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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Old Ways (Basic Editing)
Camera: Canon EOS-300D Rebel
Lens: Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon
Location: Connecticut
Date: Jan 29, 2008
Aperture: f/22
ISO: 400
Shutter: 6 sec
Galleries: Military, History
Date Uploaded: Jan 29, 2008

 My grandfather from WWII. I'm portraying him, writing to my grandmother.

Simple setup, all ambient light. Desk lamp aimed at a wall, fill by room light.

Converted from RAW. Shadow/Highlight, USM, Hue/Sat, Brightness and Contrast.

Crop, resized.

Post Challenge:
New personal best. I'm quite happy with the results on this...oh so close to 5th place...

This does have some historical significance...I inherited the desk from my grandfather. In it, was some old stamps. I got the photo of him from the WWII registry

He met my grandmother, Joyce, in Elmswell England. The street address is fictional, but the fact he is writing a letter to her is pretty accurate.

I understand the confusion on the photo. My intent was to have my wife reading a letter, but she wasn't up for posing. So, I opted to write the letter with the intent of him sending a photo to my grandmother.

Thanks for all the great comments! This was certainly a fun one to do!

Statistics
Place: 6 out of 159
Avg (all users): 6.6349
Avg (commenters): 7.5000
Avg (participants): 6.3509
Avg (non-participants): 6.7179
Views since voting: 2176
Views during voting: 375
Votes: 252
Comments: 29
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
 02/06/2008 01:12:44 PM
Very well thought out and executed - one of my favorites of this challenge. And it will be a wonderful keepsake, too. Congrats on the new personal best and the very high placing!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/06/2008 08:06:10 AM
An excellent image, sepia was the perfect choice for this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/06/2008 06:43:25 AM
Really nice finish buddy! I thought the set up and execution of the shot was fantastic, the use of duotones worked great, and the props were right on the money.

Just be careful of that oversharpening!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
02/05/2008 09:21:27 PM
Nice and sharp... well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/05/2008 05:39:31 PM
Great photograph. The soft sepia tone lends itself to the old-time photography evident of the times.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/05/2008 05:04:39 PM
nice sentiments here - i just feel the image is a tad oversharpened along the edges - especially noticable along the edges of the paper
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/05/2008 04:08:08 PM
Great shot. Nice idea, well composed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/04/2008 08:19:51 PM
I like this a lot. An interesting idea that matches the theme well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/04/2008 07:14:28 PM
a lost art
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/04/2008 10:05:01 AM
I really like the personality of this photograph. I also like the placement of the objects, nothing seems to overtake anything else.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/04/2008 07:27:16 AM
Nice setup and colouring. A bit of film-grain or noise would actually help this image. I know you can't do it in basic editing, but you should make another edit for your portfolio with a slight grungy texture overlay to give it some real old-photo character.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/03/2008 10:19:01 AM
Good idea and well executed
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/03/2008 01:13:46 AM
You even have one of those cellphone cellophane stamp envelopes here. Well done.

Message edited by author 2008-02-06 00:12:58.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/02/2008 10:56:48 PM
This looks very authentic. Certainly captures the theme well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/02/2008 05:51:16 PM
I love the antique tones!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/02/2008 12:23:50 PM
Letters? What are letters? Nicely composed and the coloring gives it a good, "old" feeling.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/02/2008 09:56:24 AM
Excellent composition ... really nice photo ... 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/02/2008 01:59:43 AM
of the "old time" looking photos, so far I like this one the best - I'm 49% thru the photos. Good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/02/2008 12:11:15 AM
I like it would have been perfect with the old pen and ink bottle
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2008 08:20:03 AM
Very nicely done with the toning to match the feel of the era. My only nit would be the pen - looks a little modern.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2008 02:03:15 AM
Well done! Now that's OLD WAYS. Great composition, tones, and creativity.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/31/2008 01:43:59 PM
Great shot! Not only does this show old ways but it evokes emotion around connecting with the soldier. Composition is well laid out to draw the eye to the soldier, along with showing the action of writing the letter. The stamps and key give it a timeless or historical feel. Black and white make it timeless. Desk is a nice dark back drop that looks very "real" to the situation. One of the reasons I like this is because it looks like you captured something real in action, not just a pure setup for this challenge as so many others have done (including myself). The more I look the more I love it! The one thing that might have added is if it were lit by candle light. That would enhance the timeless feel and give it softer light.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/31/2008 11:27:31 AM
I like the sepia tone to this, the only thing bugging me is that the person here is writing a letter to Jayne, but is looking at a photo of a man? It may be that he's sending the photo, but as-is it is odd. Still a high score on my end.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/31/2008 07:16:40 AM
Perfect execution for a great idea. One of the best entries i've seen so far (seen about 30), voting 9.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/30/2008 07:36:39 PM
Photo gives an old feel. Nice job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/30/2008 11:31:59 AM
Gorgeous toning that really makes this shot. Everything feels 'wartime' about this shot (as you no doubt intended) with great cues everywhere, from the key, to the stamps, to the photo and even to the handwriting. Technically the DoF, lighting, composition and tones are all perfect for the shot imho. Excellent work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/30/2008 10:09:06 AM
Very classic picture I like the style.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/30/2008 07:46:31 AM
Fabulous, love the attention to details that you have got here, the stamps, key, even the handwriting. The only thing that botheres me is that he is writing to Joyce and it is clearly a man, so why the picture of the man? 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/30/2008 02:09:25 AM
i would have used a fountain pen but its a nice image
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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