The Poultry Auctioneers
Dec 2, 2013 09:16:38 #
waltchilds wrote:
Graham, I too really like this shot. When I am trying to shoot portraits of strangers I want the portraits to reveal who they are. You have done this and much more. Everything about this photo is excellent. The thing I'd like to understand more about is when you say his face has been considerably dodged. I would like to know the process you used to do this dodging on his face.
Hi Walt, I used Viveza from Nik to get his face close to how I wanted it exposure and contrast wise then the rest was done with the dodge brush in Photoshop. Dodging lightens (increases exposure) specific areas.
Graham
Dec 2, 2013 10:20:26 #
John Lawrence wrote:
I don't know where you find them, Graham, but you come up with some of the most interesting character studies I have ever seen. Many of your characters, including this one, look like illustrations from a Dickens novel. Well done.
John
John
Thank you John, good to hear from you.
Graham
Dec 3, 2013 20:21:51 #
John Lawrence wrote:
...Many of your characters, including this one, look like illustrations from a Dickens novel....
Or a Karsh portrait. Black and white at its best. So much better than the gospel singer.
Dec 3, 2013 20:37:32 #
Graham,
The biggest problem with this photo is the light. It looks contrived and post processed. As Mike mentioned the light issues are most noticeable around the head(Haloing) to camera left. This is a classic case of where the facial expression is extraordinary but the light is just not there to compliment the face. The haloing and mixed light source on the two subjects would prevent this photo from contest winning. The subject and expression is excellent.
The biggest problem with this photo is the light. It looks contrived and post processed. As Mike mentioned the light issues are most noticeable around the head(Haloing) to camera left. This is a classic case of where the facial expression is extraordinary but the light is just not there to compliment the face. The haloing and mixed light source on the two subjects would prevent this photo from contest winning. The subject and expression is excellent.
Dec 4, 2013 10:00:08 #
PalePictures wrote:
Graham,
The biggest problem with this photo is the light. It looks contrived and post processed. As Mike mentioned the light issues are most noticeable around the head(Haloing) to camera left. This is a classic case of where the facial expression is extraordinary but the light is just not there to compliment the face. The haloing and mixed light source on the two subjects would prevent this photo from contest winning. The subject and expression is excellent.
The biggest problem with this photo is the light. It looks contrived and post processed. As Mike mentioned the light issues are most noticeable around the head(Haloing) to camera left. This is a classic case of where the facial expression is extraordinary but the light is just not there to compliment the face. The haloing and mixed light source on the two subjects would prevent this photo from contest winning. The subject and expression is excellent.
Hello Russ, you comments on it being contrived and post processed are spot on. The auction shed was very dimly lit and the subjects were very strongly back lit by direct sunlight from windows immediately behind them. Their faces were in very deep shadow. I'll add a couple of comments about the conditions under which the photograph was taken. It is a busy livestock auction, I was elbow to elbow with the tightly packed bidders. The auctions fast paced with the merest twitch of a finger or inclination of a head to indicate a bid. I am very much a "tolerated" intruder so I have to be very circumspect in my interaction with the bidders, mostly farmers and dealers, not to get in their way or distract them or the auctioneers. My sole objective is to record the activities and people of the old traditional local livestock auctions which are steadily closing down and being moved to much larger regional sites.
I aim to take interesting images that show the character of the people and the places they operate in. My images will never be entered in to any competition but that doesn't mean that I don't want to improve ;-)
Thank you Russ,
Graham
Dec 4, 2013 14:28:03 #
What about a tighter crop to just behind his ear? Get rid of the guy on the left entirely. Maybe the lighting won't look so "contrived" with the left hand guy out of the picture.
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