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10/17/2004 04:43:15 PM · #1 |
It's been extremely busy around here lately, but I just couldn't go another week without posting another "Favorite Photographer Profiled."
For the past several months, I've been trying to take more people shots. Good ones, that is. And so I turned to one of the masters of candid portraiture: Librodo.
In terms of portraiture, Manny enlightens us as to many factors that make an interesting, engaging candid photos of people. To me, his most memorable images are those of children from the streets where he lives and from surrounding countries that he has been blessed with the ability and means to visit.
Perhaps the most striking feature of his work is that he allows his subjects to speak for themselves. In many ways, we as photographers try to skew things to shape the viewer's eye so they can see our interpretation of a subject. Manny, however, seems to do just the opposite. He gets his exposure and depth of field just right, and establishes an effective point of view, and then lets the subject do the rest of the work. This freedom given to his subjects results in photos that seem almost effortless. Yet because of their freedom, his photos are filled with life and exhuberance.
In his photo "The Language of Love,"
the two boys are genuinely interested in the cat. Manuel doesn't seem to add anything to this photo at all. Just a good frame, a good crop, effective focus and nice lighting. Yeah, just those things--that are among the most difficult to get right consistently! Notice how the boys are framed by the darkness behind, and the light on them is bright with bright colors, but with little overexposure of the highlights. His cropping is also effective in bringing our attention to the subject of the photo: the boys' playfulness with the cat.
He shows more effective framing and cropping in "Life is a Waiting Game..."
Here, he uses the negative spaces of the girl's hair and from the window to encourage our focus to her face, which shows itself to be deep in thought--she is waiting, and it shows. Manny didn't seem to do anything to the subject. He just got his camera and composition work right. These same techniques are used in his very popular "Touched by the Evening Light."
One great skill Manny has is his ability to use negative space so well. In "Hypnotic Stare,"
he puts his subject at the left of the image, leaving lots of negative space at the right. Negative space can do so many things for a photo. Often, negative space can take our minds outside the image itself. In this image, it combines with the girl's stare to hint at feelings and emotions that go way beyond the frame. We really enjoy guessing at what this girl is thinking, and when a photo can captivate us for that long, it must be effective.
Manuel takes lots of pictures of kids. These kids are not rich, and they are most probably very poor. Yet he does not let his photos get too sentimental, mainly because he lets his photos to the talking, and he makes sure there is balanced emotion in his images, such as in 'Fight or Flight?':
We see the snotty nose and the sad eyes, but he tempers any sort of sentimentality with the reality of a girl struggling between emotions. Her poorness isn't the issue in the photo--her personality is, and he lets it through with his lighting, framing and cropping.
Here's another photo that shows similar attributes: 'Weighing in the Future."
Here, more environment is shown, but to the function of pointing out this boy's personality and future choices, symbolized by the fruits and the scale. His cropping and composition are just perfect in this image to show just enough to get the point across. Not a sentimental point, but an actual one that reveals his subject.
Now, Manny is trying out lots of new things. His photos of elephants and food show him to be interested in so much of the world around him. There is joy to be found on this planet, and Manny will find it and let it speak for itself!
(If you are relatively new to DPC, I used to write these profiles on a semi-regular basis. They have gotten more semi than regular lately. Most are filed under the General Discussion section, but I suddenly realized that they could go here just as well.
Message edited by author 2004-10-17 16:46:15.
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10/17/2004 05:02:41 PM · #2 |
Great write up on a photographer whose work certainly deserves attention.
Hope you find time in the future for more of this type of stuff David.
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10/17/2004 05:03:19 PM · #3 |
| Absolutely, positively, 100% agreed. Manny's people photography skills are stellar. Thanks for posting this! :o) |
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10/17/2004 05:15:04 PM · #4 |
Excellent! Glad to see one of my favorite features is back. I hope we have more.
MY profile says all I can about Librodo. I want to someday be as good as Librodo.
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10/17/2004 08:11:46 PM · #5 |
Thanks for this David a great read
Manny has touched us all with his great portraits
just wanted to add a couple of non challenge pictures :D
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10/17/2004 08:13:25 PM · #6 |
| He is definitely one of the best we have here at dpc when it comes to photographing people. |
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10/17/2004 08:54:01 PM · #7 |
Thanks for the profile, David. That's a really nice thing to do.
I think that one of the greatest compliments that you can give to a photographer is to say that he has a style all his own. That certainly holds true for Manny since I can recognize his photos almost every time from their content and style, but most of all from their quality.
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10/17/2004 09:18:52 PM · #8 |
Oh, yes, Manuel is one of the best photographers around here. This is my favourite of his pictures:
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10/17/2004 09:30:50 PM · #9 |
i'd like to see some of the 'out takes'...
fantastic work - consistently.
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10/17/2004 09:52:27 PM · #10 |
| Manny is not only the favorite photographer's of many DPC's members, he is also a master photographer not in the ribbon sense, but in the true sense. |
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10/17/2004 10:23:55 PM · #11 |
Didn't see anyone referring to some of Manny's stunning work outside of DPC, but for a real treat (and in 800x600 format), take a look at his work over on TrekLens and TrekEarth.
Take a bow Manny - wish I had half the talent.
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10/17/2004 10:26:51 PM · #12 |
Oh man, I forgot about his work there. thanks Brad! He also has very engaging comments on his own work on these sites! I get lost for hours looking into his subjects' eyes!
Originally posted by BradP:
Didn't see anyone referring to some of Manny's stunning work outside of DPC, but for a real treat (and in 800x600 format), take a look at his work over on TrekLens and TrekEarth.
Take a bow Manny - wish I had half the talent. |
Message edited by author 2004-10-17 22:27:16.
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10/17/2004 10:42:04 PM · #13 |
| Thank you Manuel for sharing your sublime works and taking some of us on a wonderful cultural journey, opening our eyes/minds and touching our hearts/souls... |
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10/17/2004 10:56:26 PM · #14 |
Just BEAUTIFUL work!!! I think I may need to step up to a new level soon! Thanks for the inspiration.\
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10/17/2004 11:07:40 PM · #15 |
I enjoy looking at your work, Manny... really exceptional and very inspiring.
Kudos to David for profiling one very deserving photographer!
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10/17/2004 11:10:49 PM · #16 |
yep, this is a great thread!
Librodo recently posted some great pics in his portfolio.
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10/18/2004 12:01:48 AM · #17 |
| Good timing, just won a blue with people pic... =) |
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10/18/2004 01:07:51 AM · #18 |
He was my second choice as a favorite photographer, and I had his Defining Feature shot chosen as the winner. I can't agree more. A very well deserved win.
Message edited by author 2004-10-18 01:08:35. |
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10/18/2004 01:47:26 AM · #19 |
OOpppsss...is this for REAL? You talking about me? (Thanks graphicfunk for pointing out to me this thread)
I am overwhelmed by this David. Many many thanks. Do I deserve this? Maybe only for the purpose of motivating me to strive harder and prompting me to learn even more. I like to take portraits and David is very right when he mentioned about my rule of not tampering with the spontaneous flow of emotion... both of my subject and me. For me, the best subjects are children because they reveal their real soul.
I AM LEARNING SO MUCH FROM YOU GUYS. This, I can say over and over again. I am learning from you all. David, you're one of my mentors (and you may not be aware of this). And I have a lot more to thank...pedro, kiwiness, brad, heida, sonifo, philos, tyt, laurielblack...and many many more (you know who you are). Olyuzi...your comment on my second entry was probably the reason why I persevered and held on to DPChallenge up to this day.
I can go on and on... and I will continue to learn from you. I have more to do and to explore.
Message edited by author 2004-10-18 03:41:08. |
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10/18/2004 02:03:43 AM · #20 |
| Excellent review David, thank you. Manny your work is amazing, it is always a pleasure to look through your photos. Keep it up, you're one of my top favourites here :) |
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10/18/2004 02:04:35 AM · #21 |
Congratulations Librodo
Dsidwell has also been one of my mentors for as long as I̢۪ve been here. I think it is so cool that he takes time out to recognize some of the photographers who constantly produce such remarkable and inspirational work like yours Manny.
Congratulations, and thank you for sharing your talent.
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10/18/2004 03:25:54 AM · #22 |
Great review David. Manny, when I visit your port I just lose myself looking through the images. How do you choose a favourite when there are so many great shots!!
thankyou
sue |
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10/18/2004 08:17:53 AM · #23 |
Originally posted by soup:
i'd like to see some of the 'out takes'...
fantastic work - consistently. |
I did post alot of out takes in my portfolio. Thanks for the compliment.
Manny |
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10/18/2004 04:36:33 PM · #24 |
Great review, thanks David, this is the first time I see one, I think I'm just too new here :-)
Manny, not only do you realy capture the soul of your subject, you also capture the real feeling of Asia, and Thailandâ€Â¦.
Every time I need a break, I just dive in your portfolio for a mini holidayâ€Â¦
Thanks, and keep us amazedâ€Â¦.
My favorite.
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10/18/2004 04:41:24 PM · #25 |
the next steve mccurry thats all i'll say
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