| A portrait has an immediate impact: somebody's looking at me! Being accosted this way generates an immediate reaction. It is this reaction that the photographer is responsible for. Usually, the reaction is "I don't know this person. Who's next?" The photographer must overcome that. And you have, at least for me. Or maybe your model has. I don't care who is to blame, but the key is the warmth in his face, and a surprising amount of vulnerability for a cowboy with a beer in his hand. All I want to do is buy him his next beer. The beauty of your photo is that nothing distracts from this impression. The bottom half is mostly blacked out, but we still get a strong sense that he exists down there, and it makes his buckle and his gun more iconic. Instead of the iconic sheriff's badge we get what looks more like a convention badge. This places the subject well, shows how he is compromising with reality, and judging by his face seems very accepting of it, and willing to be of service in whatever world he is dropped into. Normally I would say the processing is too "glowy" but that would be foolish, since the photo accomplishes everything it needs to accomplish, then there is no reason to get rid of the glow. Mostly it's the booze that glows anyway, and that's entirely appropriate. |
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