BruceRoscoe Loc: Arizona

Taken yesterday in my studio

ebbote Loc: Hockley, Texas

Very good Bruce.

Bill_de Loc: US

It looks as old as it is supposed to. Very nice!

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Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

pbearperry Loc: Massachusetts

I like it.

Lady Red Loc: Puget Sound, WA

:thumbup:

wolfiebear Loc: 10,200 elev. in the Rockies

That's really great!
I'm wondering if I'd like to see it a little softer towards the bottom edges. . . but that's just a thought.
Very successful image.

wolfiebear Loc: 10,200 elev. in the Rockies

Did they sometimes pose with their hand on the gun back then, or is it just artistic license?

BruceRoscoe Loc: Arizona

Thanks for viewing my image. As I was shooting this model and he had a watch, I decided to add it to the story.

Zone-System-Grandpa Loc: Springfield, Ohio

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To begin, I have no doubts whatsoever that you are a well seasoned photographer having the expertise to create well contrived scenes as is the contrived scene depicted in your photograph ~ as would any professional Hollywood director who knows what he is doing, however; may I also say to you that your photograph clearly shows that you had failed to take full advantage of the Rembrandt lighting which had been availed to you and at your disposal.

To best explain the aforementioned, it must be said that before you had begun thinking about using your post processing software, you should had increased the level of exposure when taking the shot with your camera whereas you would had the ability to add additional exposure or had applied one additional zone of exposure with your camera's settings whereas you would have drawn more attention to the model's right hand that is resting upon his handgun ~ a handgun that's about to be drawn from its holster ~ and the same applies to his left hand holding the stop watch whereby an increased amount of exposure should had been used there as well, either by having increased the strength of your provided lighting or by adjusting your camera's settings, yet; If you didn't want to increase the strength of the lighting that was falling upon both of those areas, you should, at least, realized that both areas were totally void of the proper amount of lighting that was needed to properly expose the scene and the lacking of lighting can easily be seen in your photograph.. Yet, had you been unable to increase lighting at its source so as to better show details in those areas, you could should had increased exposure for them via using the corresponding tabs and brushes that were provided for you in your post processing software.

As you already must realize, once a scene has already been composed to your liking, the final step to be taken is to create a final image that has zones of light that are inclusive with Zone I of light, which represents pure blacks, followed by manipulating mid-range zones of light with your software to express tones likened to zones III thru VI, and, then, finally, to use your software to enhance or to create properly exposed zones VII all the way up to zone X whereas zone X is pure white.

Perfectly represented contrasts or juxtapositions in a photograph as are those proposed above are just a few of the integral choices that are needed that go into making award winning photographs which, then, become worthy of hanging upon any and all walls, notably; those known for the purpose of exhibition !

In closing, may I say that back in the old days when using sheets of film with monorail cameras or when using sheets of film with view cameras, the same results as described above, such as increasing contrast, had been accomplished by under exposing the film in the camera, followed by over developing the film in the darkroom ! Of course, back then, the process was referred to as using the zone system. Yet, today, when digital cameras abound, the same principles can be applied to obtain the same results. Yet, innocently I must remind us all that among us, we have many modern day photographers who simply do not know what it is that they don't know ! :)

Best Regards,
~ Doug ~

sailorsmom Loc: Souderton, PA

Very well done, Bruce! I really like it!

BruceRoscoe Loc: Arizona

Thank you for your message Doug. I read you have studied the zone system and are familiar with the concept. One does not need to adhere to all rules in photography, but does need to know what elements should draw your eyes. Let’s use this image as an example. We have three distinct primary elements, the first being the facial feature of course. The eyes are lit just a little more than the face to draw you there first. My choice on this image was not to use a full Rembrandt, but the slight modified loop of Monty Zucker, along with a touch of Yousuf Karsh design. The second primary element is the hand and the watch, the primary being the hand with the secondary being the watch. The third primary is the hand with the gun to complete the triangle. I actually processed a 2nd image that I like better than the one I posted. I put more detail on the hand with the gun and put more of the holster in the image. I felt it told the story better than the one that was posted.
As for the lighting on this image Doug, I had 7 lights with each set to areas on wanted the viewer’s eyes to go. Not all images are exactly the way I want to have them viewed in the first go around. Usually I’ll wait a few days after I do the shoot, work it, flip it, and see where my eyes are lead. Sometimes it takes several hours/ days with them before I ever show them (with permission from my customer of course).
We should all be in the learning process if we are trying to grow as a photographer. At 67 I still study my art everyday and continue to improve and deliver merit type images to my customers. We give our sitter the best we can. Not all images are merit worthy since we do a lot of our work in Senior Living Centers. Some of these elders what to give something to their children but even with careful pain staking work from my makeup artist, we find it difficult if they are suffering from a bad aged type illness. Must photographer don’t have the discipline do they care to work with these people.
I also put on sculpturing with light classes all over in hopes I can help others become better at what they do.

Bruce