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LevT


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Chiaroscuro (ARCHIVAL) (Standard Editing)
Collection: Portfolio
Lens: Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8
Date: Dec 13, 2008
Aperture: 4.8
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/90
Date Uploaded: Feb 8, 2021

N/A

Statistics
Place: 2 out of 55
Avg (all users): 6.6889
Avg (participants): 7.0000
Avg (non-participants): 6.2222
Views since voting: 679
Views during voting: 105
Votes: 45
Comments: 14
Favorites: 0


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AuthorThread
02/26/2021 11:40:27 PM
One of my top picks. Big congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/25/2021 04:38:21 PM
Thanks Willem, don't get me wrong, I appreciated your constructive comments, but I also wanted to respond with my own motivation for my choices. For me, the contrast between soft feminine features of the model and harsh lighting provided an interesting tension, fitting the idea of chiaroscuro. But as you said. We all are entitled to our own tastes and opinions. Cheers!
02/25/2021 03:22:50 PM
Originally posted by LevT:

Originally posted by willem:

Originally posted by posthumous:

Originally posted by willem:

The light on the front of he face and shoulder is very nice, drawing the outlines. But in my view the transition from light to dark is too harsh for the shape of her face and then the light from the left is too strong again. Rather then a light (or reflector) from the left I think a slight reflection from the direction of the camera could have filled in some too strong shadows and emphasised the round shape of her cheeks and face.


this is like telling an artist who works in ink that he should use charcoal.
I made the comment because in my view chiaroscuro is more about using charcoal than it is about using ink, i.e. use the pressure of the charcoal (the intensity of the light) to provide shape and depth to an object. If you prefer to use ink, please feel free.

willem in any BW photography the intensity of the light reflected from an object provides shape and depth, there is nothing else there. Chiaroscuro implies strong contrasts between chiaro (bright) and oscuro (dark), that's the whole point. I intentionally left the front in strong shadows, actually I even darkened it in post-processing a little bit specifically to amplify this effect. I also did not understand your original comment that the light from the left was too strong - I think it is very soft actually.


No problem, there might be different interpretations of what chiaroscuro is about. I was describing my interpretation and I was describing how I saw your image related to that interpretation, in order to explain the background of my scoring. I realise in my style of comments I often focus mainly on improvement points (again: from my perspective) maybe without emphasising the strong points of an image. To explain better my original comment: I see for example the forehead highlights almost blown out and then the temple almost fully black. To me this was a very rapid transition from light to dark over a very small distance of the face, which in my view created a too harsh look. Considering the soft rounded shape of the face I would have preferred a more gradual transition which could have been obtained by some extra reflection from the front. Again, all subjective, all to explain the scoring, and to offer suggestions. If your interpretation and preference is different, no problem.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/25/2021 01:13:55 PM
Originally posted by willem:

Originally posted by posthumous:

Originally posted by willem:

The light on the front of he face and shoulder is very nice, drawing the outlines. But in my view the transition from light to dark is too harsh for the shape of her face and then the light from the left is too strong again. Rather then a light (or reflector) from the left I think a slight reflection from the direction of the camera could have filled in some too strong shadows and emphasised the round shape of her cheeks and face.


this is like telling an artist who works in ink that he should use charcoal.
I made the comment because in my view chiaroscuro is more about using charcoal than it is about using ink, i.e. use the pressure of the charcoal (the intensity of the light) to provide shape and depth to an object. If you prefer to use ink, please feel free.

willem in any BW photography the intensity of the light reflected from an object provides shape and depth, there is nothing else there. Chiaroscuro implies strong contrasts between chiaro (bright) and oscuro (dark), that's the whole point. I intentionally left the front in strong shadows, actually I even darkened it in post-processing a little bit specifically to amplify this effect. I also did not understand your original comment that the light from the left was too strong - I think it is very soft actually.
02/25/2021 03:49:35 AM
Originally posted by posthumous:

Originally posted by willem:

The light on the front of he face and shoulder is very nice, drawing the outlines. But in my view the transition from light to dark is too harsh for the shape of her face and then the light from the left is too strong again. Rather then a light (or reflector) from the left I think a slight reflection from the direction of the camera could have filled in some too strong shadows and emphasised the round shape of her cheeks and face.


this is like telling an artist who works in ink that he should use charcoal.


I made the comment because in my view chiaroscuro is more about using charcoal than it is about using ink, i.e. use the pressure of the charcoal (the intensity of the light) to provide shape and depth to an object. If you prefer to use ink, please feel free.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/24/2021 11:36:49 PM
Congratulations
You managed a softness with contrast harsh lighting
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/24/2021 01:26:03 PM
Originally posted by posthumous:

Originally posted by willem:

The light on the front of he face and shoulder is very nice, drawing the outlines. But in my view the transition from light to dark is too harsh for the shape of her face and then the light from the left is too strong again. Rather then a light (or reflector) from the left I think a slight reflection from the direction of the camera could have filled in some too strong shadows and emphasised the round shape of her cheeks and face.


this is like telling an artist who works in ink that he should use charcoal.

by the way, I meant to write "can't tell why" but I'll leave my addled comment the way it is, let it have its own meaning.
Thanks for defending me Don! :) And yes, I was puzzled a little by by your original comment but chalked it up to your poetic lyricism
02/24/2021 10:57:31 AM
Beautiful work and I was sure this would take the Blue. Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/24/2021 10:12:03 AM
So beautiful, Lev!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/24/2021 09:41:13 AM
Originally posted by willem:

The light on the front of he face and shoulder is very nice, drawing the outlines. But in my view the transition from light to dark is too harsh for the shape of her face and then the light from the left is too strong again. Rather then a light (or reflector) from the left I think a slight reflection from the direction of the camera could have filled in some too strong shadows and emphasised the round shape of her cheeks and face.


this is like telling an artist who works in ink that he should use charcoal.

by the way, I meant to write "can't tell why" but I'll leave my addled comment the way it is, let it have its own meaning.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/24/2021 06:28:09 AM
A natural beauty. Congrats on the Red.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/24/2021 12:05:32 AM
Congrats on the red.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
02/23/2021 10:14:05 PM
ah yes that intangible thing we call beauty and tell why. it is here. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/17/2021 07:47:34 AM
The light on the front of he face and shoulder is very nice, drawing the outlines. But in my view the transition from light to dark is too harsh for the shape of her face and then the light from the left is too strong again. Rather then a light (or reflector) from the left I think a slight reflection from the direction of the camera could have filled in some too strong shadows and emphasised the round shape of her cheeks and face.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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