DPChallenge: A Digital Photography Contest You are not logged in. (log in or register
 
Challenge Entries
Portfolio Images
This image is not part of a public portfolio.
Hardened by Life
3rd PlaceHardened by Life
Spizzer


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study XVI (Advanced Editing V*)
Camera: Nikon D200
Lens: Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR DG IF-ED
Location: Washington DC
Date: Dec 13, 2006
Aperture: f 3.2
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/250
Galleries: Urban, Portraiture
Date Uploaded: Dec 31, 2006

Wow! My first ribbon. I appreciate all the comments on this one. Many of you commented on the pink hat....both for and against it. After much consternation when I was editing the image, I decided to leave it. I did so because to me it showed that this man does not get to choose the color of his hat. He has to wear what he can get. Thanks, all! Getting this ribbon was an exciting surprise.

My favorite type of photography is street photography. I came across this gentleman in a park feeding the birds. After talking with him for a few moments, I asked if he would mind if I took his portrait. He said "Not at all", and looked into the camera while I took this image. His pearcing blue eyes were captivating.

Taken with only available lighting from an overcast day. I post processed this image with several techniques to try and emphasize his character and tough life.

Statistics
Place: 3 out of 488
Avg (all users): 7.2235
Avg (commenters): 8.2609
Avg (participants): 7.1746
Avg (non-participants): 7.3396
Views since voting: 11719
Views during voting: 288
Votes: 179
Comments: 57
Favorites: 28 (view)


Please log in or register to add your comments!

AuthorThread
01/20/2008 06:22:12 PM
I think this photograph is a fantastic portrait,the eyes are incredible,his face tells a thousand stories,and the crop is great.This shot has helped me somewhat in choosing a great 70-200 zoom.Keep up the good work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
08/04/2007 03:07:51 PM
Was this in Colorado Springs? I had a guy that looks like this come to my door and ask if I needed any concrete work done (driveway, sidewalks, etc). I will never forget his amazing eyes, and this guy really looks like him!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/20/2007 04:56:51 PM
This photo is absolutely amazing.
Inspiring.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/13/2007 07:21:40 PM
Wonderful image, congrats on your first ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/12/2007 05:48:58 PM
incredible! congratulation!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/12/2007 03:49:09 PM
amazing picture!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/09/2007 08:10:39 PM
A great portrait and those eyes are stunning against his harden skin. Congrats on third place!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/09/2007 03:15:12 PM
Great portrait. The detail, colours, the hat framing the face and the expression are all very good. Well deserved ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/09/2007 08:25:51 AM
I'm glad to see a portrait amongst the ribbons. Well done and congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 11:00:40 PM
Superb image, with wonderful editing...the detail and emphasis on sharpness in some areas and oof in others is magnificent...a thoroughly deserved ribbon...may you get many more! I think you will!

Go D200 owners of this world!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 05:35:39 PM
GREAT character study! Congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 04:47:43 PM
Congratulations on your Ribbon with this captivating portrait of expression
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 04:39:21 PM
fantastic laethery skintone face folds of skin; great textures, and a great look on his face; quite dignified. great work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 04:00:11 PM
The eyes make it here. Almost hypnotic. Congrats on 1st ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 02:06:21 PM
He puts me in mind of Terrence Stamp. Same intensity. Same piercing eyes.

This image grabs and holds on. I like the colours and the tight crop. The model's expression is great and your treatment serves it well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 02:03:23 PM
Looks like James Bond to me. beautiful job! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 01:32:25 PM
Ok, wow, the big vs. The Pink Hat VS. The Crop. I gotta tell ya I don't like the hat much by the thumbnail, but when I open it I get the pleasent surprise of the contrasting colors with the eyes. To me I love the spirit in which you left the hat, and the photo is tremendous either way. Also the pink tells more of the story, so to make you think either he don't care, or he don't have the choice, both make an appealing hook. TY for entering, and congrats on the ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 11:01:46 AM
I love the pink - for me it emphasizes his amazingly blue eyes. This is a stunning image. Huge congratulations on your first ribbon (and on your fantastic score)!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 09:30:13 AM
Very nicely done, congratulation on winning the yellow ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 09:26:31 AM
I love this image, congratulations on your ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 07:26:42 AM
Hardened but still very handsome. And photographed to perfection!

  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 07:24:38 AM
This image has nothing to do with street photography as a genre of photography - this is just a simple, and a rather average portrait. The choice of a telephoto lens and shallow DOF completely removed the street environment, and heavy post-processing killed whatever was tying this image to the reality of the street.

Compositionally, in portraits, placing the model's eyes in the middle of the frame works well as often as placing the horizon in the middle of the frame in landscape photography, but here, at least, it's one good thing because it shows that the image was not created by one of the kitsch masters of this site. Post-processing is also of the standard, glamourised "rough life" kind, with over-done contrast and emphasized skin imperfections.

Message edited by author 2007-01-08 07:25:39.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 05:41:56 AM
Congratulations on your first ribbon and a whopping score for your new PB! Fantastic image and your reasoning for leaving the pink hat was right on. Fantastic editing too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 04:24:29 AM
Congrat´s dude, love the pink hat and think what´s makes this shot stand out, keep it up!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 02:37:49 AM
congratulations!!!!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 02:13:26 AM
Excellent detail and texture you have captured here. Congrats on the yellow!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 12:52:24 AM
Congrats on the ribbon - this is such an amazing photo!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 12:40:29 AM
Congratulations on first Ribbon!! Excellent Image..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 12:35:23 AM
great street shot, congrats on your ribbon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 12:16:15 AM
Congratulations on your yellow with this fantastic image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/08/2007 12:11:13 AM
Congrat on ribbon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
01/07/2007 08:18:31 PM
Perfect!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/07/2007 12:13:53 AM
Great texture of the face and eyes. The pink NYC hat is a nice touch.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/06/2007 08:32:44 AM
Very good portrait, too bad about the pink toque. Maybe you could have cropped it out? When I hide it, I personnally think that the portrait is much better, but this is just my opinion.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/05/2007 01:43:10 PM
I think I would have cropped more off the top on this one. Probably all of the pink part sof the hat, so just the horizontal hat band was along the top of the frame. The lighting and contrasty post-processing give great texture to his beard and the lines of his face. It really tells a story. 8 from me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/05/2007 10:35:16 AM
Very good job. This photo is so well done that you made this guy look so good he could be the model for NYC clothing. I know that sounds funny, but really it is very spectacular the pose and the look ect that you were able to capture. I think the eyes might play a role in that as well. I can definitly learn from this photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/05/2007 02:01:14 AM
Cute pink beanie (bonnet). ;p
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/04/2007 07:45:56 PM
Wonderful shot - great textures and I love the pink hat. Very nicely done. Back to bump you up to 8.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/04/2007 11:42:35 AM
This has to ribbon...I am so drawn to this portrait. His face may look hardened, but there is still light in his eyes and I think that tells his story more than anything. You did a wonderful job capturing that spirit. 10!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/03/2007 09:42:14 PM
Great portrait and pp. Cropping the top white part would help to focus on his strong face.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/03/2007 07:52:24 PM
those eyes!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/03/2007 06:17:38 AM
This shot is thought provoking. A face can tell a thousand stories and I would like to know some of his. This shot convays a hard life and IMO well worth = 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/02/2007 10:20:45 PM
WOW, nothing else to say but 10....and wow again.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/02/2007 08:51:52 PM
What a great face. His eyes are amazing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/02/2007 08:10:25 PM
Very nice portrait. I think the sharpness and detail really make this shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/02/2007 07:47:56 PM
Fantastic portrait!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/02/2007 07:23:34 PM
Excellent photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/02/2007 06:27:49 PM
Wow - Excellent shot - nice detail.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/02/2007 06:19:00 PM
ribbon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/02/2007 06:11:09 PM
What a look... You can see life made him suspicious. Great portrait. Just commenting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/02/2007 06:00:49 PM
I would like this better cropped with only about half the gray band of the cap showing. Excellent focus and lighting on the face.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/01/2007 11:46:10 PM
This is a great, striking photo as it is. I would love to see the effect in black and white, though...because I think the clarity on his beard is incredible and is just inviting the duotone effect.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/01/2007 05:49:16 PM
vivid shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/01/2007 09:58:50 AM
Great detail and nicely cropped!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/01/2007 09:44:48 AM
Wonderful focus and DOF. I think I'd crop down to the brim of the hat. The detailing is intense!! 7 (this would make a great study in black and white as well)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/01/2007 04:47:01 AM
Great shot: seems to be a trend now...such portraits. I would have cropped out the pink hat though..it detracts from a richer colour scheme. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
01/01/2007 01:08:59 AM
great detail and crisp focus, well done
  Photographer found comment helpful.


Home - Challenges - Community - League - Photos - Cameras - Lenses - Learn - Prints! - Help - Terms of Use - Privacy - Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/10/2024 05:23:42 PM EDT.