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Challenge: Portraits Without Children (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D
Location: Wales
Date: Jul 13, 2009
Aperture: f/4
ISO: 400
Shutter: 1/15
Galleries: Portraiture, Self Portrait
Date Uploaded: Jul 17, 2009

 Shot was taken out of focus on purpose. PP'd in Lightroom. Curves and Colour. Added two extra layers in Photoshop with added selective blur. Some dodge and burn.

Statistics
Place: 149 out of 159
Avg (all users): 4.4183
Avg (commenters): 5.6250
Avg (participants): 4.4464
Avg (non-participants): 4.4021
Views since voting: 910
Views during voting: 322
Votes: 153
Comments: 12
Favorites: 2 (view)

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AuthorThread
 07/27/2009 10:39:49 PM
Jesus wants me to critique your photo.

After not playing critique club for YEARS, something compels me to press the button ...

and your picture appears ... beams down .... the picture only becomes more sublime each time I look at it. The fuzziness of the photo is because *I* am not good enough to see it.

There's an important point to be made here. The picture is only pixels ... and what it evokes in a reader. A perfectly focused picture that hides nothing also leaves nothing for the reader. It might as well be a Stop sign. All the reader does is STOP. To make a reader THINK takes something more... or rather, less.

Now I could go back and change all the "reader"s to "viewer"s, but you'll catch my drift.

The deep red in the background and the ivory quality of the flesh do indeed evoke Jesus... not the man, but the icon. The man is hiding, as you so aptly demonstrate with OOF and framing. I like this picture better every time I look at it, because it's getting farther and farther away, and I imagine I'm seeing something that's getting closer and closer to you.

oh wait, you asked for a Critique Club Critique. I'm poorly qualified, but I'll give it a go:

Dear Clive,

In a portrait, we expect to see a face. The less face it has, the less portraity it is. That could explain some of those low scores. Also, the face seems a bit out of focus. I wonder if this is a self-portrait. Perhaps you couldn't see through the lens as you were taking the picture. That would explain a lot. Next time, I would suggest having someone sit in the chair first, so you can focus on that person. But here's the important part: that person must get up and you must sit in the SAME CHAIR. Also, be sure to pick someone who isn't significantly taller or shorter than you are.

Ok, there you go! Your scores will be skyrocketing in no time!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/27/2009 03:16:58 PM
Great one!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/27/2009 12:48:30 PM
Wonderful. Sorry I didn't vote this challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/27/2009 04:32:02 AM
Beautifully done :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
07/26/2009 07:35:36 PM
To fuzzy and maybe thats what you were going for but i dont think it works for this challenge
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/24/2009 04:48:07 PM
if you tell me a good reason why you blurred it i will give you a 10 but i dont get it for now
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/24/2009 02:53:41 PM
This is almost perfect, so you get a 9. I just don't quite like the color of Jesus, there. And the eye is some sort of weird purple. Other than that, it's fantastic. And I don't know why he makes me think of Jesus. Just similar to typical depictions, I guess.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/23/2009 11:01:34 AM
Very daring image for the dpc crowd. The half face framing seems a little cliche, but the softness and processing kind of offsets that for me. I like the tones throughout. For me, overall, gutsy and interesting, I like it. Nice job. Good luck with the rest of the voters! :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/21/2009 12:42:53 PM
My initial thought was that I didn't like it; almost gave it a 3. Then I decided it is very cool and creative (changed to a 6).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/20/2009 10:52:34 PM
The lack of focus doesn't enhance this for me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/20/2009 04:10:16 PM
You're my 10 :-) I admire this one.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/20/2009 12:25:42 AM
Must be the OOF challenge. This is the second intentionally blurred portrait I've come across. This challenge is turning out to be more interesting to vote on than I expected.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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