:
My daughter won't let me sing my version of the Miffy theme: she finds it offensive.

Thanks very much for taking the time: that's a perfectly valid point and effective crop. I'm coming to like this one better (as does she) and her mother, who rarely appreciates photos of her children, wants a big print. Much more of a real slice-of-life shot, I think.
Click to expand...


Yes - this image shows the child connected to the exterior in a plaintive gaze, looking into the exterior. In contrast, the preceding one of the intense stare of the woman was disconnected from the exterior (perhaps the window frame carving up the frame adds to that effect).

Hope it works out well - the candid is appealingly naturalistic and sympathetic too.

xoxoxo

Miffy

http://carrotblog.livejournal.com
 
Thanks again. I was very sold on the direct gaze until I started to get feedback like yours on the second version, and I'm quite in agreement now. There's some appealing discordance to me, though, in the disconnection between gaze and rainy outdoors in the first version.

Same 32-year-old young lady in both - but I think she'll appreciate the interpretation.
 
While I really like both original shots, I think the first one, of the man, is just the bomb. The combination of subject, expression, lens plus film & processing is a "perfect storm". Not saying it's the greatest photo ever made, but for what it is, it is just wonderful.

As much as I'd love to support Ilford, this tips me over to going back to Tri-X for this speed film.
 
Thanks a lot, that's great to hear.

I may have to push a lot for the stuff I do, but when i can, I really love to pull TX. I'll have to try it with Ilford film as well, maybe the results will be very similar.

Trius said:
While I really like both original shots, I think the first one, of the man, is just the bomb. The combination of subject, expression, lens plus film & processing is a "perfect storm". Not saying it's the greatest photo ever made, but for what it is, it is just wonderful.

As much as I'd love to support Ilford, this tips me over to going back to Tri-X for this speed film.
Click to expand...
 
and what's not to like here, hmm?

ditto what trius said - that's my fav. between my eyes it hit me.

the second and third are very very nice, for the shadow and light, and expression. i would not crop at all, because of the loss of tone "volume" if that makes any sense.

and as for the comparison to avedon, okay, some of the time but not really. i say more newman + kertesz scored by django reinhardt, imho.

but i'm just envious anyway
 
Hey, thanks, Mike. My brain always scores my day-to-day life with the Pistols and the Clash, but I can see where you're heading.

Right between the eyes is where he'd hit you, too, if it came down to that.
 
All three are sublime, but I am particularly enchanted by the second one. There is such balance between the intensity of her gaze - and the shadows - and the luminosity of the window: lovely.
 
Thanks, Lynn. I was lucky in a couple of ways with the weather and that window. It lights a subject perfectly, the rainy scene is attractive, and the heavy weather allowed me to hold a lot of detail out there even while pushing a couple of stops.
 
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