These are Arthurs hands. I spent the night with him, listening to some fantastic stories. He's 84 and was born in Cardiff and was quite a traveling man. The bit of history that really got him upset though was talking about his wife and how they got married and spent their honeymoon in Belgium in the early 50s. The vicar took them to an orphanage as a surprise and all the kids sang to them. He got quite upset talking about that and said, 'There is a place of sunshine out there, but it takes two to tango'. I thought it was such a lovely thing for him to say. I took loads of portraits of him as he talked but looking at them the most emotional and evocative were when i took pictures of his hands. I really feel that they convey something of him and his story. His hands here seem to sum up relationships and love. I love how his knuckles in this photo turn into lovers.
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What a lovely shot. Not a conventional portrait by any means, but the hands are so expressive and convey so much of his life story, it's quite amazing. Had you included the face that goes with these hands, and you would have scored well in the 6s, if not a top 10 finish. The ribbed sweater is a great way to add depth and texture to the shot without detracting from the subject. I find myself listening for his voice, watching for the hands to move.
Normally I am not a fan of borders or vignetting, but for this shot anyway, I am a convert. Lighting is good, composition centred but that's what works for this shot. Find it interesting that you used a very high ISO, but can't quarrel with the shallow DOF.
A truly great shot. Well done, keep up the good work.
One of the best in the challenge. I like that you took a different route, and photographed body parts rather than the face. His hands have a lot of character, and certainly a story to tell. Good luck in the challenge.
These hands are very expressive and have seen many years of work and Love. This is a different take on the challenge but more than that it is a beautifully captured photograph. The ribbing of the sweater enhances the texture of the the hands also as it echoes the shading on them.
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