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1.52 Smoke break
1.52 Smoke break
Melethia


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Collection: B&W a Week 2008
Camera: Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi
Lens: Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Location: Iraq
Date: Sep 20, 2007
Aperture: f/8
ISO: 400
Shutter: 1/200
Date Uploaded: Jan 31, 2008

Viewed: 350
Comments: 19
Favorites: 0

 I'm going back through older files looking for conversion candidates - I'll try to only do this once in awhile, but since we have to make up weeks 1-3....

Caught this young man enjoying his pipe and a book one afternoon. This is on the third floor of the Al Faw palace.

The original:


No real objective to B&W other than I prefer it that way, and the color was pretty darn blah. Conversion was using CS3's B&W conversion tool.

Based on comments received, I re-edited:

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AuthorThread
 03/01/2008 11:05:13 AM
Deb, it is a gift to see and to be able to present that sight to others. You have that gift. I'm so happy I get to see you play here.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/14/2008 02:01:33 PM
The re-edit is wonderful! He really pops out now and I love the light on his face now plus his uniform stands out. Awesome shot which delivers comfort and emotion. Thanks for sharing!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/13/2008 02:31:22 AM
I have spent some time looking and thinking about all 3 versions. I really just like them all because it is a really telling shot any whichway. The original is not blah - the sepia foreground tones are lovely and warm, and the green theme in the opposite windows serves to separate them from and avoid competing with the main foreground composition, and also provides a little information; on the other hand the bws look like classic war journalism - the first subtle, the second having a nice clarity. Definitely a Photo of the Year.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/08/2008 03:44:20 AM
Great photo and composition! The re-edit is much better. I still think the hightlights on the top right can be toned down a little bit.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/05/2008 05:06:06 PM
I loved the framed head captured by light. Excellent work and a very belated welcome out of IRAQ!!!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/05/2008 05:10:05 AM
Hey Deb, I really like this in b/w. You captured a great moment in a soldiers life.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/04/2008 12:26:47 PM
Damn I wrote something and then DPC ate it. Let's see if I can remember what I wrote.

I do like this better in black and white. The moment you captured is quite interesting. I'm fascinated by the fact that he is smoking a pipe! It's such a peaceful scene and it makes me wonder if he got to enjoy life this way at home too. What a contrast to compare this moment to what he might actually face during the rest of his day.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/03/2008 03:57:17 PM
The personal, the well organized, the symmetrical - all parts of a photo I tend to appreciate. There is a tranquility in this photo which is often needed to allow the viewers imagination to enter the photo. You did it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/03/2008 03:40:33 PM
the placement of the bright area behind his face does such a nice job to create a pseudo-silhoutte - i like it in b/w
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/03/2008 11:31:09 AM
Like both edits -- initial one has me looking at the entire scene, revised one has me focusing more on the man
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/02/2008 06:32:30 PM
I love that this "smoke break" is with a pipe - a neat juxtaposition of the stereotypical "scholarly pipe" with a war zone. Nice framing as well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/02/2008 01:28:09 PM
A really well chosen moment to shoot him (oops that was a pun). Everything seems to fit together as if it were placed there by you.

Am sure there are lots of stories to be had from this single image - nice work ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/02/2008 12:02:27 AM
Funny, i would have guesseds an antanna to a radio and not a pipe. It's always nice to see soldiers in a different, more human light. I really like the re-occuring L pattern in this shot with the wall and the soldier and the window in the background. Well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2008 11:31:51 PM
Nicely composed photo, and good candid moment. He really does look like he's enjoying some free time. Your re-edit does bring out more detail in his face.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2008 12:17:35 PM
Awesome capture! He looks so natural sitting there reading..you have shown a side of his personality which makes this a success. On the black and white conversion I think you have lost some of the good tonal range of the original. I think it would look much better if you could bring out the camo with black and white conversion where you could darken and lighten different colors. Also, if you could burn the wall behind and below him I think it would work better as a natural frame. There just seems to be a loss off character in the walls from the conversion. Take a look at the thumbnail versions side by side if you haven't already...

Another thing that might help is a "contrast USM"..I don't really know if that is the correct term, but what I do is apply a USM with a very high radius like 100 pixals and set the amount to 10 or so and thresholds to 0.

Anyway, it is a great capture as is and please keep it for your b/w collection as I really love it!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2008 10:24:13 AM
Very cool image. Reminds me of my shot in away. He looks very relaxed and enjoying a great book.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2008 06:48:24 AM
Nice moment. It's better in b&w.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/31/2008 09:18:50 PM
wow, awesome way to capture charater, looks good in bw, did he pose for you?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/31/2008 05:38:08 PM
Awesome! I CAN'T not comment on this. You know how I LOVE soldier photography! I love how the back lighting frames his head, almost like a halo, which is quite appropriate for any one of our soldiers :) It's so nice to see such relaxed enjoyment on a guy. Comforting in light of the extreme sacrifices soldiers are called on to make in the course of their jobs.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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