Challenge:Dead End (Advanced Editing IV) Camera:Olympus C-2100UZ Location: home studio Date: Nov 5, 2005 Aperture: 2.8 ISO: 121 Shutter: 1/80 sec Date Uploaded: Nov 5, 2005
Thought of this idea today, don't have a clue why, but it was something I had to try to bring to life in an image. I set up a black board in my home studio behind me, sat on a chair with my father's antique double barrel shotgun in my mouth, facing a mirror to try different angles; then I set up tripod on a timer, used a flash and tried different positions of head: some looking up, some down, some with eyes closed...the image of one eye looking at camera appealed to me when I was reviewing the pictures...it had to be in b&w, there was no other choice for me; it had to look harsh...cropped, levels, brightness/contrast,shadow/highlight, unsharp mask, cloned out a couple of spots on my face, but left ALL the wrinkles!
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Place: 155 out of 173 Avg (all users): 4.7816 Avg (commenters): 6.4000 Avg (participants): 4.5208 Avg (non-participants): 5.0091 Views since voting: 906 Views during voting: 421 Votes: 206 Comments: 15 Favorites: 0
Sorry, ubique and all my friends, I don't know where this idea came from and I hope it goes away forever...this has to be one of my worst ideas, it doesn't even look like me in the picture, so I must have been momentarily insane...remember me as I look in the "Magic Carpet" image of my husband: U622. That is the real Marion on that carpet...now back to my bucolic photographs.
I'll echo what ubique said (and also gave it a 5). The concept is strong (and certainly meets the challenge), but it's going to make the viewer uncomfortable and more likely to look for a reason to score it low... harsh lighting, grittiness, etc.
P.S. I told my daughter that it's not a popsicle or a zipper and she said, "Oooooh, it's a road!" (a toy section of track). "She's eating the road, so that's the dead end for the cars." LOL
Aaaaaargh! I didn't recognise you at all! As a matter of fact, I thought it looked a bit like Roman Polanski, & I KNOW you won't thank me for that. This is quite a departure for you, Marion; we're used to seeing your lovely rich multi-toned B&W's & you go and ambush us with this jagged felony assault on the senses. I was ambivalent about it (scored it only 5 I'm afraid); I don't mind the uncompromising nature of the image, but I do prefer something that challenges me to think rather than wince. On the other hand, I suppose 'dead end' is a pretty much in-your-face concept, in this particular interpretation. Adventurous, but I will still look forward to the next of those lovingly-crafted quiet celebrations of rural life,
Meets the challenge, but very unappealing to me personally. The harsh lighting and grain may be appropriate to the theme, but a clean B&W with good tonality would likely make me concentrate more on the idea than the technical aspects. As an aside, it looks like the model is eating a funky popsicle (my daughter thinks it's a zipper).
Sure you stopped people for a longer look on this one. Very good challenge entry and entirely believeable fascial expression. Hate to say it but one of the better entries... :)
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