I prefer the second photo here to the first. I'd like to see a liiiiittle more green of the valley at the bottom. Also maybe remove that bit of red cloth above his cheeckbone/eye. I really like how his cheekbone is so pronounced at this angle and that nip of red is in the way. Maybe a small vignette to draw us in a bit more?
*edit*
I think the first photo here would be stronger if he were looking at the camera and not so far off.
#1 - I want to immediately check to see what he's looking at. Given there's not likely a re-shoot opportunity, maybe someone with very deft PS skills can flip the eyes and re-orient?
karmaportrait wrote:
I prefer the second photo here to the first. I'd like to see a liiiiittle more green of the valley at the bottom. Also maybe remove that bit of red cloth above his cheeckbone/eye. I really like how his cheekbone is so pronounced at this angle and that nip of red is in the way. Maybe a small vignette to draw us in a bit more?
*edit*
I think the first photo here would be stronger if he were looking at the camera and not so far off.
Kent and Bob,
Thanks for sharing your reactions to the first. I personally find it a bit enigmatic but an atypical composition in terms of placement. This image ended as is in part because of a crop to remove and adjacent piece of cloth from the Maasai standing next to him on the right.
I wish there was a chance to re-shoot.
Probably the next time I turn 60
Karen
both re-interpretations work for me. And the second certainly does have a different message. Interesting how that subtle rotation and crop did its thing.
Scott
Bob and Karen,
thanks for sharing your vision of where else this might go. Both BW interpretations have an unexpected power. Unexpected because the color play is so beautiful and integral to me. But I suppose the power is in the this man's expressive face and eyes, adapted skillfully to BW.
Great stuff guys!
sbeme wrote:
Bob and Karen,
thanks for sharing your vision of where else this might go. Both BW interpretations have an unexpected power. Unexpected because the color play is so beautiful and integral to me. But I suppose the power is in the this man's expressive face and eyes, adapted skillfully to BW.
Great stuff guys!
Scott
Scott,
As you've noted, I'd not realized the magnificent structure and character of the man's face until going the BW route. Interesting how our (at least my) focus and perceptions changed. Somehow the BW is more 'focused' (no pun intended) for me.
To Antipode:
Love the rotation and crop you performed in photo 2. Also the adjustment of the lighting of the face. Could you explain what steps you used to do the rotation of the head. Much appreciated.
Simple. I selected the whole image and expanded the frame by pulling down and to the right. Then I clicked on edit>transform>rotate, clicked on a corner and pulled it around clockwise. Fortunately the slope of the background allowed the whole to be rotated without throwing the horizon out of whack. However, if the horizon had been a problem, I'd have selected the subject and rotated just the subject. After the rotate, a crop removed the corner sliver artifacts of the rotate and to place more emphasis on the subject's thousand-yard stare. To open the shadows of his face, I selected his face and used an exposure layer to bump the exposure and lower the gamma a bit.
eeneryma wrote:
Thanks so much for the explanation of your PS adjustments. Learning from others who share their expertise is what makes this forum so valuable.
Maybe a small vignette to draw us in a bit more? 
