Perhaps it would help if you explained the concept and intent. At this point I would say it is mainly a portrait of a hat.
If you are trying to say something about the individual, I am having a hard time seeing the intent. The first rule of portraiture is the eyes are most important. Without eyes and with little or no expression it seems somewhat lacking to my eye.
Camperjim wrote:
Perhaps it would help if you explained the concept and intent. At this point I would say it is mainly a portrait of a hat.
If you are trying to say something about the individual, I am having a hard time seeing the intent. The first rule of portraiture is the eyes are most important. Without eyes and with little or no expression it seems somewhat lacking to my eye.
Thanks @camperjim,
Just an image of a hat - pseudo still-life if you prefer. At that moment the hat, light and textures, caught my eye, individual wearing it was incidental. A little out-of-the-box.
When I do the "squint" check on this one, all I see is a hat thingy floating in the air with a psychedelic background.
I mention this because the person seems to get lost between the two as the highlight of the oof's and the highlights of the hat "ping pong" me to leapfrog past the person ... which the title would infer is an integral part of the image and that the hat is the medium for "Keeping Cool".
Not sure whether to suggest a title change or redirect the PP / comp ... will think on it.
As to the PP at the textures in the hat as an LR skill builder ... they look pretty good with a degree of detail & depth coming through. Highlight areas might be something to look at ... but "hot white" = hot vs. the need for cool, so they kinda go with the theme. Too close to be sure @ first go (on laptop) ... just something for your consideration.
When I do the "squint" check on this one, all I see is a hat thingy floating in the air with a psychedelic background.
I mention this because the person seems to get lost between the two as the highlight of the oof's and the highlights of the hat "ping pong" me to leapfrog past the person ... which the title would infer is an integral part of the image and that the hat is the medium for "Keeping Cool".
Not sure whether to suggest a title change or redirect the PP / comp ... will think on it.
As to the PP at the textures in the hat as an LR skill builder ... they look pretty good with a degree of detail & depth coming through. Highlight areas might be something to look at ... but "hot white" = hot vs. the need for cool, so they kinda go with the theme. Too close to be sure @ first go (on laptop) ... just something for your consideration....Show more →
Thanks Kent,
The mottled background is chain link fencing with top pipe "content-aware-filled" away. It is quite distracting and requires more work. I believe Karen arrived at a solution.
And a confession: in a moment of mischief, I went back and brightened the image using levels - what I attribute to the "Chuck effect". In retrospect, should have stayed with my usual approach.
Hi Bob,
I like this image. No problem with where she is looking. To me, the hat and the abstract quality of the bokeh make it for me.
The hat has plenty of pop, although Karen found a way to take it further. And there were some blown highlights when I looked at the jpeg in LR. What I struggle with is whether you need more separation of face and background. I tried lightening, darkening the background, tried lightening the background/darkening the face. Couldnt come up with a satisfactory solution. So, back to the image. It works. And the darkening Karen supplied makes for a richer image.
Scott
AuntiPode wrote:
I like the selection. Perhaps darker negative space to place more visual emphasis on the sombrero and an small asymmetric vignette?
AuntiPode,
Thanks for looking and helpful re-work. Glad you like the concept - trying to step back from "boring". Taken at the 7's tournament. I had the sameness of most of the other captures taken thus far etched into my mind at the time.
Bob's self-critique: like the diagonal division of frame, tension between positive and negative spaces, sharp, nice bokeh, nice tone, intersecting lines suggested by brim and peak of sombrero, could be not so bright sombrero. Background needs work, which you have nicely addressed.
sbeme wrote:
Hi Bob,
I like this image. No problem with where she is looking. To me, the hat and the abstract quality of the bokeh make it for me.
The hat has plenty of pop, although Karen found a way to take it further. And there were some blown highlights when I looked at the jpeg in LR. What I struggle with is whether you need more separation of face and background. I tried lightening, darkening the background, tried lightening the background/darkening the face. Couldnt come up with a satisfactory solution. So, back to the image. It works. And the darkening Karen supplied makes for a richer image.
Scott...Show more →
Thanks Scott,
How is Buffalo? More cityscapes coming? Hope so.
Like you, I struggled with separating his face from the background. His olive complexion coupled with the foliage does not help.
Karen to the rescue as is often the case! Always more to see and learn.
That depends ... if you like "painterly-ish" it's good ... if you don't like "painterly-ish" its not so good.
Yeah ... I know, brilliant deduction Einstein.
My personal thoughts on painterly can change from day to day as my mood varies ... ask me tomorrow and you'll get a different answer ... so my opinion isn't worth much on this one, as if it was ever worth more than you paid for it.
