Young lady portrait: This is a photo from a college photography class. Can you imagine 20 people trying to shot at the same time while one person strikes a pose. Challenging at best.

Steve DeMott Loc: St. Louis, Missouri (Oakville area)

This is a photo from a college photography class. Can you imagine 20 people trying to shot at the same time while one person strikes a pose. Challenging at best. Had about 10 sec for this shot. Tried to position so that the shadow line was a little more to the left. This was originally shot in color and didn't really trip my trigger until I tried B&W.
Shot with a 60mm macro, f/2.8, 1/60. PP added more contrast and reduced the exposure by 1/2 stop.

Thanks for stopping by for a peek. As always comments/critiques are encouraged and welcome.

Steve

(Download)

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

I see the left-right being well balanced, the gradient shadow excellent. You are right, this is a B/W photo and color would only diminish its excellence.

IMO, way too much upper, bring down to a 8x10 landscape would focus my eyes and I would stop looking for some story in the vast upper. In cropping do not lose any of the left or right side they are el'perfectO.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

steve DeMott wrote:

This is a photo from a college photography class. ... (show quote)

dpullum said it all!!!

Steve DeMott Loc: St. Louis, Missouri (Oakville area)

dpullum wrote:

I see the left-right being well balanced, the gradient shadow excellent. You are right, this is a B/W photo and color would only diminish its excellence.

IMO, way too much upper, bring down to a 8x10 landscape would focus my eyes and I would stop looking for some story in the vast upper. In cropping do not lose any of the left or right side they are el'perfectO.

Thanks for your comment dpullum
I went back and forth whether to leave all the upper. In the end I felt that it gave the image a little more mystical mood.

Here's the same photo with the upper cropped.

(Download)

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

steve DeMott wrote:

Thanks for your comment dpullum
I went back and forth whether to leave all the upper. In the end I felt that it gave the image a little more mystical mood.

Here's the same photo with the upper cropped.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Cropping makes it too common IMO. I love the space above the figure! It makes the person appear more vulnerable and adds a bit of wonder as to the light's source. Yep Steve, mystical mood!

Steve DeMott Loc: St. Louis, Missouri (Oakville area)

Linda From Maine wrote:

Cropping makes it too common IMO. I love the space above the figure! It makes the person appear more vulnerable and adds a bit of wonder as to the light's source. Yep Steve, mystical mood!

Thanks Linda
I still like the full image. Single Light was low and in front a little.

MattPhox Loc: Rhode Island

I like it with the space at the top. It is somewhat reminiscent of the work of Fan Ho, discussed in the Monthly Masters' Critique from last November.
Nice shot. Black and white is definitely the way to go.

Steve DeMott Loc: St. Louis, Missouri (Oakville area)

MattPhox wrote:

I like it with the space at the top. It is somewhat reminiscent of the work of Fan Ho, discussed in the Monthly Masters' Critique from last November.
Nice shot. Black and white is definitely the way to go.

Thanks Matt. I'll have to look at Fan Ho work.

Here's the color version and you'll see why this almost found the delete button. Clare was sitting on a stool.

(Download)

kenievans Loc: Dallas

Beautiful b & w. Great balance between light and dark.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

steve DeMott wrote:

This is a photo from a college photography class. ... (show quote)

I don't know if I would have liked it in color. In black and white it is really striking. I'm interested....do you remember what your professor said (if anything) about the space above the subjects head? It seems to me that this is almost 50% of your image. Do you think the photo would have the same impact without that much space above the subject? I think so.

It is very mysterious and so full of contrast. I really like that look.
Erich

artBob Loc: Near Chicago

An unpleasant photograph, wonderfully beautiful in its esthetics. Pose, pushed composition and cropping, tonality--all contribute to the effect. Congratulations.

Steve DeMott Loc: St. Louis, Missouri (Oakville area)

ebrunner wrote:

I don't know if I would have liked it in color. In black and white it is really striking. I'm interested....do you remember what your professor said (if anything) about the space above the subjects head? It seems to me that this is almost 50% of your image. Do you think the photo would have the same impact without that much space above the subject? I think so.

It is very mysterious and so full of contrast. I really like that look.
Erich

Thanks Erich
Glad you agree with me on the color option. The class & professor gave high marks for this, but no one really mentioned if the space above contributed to the photo or not. The concentration was on the young lady.

Question: What is the real subject of this photo?

Everyone looks at this and sees a young lady against a high contrast background. If you took away the face, would the silhouette & black area be the subject or the graduated background to the black area.
Would the photo still be as interesting?

Steve

(Download)

Steve DeMott Loc: St. Louis, Missouri (Oakville area)

artBob wrote:

An unpleasant photograph, wonderfully beautiful in its esthetics. Pose, pushed composition and cropping, tonality--all contribute to the effect. Congratulations.

OK Bob. You kinda threw me on this until I looked up unpleasant Photograph.

Thanks for the enlightenment & wonderful comment.
Steve

Steve DeMott Loc: St. Louis, Missouri (Oakville area)

kenievans wrote:

Beautiful b & w. Great balance between light and dark.

Thanks Keni. We still have a lot to learn about this hobby.

Steve