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Guess Who?
3rd PlaceGuess Who?
Firstrich1


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Surprise! (Classic Editing)
Camera: Nikon D100
Location: Home
Date: Nov 23, 2003
Aperture: 4.2
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/13
Galleries: Emotive, Advertisement
Date Uploaded: Nov 23, 2003

My Wife and I...We felt this had the feeling of surprise. Took lots of shots, going for the romantic angle:)

Statistics
Place: 3 out of 57
Avg (all users): 6.6319
Avg (commenters): 8.2381
Avg (participants): 6.0667
Avg (non-participants): 6.8889
Views since voting: 4129
Votes: 144
Comments: 37
Favorites: 5 (view)


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AuthorThread
12/03/2003 11:36:29 PM
A wonderful shot and a well deserved ribbon winner. Your wife has a beautiful smile and you've captured her very well. Nice work. Congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/02/2003 06:45:48 PM
Thanks to all that voted and commented! Amy and I had fun doing this. the tricky part for her was holding a natural looking smile for ten seconds while the timer on the camera allowed me to get into the frame. the rule of less is more helped here as well...I had put on a jacket and was wearing a tie:)...just felt we did not need all of that. of course it was also interesting trying to find just the right spot to cover her eyes with my hand...to much nose? not enough? one hand? two? amazing what you are forced to think about when composing an image with as much a natural feeling as possible. The star filter on the earring did seem almost to much but the images we took without just seem to flat.

again folks

Thank You!
12/02/2003 05:54:20 AM
Lovely smile!
Congratulations.
Biliana
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/01/2003 01:49:29 PM
It seems the voters had a lucid touch, this time. :-) I'm glad they did.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/01/2003 10:35:15 AM
Way to go Richard, good one!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/01/2003 10:13:23 AM
Lovely shot, Richard. I love its natural feel. I'm glad this image did well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/01/2003 09:00:47 AM
Congratulations on the yellow ribbon - nicely intimate.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/01/2003 08:32:58 AM
Wonderful image for the challenge! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/01/2003 07:39:33 AM
Congrats Richard on a well deserved ribbon! Excellent shot :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/01/2003 07:14:05 AM
Congratulations, you were one of my favorites
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/01/2003 02:08:00 AM
Still my favourite of this challenge! :-) Well done Richard, and congrats on the yellow ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
12/01/2003 12:31:05 AM
beautiful photograph.. congrats!
love the feeling of surprise, and the entire emotion of this image! great choice of b&w!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
11/30/2003 09:08:32 PM
One of my highest rated for the challenge, I just like this so much. Love the black and white, composition is great, as are the "starbursts" on the earrings. The tiny little bit of light in the top left corner distracts me a bit - my eyes keep being drawn to that spot - but overall I love the shot, and it conveys the challenge well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/30/2003 08:52:26 PM
This reminds me of a jewelry store commercial on tv. I love the way you were able to get the diamonds to sparkle, and still maintain good lighting on the rest of the image. The expression and composition are great. One of my favorites in the challenge!
JD
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/30/2003 07:47:38 PM
I like this idea....great concept.....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/30/2003 07:22:38 PM
Excellent! One of my other favorites in this challenge. Use of black and white is perfect - love the angle and lighting. She has a beautiful smile and I can feel emotion in this picture from her face. Bravo!! 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/30/2003 05:50:46 PM
Despite the fact that this capture provides several undesirable, albeit minute instances for criticism, it should strike any viewer as unassumingly beautiful, delightful and credible. The choice for b and w conveys the intimacy captured here in an aptly subtle and tasteful way. The softer focus compliments the close-up.

While the composition is a natural given derived from the perspective, the image 'weighs' slightly to the left due to a more concentrated presence of negative space (black areas). This combined with the diagonal position occupied by the subject invites a subtle counter-clockwise dynamic and viewing path.

The inclusion of redundant highlights, one to the left of the model's index finger, another on the the left near the top border, while clearly discernible, appear to provide no dramatic distraction from the essence of this image.

I do question the need or preference for the triple star-burst effect with this image. While, undoubtedly, it provides a marked point of interest and contrast in and to an essentially grayscale photo with a soft and flowing feel, it also draws an unrelenting attention to an artifact (in the sense and context of the image). The lens effect itself -dates- the photo to an era, when such effects were in fashion.

To my senses, this is a mixed blessing: on one hand, it appears to diminish the subtly intimacy of this capture, while on the other hand it adds both charm and a graphical highlight.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/30/2003 04:49:44 PM
a very genuine looking smile but I wish it was color
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/29/2003 12:10:37 AM
A nice picture overall, the star effects on the earring is a bit distracting to me, but the happiness expressed through her smile is very real and fun. I like the crop and the way her hand is coming up, would like to see it a little more straight though, the angle is a bit too much for me. Started at a 7, going to an 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/28/2003 07:57:21 PM
This is a neat one for this topic and the focus and framing are nice. I find teh triple-flash from the earring very distracting, though - my eyes keep going back to it as if it was meant to be the subject of the photo, which doesn't seem to be the case.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/26/2003 09:18:25 PM
wow, natural lens flare on the bling bling,
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/26/2003 08:11:22 PM
This is beautiful...bet it wins the blue ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/26/2003 11:39:55 AM
Star effects on diamonds are pretty cool and almost essential for earing shots like this, but just a bit too heavy and overpowering on this one...maybe lightening up the rest of the image would help a little? Good shot and great concept though.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/26/2003 07:43:18 AM
Lovely image. Great in b&w. The reflection stars on her earings add nice touch to the whole photo. I don't like the glare on her teeth and gums though as it attracts too much attention. The man's hand appears tiny bit out of focus, but the image holds so it's not distracting. The top left corner glow could have been cropped out as well. Otherwise good.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/26/2003 02:51:03 AM
Bet I know who this is.... :-) (Was just looking at your profile after your comment on my shot - at least I think so....) Very nice work. Don't know if this was candid or staged, but the feeling is very natural, so either way doesn't matter - it worked. This is the best of the \"reaction\" shots - one of only a couple that don't look like play-acting. The soft tones and focus also help with the intimacy of the moment. The only thing I don't like is that I think the flares from the earrings were a little overdone. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/26/2003 01:06:26 AM
How did you upload such a big picture I love this one and I think I feel she is going to like her surprise, you have such warm and inviting looking hands! I also love the sparkle on her earing and beautiful smile when I first looked through the thumb pics I liked this the best and I still do
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/25/2003 08:40:02 AM
Nice captured moment. Looks like an ad for a diamond centre. :) I would like to see the light at the top left corner gone, its a distraction. I would also like to see the hands more in focus. I think a little brigtening of the contrast would look nice.
Lovely glow on the earrings!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/24/2003 07:19:42 PM
I like the soft focus. Very nice.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/24/2003 05:34:05 PM
Cute subject. I love her smile and her hand coming up to take his away. I'd crop a tiny bit at the top to get rid of that white bit. Whish the hands were sharp. The sparkle on the earing make it look like a jewelry ad - eye catching, but a bit distracting when the shot is about the expression on her face.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/24/2003 10:42:46 AM
The strength of this image is that it captures a great feeling and emotion. This should be a winner!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/24/2003 08:17:44 AM
Beautiful ! The b/w tone is perfect as well as the composition. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/24/2003 07:34:08 AM
Beautiful photo - like the b/w and soft focus. A very "evocative" photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/24/2003 07:07:35 AM
10, 10, 10, shame I can't vote as I am not a member yet! Winner shot, but at least, will be surely in the top 3! Wonderful Black and White photo filled with beautiful emotions!

I have a strong feeling, that this photo was submitted by Firstrich1, am I right?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/24/2003 05:20:49 AM
charming photograph.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/24/2003 02:25:23 AM
Simple idea and very effective indeed. I even like the sparkle on the ear ring, and usually I hate them. Lovely smile as well. B&w is a very good choice for this shot.

Message edited by author 2003-12-01 06:26:20.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/24/2003 01:03:33 AM
What a fantastic photo..the b/w was a great choice here, composition is fantastic, top notch...10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
11/24/2003 12:32:48 AM
Wonderful. The star filter effects on the earrings don't really have much to do with the shot itself, but somehow I think they give it the mood it needs. 9.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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