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The Old Timer
3rd PlaceThe Old Timer
Yo_Spiff


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Street Portraiture (Advanced Editing VII)
Collection: 2010
Camera: Canon EOS-50D
Lens: Tamron SP AF 10-24mm F3.5-4.5 Di II LD for Canon
Location: Fort Worth Stockyards
Date: Jul 1, 2010
Aperture: F5.6
ISO: 400
Shutter: 1/80
Galleries: Portraiture, Street
Date Uploaded: Jul 4, 2010

 This gentleman drives a horse drawn carriage for hire in the Ft. Worth Stockyards, our local tourist trap. (A place where I can always find an interesting shot with local flavor.)

When I explained what I was doing, he was quite chatty and explained to me that he was originally from Ireland, coming to the US when he was 16. Not a trace of the Irish accent left in him, I would have guessed he was born and bred in Cowtown.

The folks that work in the stockyards as performers or offering services like this for tourists are usually very friendly and happy to tell you about everything. I also approached a few other folks, including some workers who had been doing repairs to the stockyards hotel. One guy wanted money for me to photograph him. I declined. His coworker (boss?) was across the street and just getting down from a cherry-picker. He was quite friendly and told me all about the restoration work they were doing. I also approached a guy in an apron that was sitting on a table in front of a burger place. I thought he was an employee on break, but it seems he runs a shoeshine stand across the street. He did ask for a tip for letting me take his photo, which I felt was reasonable in this case, as he makes his living from working for tips. The photo probably has more of a story to it than my actual entry, but I didn't totally get the impact to the image that I wanted. There's also a slight blur to his lower face.


I had two images of this carriage driver that I really like, but I finally decided the closeup color one was what I wanted to use. I've been admiring the portraiture of BNilesh, and have been trying to achieve something similar, but with my own local flavor to it. I may have achieved it with this. Here's the other shot of this guy:


Anticipated critiques:
-Too close, would like some context in the image.
-Objects to sides (horses) are distracting.

Post challenge notes:
Wow, coming in third after two VERY talented members! Thanks for all the great comments and votes. Even had this not ribboned, I definitely achieved what I was shooting for with this one.

On a bittersweet note, this pushed my beloved shoehorn fly out of my top 5.

Statistics
Place: 3 out of 94
Avg (all users): 6.8385
Avg (commenters): 7.3333
Avg (participants): 6.4130
Avg (non-participants): 7.0087
Views since voting: 6086
Views during voting: 409
Votes: 161
Comments: 70
Favorites: 6 (view)

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AuthorThread
 02/13/2011 10:13:27 AM
I certainly think that this would take a ribbon for humor as well, on more time. But the shoe shiner got my rapt attention and left a note for it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/29/2010 03:13:00 PM
I'm going to try not to pick all high scoring shots to comment on because that is too easy, but I just had to say I really enjoyed this one when it came up. The guy is such a iconic image and I appreciate that among the top finishers this gives us feelings of contentment, hope, and happiness with life. I think it's his eyes which appear to be opened slightly wider than normal.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/17/2010 05:34:19 PM
A great capture
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/14/2010 06:40:26 PM
One of the best in show IMO. Glad it scored well.And thanks for the story too! I love to read the history of images. When this came up on my screen it made me jump a bit!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/14/2010 03:15:59 PM
Definitely the best in the challenge... Met the challenge well and should have won the blue. Nice job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/14/2010 05:32:58 AM
Did you tell him you won a prize with his picture? I'd imagine it'd make him chuckle to know he was a good model.
Congrats on the ribbon. You forgot to say you were inspired by my first challenge entry! :)

Message edited by author 2010-07-14 05:33:35.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/14/2010 01:53:59 AM
Congratulations on the ribbon for this wonderful image & so funny expressions. This man certainly got an interesting character.

Thanks a lot for appreciating & admiring my work. I really missed the note of credit.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/13/2010 10:46:21 PM
Congratulations on your ribbon. Excellent portrait.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/13/2010 06:47:09 PM
Steve....Excellent shot. Well desrved third place. Congrats!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/13/2010 04:18:21 PM
Congrats on the third place, very good portrait!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/13/2010 02:08:09 PM
Wonderful job of it, Steve! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/13/2010 02:41:40 AM
Congrats, Steve. Wonderful image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/13/2010 02:01:29 AM
Congrats Steve!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 11:07:58 PM
What a wonderful image, congratulations! I liked the story behind it as well, I've spent many happy hours in cowtown and would love to go back and see it again.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 08:52:13 PM
well, look at you Steve!!! Congrats on the ribbon...well deserved
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 08:11:59 PM
Congratulations Steve on your ribbon great job. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 03:18:49 PM
nice portrait, congratulations on your ribbon Steve!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 02:59:41 PM
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!

Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 12:51:00 PM
Nice job Steve! Very impressive shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 12:40:02 PM
I want whiskers like that when I grow up
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 12:37:11 PM
OMG - look at you go! CONGRATS on your RIBBON!!!!! ;)
I love this! (Should have gone with, lol!) Well deserved!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 11:05:03 AM
Fantastic!!!!!!!! Congrats!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 10:59:55 AM
What a great image. Congrats on your ribbon. YAY
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 10:45:34 AM
Congrats buddy :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 10:06:50 AM
Nice work, Steve. Well deserved.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 10:04:43 AM
one of my 8s in the challenge. awesome shot and great finish steve!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 09:52:15 AM
Congrats! Fantastic image!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 09:38:47 AM
Dang Steve, I knew I had seen that old feller before. You have the light just right. Your wife took this didn't she? :}
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 09:34:13 AM
Well done sir, couldn't happen to a nicer fellow.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 09:19:16 AM
Dude !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 08:53:01 AM
Really great shot! Congrats on the ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 08:33:23 AM
Oh man. A fantastic choice for a ribbon. This is amazing! Congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 08:21:23 AM
SUPER photo Steve!!! Congrats on the ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 07:33:41 AM
Congrats, Steve, on a well-deserved ribbon! Great image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 05:47:26 AM
Congrats on your ribbon!!
This shot is awesome :D
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 04:58:52 AM
Love the humongous facial hair and sparkle in his eye especially! Great work Spiff! :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 03:40:53 AM
Awesome!!!!!!!!! Way to go, Spiffy!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 03:24:54 AM
Way to go, Steve! Congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 01:31:51 AM
Congrats! Thanks for the story, too. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 01:25:14 AM
Oh yeah! Grog knocks one out of the park!!! Fabulous portrait Steve. Congrats on the ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 01:24:51 AM
CONGRATULATIONS STEVE!!!! WOOOHOOO!!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 01:14:36 AM
Congratulations on the Ribbon. Nice work. Cheers!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 01:01:52 AM
What a cool dude. Congrats on the yellow Steve!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 01:00:40 AM
Congrats on the Yellow. Thanks for the back story to the pic. For this challenge, I liked the images/portraits with context. I thought your portrait [cowboy hat and horses (I could tell the objects to the sides were horses)] had the context. Nice job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 01:00:11 AM
Hey, not bad! :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 12:56:40 AM
Congrats Steve:-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 12:54:12 AM
Nice, congrats on your yellow!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 12:53:35 AM
WTG YO!
This is a very solid shot. It grabs me. I like the close crop.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 12:52:01 AM
Congratulations on the yellow ... well photographed and pped .. and a great subject to boot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 12:50:52 AM
Way to go!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 12:46:20 AM
Well done! I new this would go great (got a 9 from me). Congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 12:43:42 AM
I really liked this one. Congrats
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/12/2010 12:41:54 AM
Yeah!!! A big congrats to you!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
07/11/2010 08:18:54 PM
I love his moustache and beard! I probably would have tried it in B&W to get a different contrast, but great shot. (7)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/11/2010 01:53:13 PM
That is one serious moustache! Great subject choice :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/11/2010 07:17:30 AM
priceless
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/11/2010 04:36:28 AM
nice!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/10/2010 11:12:53 PM
to me a close-up under these conditions are more candid than formal...that is a small detail none the less. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/10/2010 11:01:35 AM
The tight framing really works. I get the feeling of being eye to eye with him. Not crazy about the processing, but your subject is so irresistable, that I feel I can overlook it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/10/2010 06:23:26 AM
Gotta love the beard - and the twinkle in his eyes.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/09/2010 08:18:09 AM
This is such a great expression, but including the horses next to him would have added some context, which would help tell a story about such an interesting character.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/09/2010 07:58:08 AM
Fantastic character capture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/07/2010 08:45:12 AM
This man has a lot of character. I like the close crop. Great portrait!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/06/2010 08:59:53 PM
He is definitely a very photogenic person. Nice shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/06/2010 05:54:08 PM
This is priceless!! ;) Good luck on the challenge, you ought do do well with this one.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/05/2010 04:25:07 PM
This guy totally evolved from this :)

Very nice. I can't vote, but I like it a lot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/05/2010 12:14:08 PM
That is some SERIOUS facial hair. Was it difficult to approach this guy?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/05/2010 08:31:56 AM
Thats just plain cool. I love the eyes. They make up for the lack of expression by the funny goatee.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/05/2010 07:57:34 AM
that is one heck of a face
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/05/2010 01:25:29 AM
cute beard
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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