My Wife is Looking for Opinions....

[lawrence]

When I first glanced at it I though "Here's a guy with his beard on fire..." but on closer inspection I did see the pipe. It needed a fill light near the camera to bring out the pipe...

 

[Al Kaplan]

That exactly three day's growth of beard stubble (how do they DO that?) seems to be the height of fashion now.

 

[oftheherd]

Apparently available light. Well done. A man calmly enjoying smoking his pipe. Could be a good advertisement photo.

 

[wblanchard]

If we say too many nice things, your wife will end up using your equipment all the time and be posting here instead of you. It happens. You give a wife some good feedback and you create a monster! Hide your Leicas man! 😛

 

[BillBingham2]

The rim light is a great thing but over done on the top of the head, draws you to it too much. I really like the sharpness and blur of the shot. Great exposure, wonderful tone range.

B2 (;->

 

[Vince Lupo]

That exactly three day's growth of beard stubble (how do they DO that?) seems to be the height of fashion now.

The 'stubble' look is easy - I have a Wahl electric clipper, and if you don't use a blade attachment it will trim down to that 'length'. The clippers also help for us 'follicularly-challenged' guys, and saves on haircuts! And thankfully, I only smoke that pipe about twice a year, if even that much - admittedly, it is a bit stinky and not the most healthy thing to do.

As far as the lighting goes, the front light was the porch light from the upper right (behind my wife). The back light was a spotlight that's over the driveway. I agree that I'm not so crazy about the front light (the angle of it, at least).

As far as my take on the photo, I think it would be more effective in the context of a larger story - like if it was an essay on a late-night jazz club, and this photo was of either a spectator or a performer, and there were other photos included in the story.

But, for a photo from a 'non-photographer', I think she's done pretty darned well, and she has definitely put my work to shame on other occasions!

 

[BishT]

I see the photo as a portrait of a contemplative man and a 'spirit' in the smoke. This image draws me in...the more I look at it the more i like it..

 

[Haigh]

This image has more to it than images which are simple tehcnically good. I think it is becasue the smoke is diffuse and so I link it with the man's thoughts. Quite a dreamy shot really. Works for me.

 

[bean_counter]

Looks like you're concentrating intently on a convesation, just took a puff and are taking another while listening to your opposite finish his/her point. Careful, you'll overheat that little vest-pocket.

I like it.

 

[Vince Lupo]

As I say, not being much of a pipe smoker, but I gotta admit that little pipe is pretty neat. The smoke is probably a little 'rougher' than a conventional pipe, but for someone like me, I probably wouldn't notice the difference too much.

Just as an aside - earlier this year an online store had a photo contest, and I posted about 15 shots. My wife posted one shot. There were thousands of entries, and guess who's photo got honourable mention.......

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

The photograph works very well just as it is... If it had a lot more care on angle, pipe, light, smoke, etc, I think it would look too planned, too standard. What I like the most is precisely the feeling of an intimate and truly real moment: the pleasure of getting lost into one's mind while attending something that isn't demanding an immediate answer or intervention. Main character is the man, not the pipe, that's the triumph...


Congratulations to your wife: a honest, instant shot, and an archetype of pipe smoking.


Cheers,


Juan

 

[Carlsen Highway]

Its just a damn good shot and that's all.
Cinematic.