Curly, Puffy, Foxy...by
librodoComment by e301: from the back of the class of the
Critique Club
you really need a critique, Manny? And from me?
I'd be intrigued to know, given your chosen approach to photography (i.e. the portrait) - (at least as your work is presented to us at DPC) - whether your experience of the 80's is actually one of female fashion, or whether this is just the kind of photograph you take. Whether or no, you certainly have a stronger grasp of the period than the winners of this challenge - I find it bizarre that even in the wonderfully ephemeral world of street fashion the general belief is that the 'punk thing' was part of the 80's, rather than the 70's.
And the use of 4500? Challenging yourself? Not carrying the D200 everywhere? But you still proove that your technical finesse is not dependent on the expense of your camera. There is of course nothing to 'criticise', and nothing to 'critique' in your technical work - I'm more than certain that I could teach you nothing, anyhow. I would make the point that you've probably sacrificed too much frame-space to her face, and cropped too much of the clothing to really make this register for this challenge - unless this is intended as an illustration of period make-up, in which case your title is, at the very least, strange. Off-the-shoulder mohair is definitely of the time (oh, I remember some of my sister's friends ...), and probably the little wristlets, but in this image I think you've just relegated them too far for immediate impact - and without your trademark lighting the face doesn't quite register with your usual punch. The detail, colour, focus, and composition are as ever exemplary, although, to my eye, rather obvious and expected.
For an important historical period - the end and ending of the soviet experiment was as momentous worldwide as any other event of the 20th century, certainly in terms of its effects on people; the first sowing of the roots of the digital community likewise growing to move us into the strange new world we're part of - people's choices of ways to illustrate it are proving to be rather bizarre; but of course, ther's something of a fear of the serious here, so it's difficult to assess.
All the best
Ed
Photographer found comment helpful.
