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12/22/2006 07:36:19 PM · #1 |
I like to start a tread of great comments we have received during 2006. We all appreciate good comments but some are more memorable than others, some show aspect of your photo that you did never thought of and should be highlighted. Most of us, probably, are thankful for Jutilda for her many sharp and clever comments. But the one I like most from this year was written by "posthumous" with this image:
He wrote: this shot is partitioned into sections that compete for attention. that little fragment in the lower left is a rich surprise when the eye finally gets there, and is foiled perfectly by the impossibly dark shadow of lower right. It looks like a fenced off section of darkness. In fact, this photo reminds me of nothing so much as a Judgement Day painting, with the "sheep" being separated from the "goats." The distant background is that Heaven we will never attain. This is one of my personal ribbon winners and a fave.
What comment of the year did you like most? |
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12/22/2006 07:55:55 PM · #2 |
Comment of the year? thats a hard one! however I think this comment from  obsidian who was I don't think was aware of the pictures personal significance is most likely the most fitting comment I have received this year...
I guess I will never understand the voting patterns here. To me this is simply the best high contrast photo in the challenge and yet it did worse than my own humble submission! It is animate and evocative and yet captures so eloquently the profound emotion implied within the title.
I have very few favourites on DPC but this is now one of them.
Then, this comment (on the same picture) from  Talj who knew what I was going through was worth more than a vote of 10.
I am not voting in this challenge but wanted to leave a comment...
I could go into the technicals and comment on your editing (which I actually really like) but for me that's not what this image is about.
On first seeing this, without pause or thought, I burst into tears. Every part of me wishes I could wipe your tears away and stop the pain and suffering this self portrait shows. Maybe I have an advantage as I know what you look like when you smile so seeing you so openly displaying how vulnerable, hurt and sad you are here makes this all the more powerful for me.
Don't let whatever score you receive for this image take away how important it is for you Andi.
Its also, imho my best submission this year as its as personal as I could be.
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12/22/2006 08:00:08 PM · #3 |
Since you didn't mentioned at DPC I did get this one from a DPC member over at Flickr. It is by far the most helpful comment I have received in a long time.
From L2:
Lighting is really great here and this face has real potential for a later character study. For me, this photo screams for black and white treatment. I might even clone that couch/chair out as it's not doing much for the composition, and the line of the back of it bisects the head in a not-so-good way.
The folds of the skin in the nect are just fastastic - the lighting really captures the texture there without being too harsh, and the soft fall-off in the right side of the frame is done really well.
I also notice that the chin area appears much larger than the forehead area - something to watch for on portraits is to have the model hold their head in a straight line. I can't give you a technical explanation about lens and distortion or anything, but if the photographer is too close to the subject sometimes (to fill the frame) you'll get distortion where the closest thing to the camera lens looks the largest. This most often happens with noses. The solution is to have the entire subject equidistant from the lens, or back up from the subject and crop later to fill the frame and get that intimate feel.
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12/22/2006 08:00:45 PM · #4 |
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12/22/2006 08:02:45 PM · #5 |
 mk on 04/21/2006: Do you use that right hand to pick people up by the neck?
And more seriously, on this image...
by  rebs138: I feel so silly right now. I saw this picture and instantly started crying. My boyfriend and I went to eat at the signiture room (top of the john hancock) on our first real date while I was visiting him in chicago almost 3 years ago (our relationship was long distance for over a year). It was one of the best nights of my life. Gorgeous picture, thank you :)
I love it when an image connects with the viewer in an unexpected way!
Message edited by author 2006-12-22 20:10:06. |
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12/22/2006 08:20:01 PM · #6 |
Okay, well, there are commentors that rock the challenges, like pineapple and pekesty and others... melismatica was critical in getting me interested in the site at the beginning, and Melethia has been exceedingly generous with comments as have others that I'm neglecting.
Then there are my two com-Mentors, bucket and agenkin, both of whom have comments that would fit the bill, but since I can only pick one comment, I'll go with this very touching one:
Watching My Own Existence
Comment by Louis:
Well, you have three of my top three favourite photographic subjects: water, sky, and children. So I can't help but say this is an awesome photograph. I really love it. With a composition like this, people usually say, "Subject too far right/left/outside the golden mean", and end up completely missing the point. Your "subject" is almost incidental to his environment, it seems, and is so completely part of it, advancing as he does from the painfully beautiful concentric swell beneath him, that thrusting him into the centre of the frame or somewhere other than where he is would completely destroy the effect, for me. His captured stance is dreamy as he looks into water. The radiating ripples are breathtaking, making this image for me. They originate with your subject's gaze, and go out to touch the edges of the visible water. The dead vegetation at left pushes the scene to the right and touches the small strip of sky (awesomely coloured, by the way). I love, repeat, love the tilted horizon, and would not like to see this "corrected". It isn't razor-sharp, and who needs it. His life preserver adds a really subtle nuance to this scene that grabs me, somehow. What a tender, thought-provoking image. I'll admit that your comments really helped me to appreciate this all the more, but this already has so much, for me, that it wasn't really needed.
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12/22/2006 08:38:06 PM · #7 |
I'm humbled! Thanks for that. It's funny, because when I saw the thread title I actually immediately thought of Don's comment on Melethia's self portrait from the recent 30 day challenge:
"No one has a symmetrical face. A symmetrical face would look creepy, androidal. This is such a fascinating composition that I worry all that processing distracts from it. But that doesn't mean it's not cool processing. It is. It just seems to distract from the compositional surprise of the cat's tail. I tend to think about the heart of a picture, the "so what" factor. For me, the "so what" of this picture is the way you and the cat are both being fragmented, both threatening to dissolve into a composition. The coloring and processing both enhance that effect... so what am I complaining about? Good picture! Don't mind me."
And I received an incredibly insightful comment from Jutilda from one of my self portraits from that challenge. She made me look at my own picture again to see what she saw.
"The irony of this is unbelievable, as many of the German Jews went naked into the gas chamber, thinking they were going to take a shower! WOW. Unbelievable lighting, yet again. Sorry, I can't say much more. Artful and thought provoking, Louis, this is a stunning shot and speaks volumes with the title and the paradox it suggests." |
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12/22/2006 08:47:35 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by Louis:
And I received an incredibly insightful comment from Jutilda from one of my self portraits from that challenge. She made me look at my own picture again to see what she saw.
"The irony of this is unbelievable, as many of the German Jews went naked into the gas chamber, thinking they were going to take a shower! WOW. Unbelievable lighting, yet again. Sorry, I can't say much more. Artful and thought provoking, Louis, this is a stunning shot and speaks volumes with the title and the paradox it suggests." |
Wow! I was positive the connection between your photo being taken in a shower and the fact that some jews were lead to death under the idea that they were going to shower was completely your intention. It's quite interesting that you didn't concider that. It was the most powerful part of the photo for me.
I guess I'll have to remove it from my favs. now. lol j/k :)
Message edited by author 2006-12-22 20:47:53. |
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12/22/2006 08:56:02 PM · #9 |
10/02/2006 07:37:24 AM
End Of The Line
by jrjr
Comment by librodo:
excellent...colours, composition. should be a top 10. 10
A comment from a photographer with his accomplishments would be big, even if he said the photo stunk! But to get a comment and rating like this makes it all worthwhile.
--Jim Roussos |
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12/22/2006 09:08:38 PM · #10 |
posthumous; comment reads; I almost gave this a 6 and moved on, but then I realized just how perfect it was. The three part composition, the beautiful profile of the horse, the rock-steady expression of the man, his position perfect, directly facing us, the light blossoming behind him. 9 bump to 10
This one made me think. I started slowing down and really reviewing the images as I vote. It's amazing what you see if you take a little time while your voting.
Have had many great comments with my stay here....Thank You to all. |
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12/22/2006 09:31:44 PM · #11 |
I love when someone takes time to see more than what I intended - to take the metaphor deeper - as in this great comment from posthumous
"The desert (and the salt flat works as a desert in this photo) is one of the favorite landscapes of Surrealists (certainly for Dali), because it is so blank... it begs to be filled by the mind.
Incongruous items placed in a desert lose their usual touch with reality and float there merely as concepts which can then be explored. You have merely to place some iconic "objects" in this context, i.e. "housewife" and "bed", to start the mind whirling. I agree that it is a "50s housewife," but would suggest this is simply because that is the most iconic of housewives (perhaps as a purposeful overreaction to the women who entered the workforce during world war II). More to the point than "50s-ness" is emptiness: note that there is no bed in the frame, and no shoes on her feet. Her chair is white and blandly curves outward, almost disappearing into the background.
The subtext is that she is "barren," for some reason unable to fulfill her stereotypical mother role, and since she is a stereotype, floating in the mind, this is a critical problem. Her very identity is at stake here. Yet she is too trapped in her stereotype even to express her despair.
The barrenness we feel is not transmitted in the usual, simplistic way, i.e. I see a model who is sad and therefore I am sad, but rather as a series of signs that we must interpret. For me, that creates a far more devestating effect.
To be honest, I didn't see all this until now. I thought it was merely Surrealistic, but then my eyes moved from the hollow bed to her bare, vulnerable legs surrounded by the white legs of her chair, and it hit me like a ton of bricks." |
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12/22/2006 10:20:58 PM · #12 |
I loved one of the comments on this one.
This is a photo of my kids, They don't play in a band.
Kylie left this great comment:
"This has GOT to be a ribbon. My daughter is waiting to buy the CD!"
This really told me that I had "sold" the concept of what I was trying to achieve. On top of that, my daughter made a print to show her friends at school and they were all asking about "the band." It really taught me about the power an image has to make an impression on people.
Message edited by author 2006-12-22 22:22:58. |
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12/23/2006 08:34:55 AM · #13 |
| This thread deserves a <> |
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12/23/2006 12:15:25 PM · #14 |
Just one of cnovack's great comments:
Great capture! The power and grace of this horse is well presented as it appears to run towards us at full gallop. Love the soft focus on the image it brings a delicate touch to offset the power of the action of the horse galloping at full speed. It also brings a dreamy surreal look to the image such that we get the sensation that we are observing the scene in a slow motion dream. My only critique is that I would have liked to have seen all of the legs for it would have strengthened the image in the sense it would heighten the viewer awareness of the grace and power in these beautiful creature.
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12/23/2006 01:25:39 PM · #15 |
Yacht Race 3jpg
by Gringo
Comment by Bear_Music:
Cool! One of the very few decent sailing shots I've seen on DPC; gives a real sense of "being there". Do you race sailboats? You might be interested to know that my first career was as a sailmaker; in the late 60's and early 70's I worked for North Sails in spinnaker research and development. I was a serious sailboat racer for many years, a long-time member of San Diego Yacht Club and one of the backup crew on two America's Cup campaigns, Gerry Driscoll's and one of Dennis's...
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I like this comment from Bear Music (Robert) I admire his work and It gave the picture a personal attachment to him in my mind. I've shot a lot of yacht races, including international races with boats like the Stars and Stripes, and others from the San Diego Yacht Club. I have often wondered if I might have a picture of you in one of them Robert. Thank you for the comment! |
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12/23/2006 01:36:42 PM · #16 |
I'm surprised nobody's mentioned the  The Resplendent Snippycat
I like. And the bokeh suits it, just like this Panda-skin coat suits my bald eagle slippers.
Poor baby... Forced to eat air-inflated soap.
Not really bokeh, but an excellent photog none the less. Or more or less. Or none of more or less. But then less is more, so none the more is less. Or is more less than none? Well time for some chloroform and ritalin. |
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12/23/2006 03:38:30 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by ubique:
I love this guy. So much attention to detail; the hair, bandana, leather, studs, one cool glove, stubble, shades, smoke ... it's all there! He makes me think of a '57 Chevy street rod; pathetically obsolete, hard to get spare parts, but still turning heads with those authentic period details. I suppose he's a lifelong NYC guy, and that NYC is his entire world? I wonder how he'd deal with being suddenly transported to where I live, which looks like this:
Anyway, it's a great street portrait, Steve. All the usual crap is good: lighting, composition, processing.
But the best thing is what you're best at ... you were right there, you got the shot, and you allowed your subject to participate in it just enough to create effective communication between you, him, and me. |
I got lots of cool comments but because I miss Ubique, I'm posting this one. Not me best image but if it connects...it connects. all that matters. Right? |
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12/23/2006 04:01:52 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by doctornick:
You got robbed by the puritans... |
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12/23/2006 07:10:40 PM · #19 |
Another posthumous comment here!
I love it. It is deceptively simple, but from own paltry experience as a photographer I know how hard it is to tell a story with an image. And this image conveys an act with astonishing purity. It is quite simply a picture of one person giving a "tattoo" to another person. The face of the person giving is not seen: he is pure action. His arms are featured. For the receiver, only one arm is visible and that's because it is the canvas. We are allowed to see her face, because she is the object. But her eyes are closed, she is utterly passive.
But this is just the surface! By having the story of the photo be so obvious, the viewer is allowed to venture to what I consider the heart of the photo, and that is how comfortable they are with each other. There is something so loving about how he holds her hand. And notice how they both lean forward, as if going to lie down. All in all, this photo seems like nothing so much as a metaphor for relationships: the mutual trust, the adopting of active and passive roles to get certain things done, the way he decorates her life.
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12/23/2006 09:37:57 PM · #20 |
Received a lot of great comments this year, but this one really stood out for me:
It was actually on one of my lowest scoring images, but the fact that she took the time to analyze it to this extent AND actually tried several things to FIX it...
Comment by aliqui:
"Somehow I think that plant in the foreground absolutely killed you. I don't understand why so many took so much off for that. I would have liked to see her left hand though. If there's something else majorly wrong with it I'm not seeing it.
My first instinct was to crop, make it black/white, and do a little dodging and burning. After I cropped it I realized how much impact that foreground plant was having over the whole image. Even the color version looks amazing. The colors are a little dull, but that's to be expected up here in the Pacific Northwest.
I live in Oregon and was just sitting on my porch pouting. I trying to think of the best way to get those poppy colors back in photos when it's so drizzly out 8 months out of the year. I tried a few things with your photo. Brightness/contrast wiped the detail out of the black dress and my dodging skills suck, heh.
Anyway.. horribly, horribly underrated."
This is what makes this community great :o) |
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12/28/2006 04:02:10 PM · #21 |
this thread deserves another bump as end of year approaches.
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12/28/2006 04:17:47 PM · #22 |
"pal, you've got to brush up your lighting skills"
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12/28/2006 04:20:21 PM · #23 |
Slow progress
by Kerm
Comment by timfythetoo:
"From thumbnail I didnt see anything spectacular but upon opening thisup I said "Yeah baby!". Very cool shot indeed. Unfortunately it was up against one of my faves in the bump game. Or should I now say one of my other faves. Excellent work and a wonderful capture.
Edit to add - blah blah blah blown highlights blah blah blah. I wouldnt change a thing."
Made my day.
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12/28/2006 04:27:48 PM · #24 |
Comment By: RKT
I find these trips most interesting....and they tend to make me curious about why you present certain images in this manner. This is so "scorched earth"...dry, dusty, itching for a storm hot. My eye gravitates to the top image because I can't fugure out entirely what it is...I like to think it's a tornado warning siren off in the distance, so I will go on thinking this. I also keep visualizing how great this would look on a much larger scale, at least 12' wide in a large room with the faint, far off sound of the warning siren eminating from some unobvious location within the room...I enjoy that your images all seem to be very much part of you, your life and surroundings...they are more than just mere portrait or "fashion" presentations...and that's a wonderful thing. |
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12/28/2006 04:54:22 PM · #25 |
all the comments I get are fantastic! thank you so much for them!
but I always remember this one from shannylee13 , it almost made me cry:
"i do believe that you are my hero"
I'm always looking forward to Don's ( posthumous)comments:
"Cubism, as pineapple said. But the leaping figure is not so much Cubism, as a comment on Cubism. I might even call this "Picasso leaving Cubism." You could even replace "monochromatism" with "Cubism" in your description and it would apply. As with most of your photos, this demands criticism, not critique. There is nothing to change."
and here:
"remarkable illusion. a crisp surrealism reminiscent of Magritte, but also making me think of the 60's for some reason. Cinematic, bohemian bauhaus."
:) thank you so much!!
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