Sad Eyes Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

Friends,

1. Pls see my Intro for important background info.

2. I don't have "Sad Eyes'" name, but she is from the same community as Divine (see previous photos), so I assume she has a similar story.

3. Once again, I ask for your help. I've learned in my first 4 postings with TE that my "old" photos were shot at a resolution that was too low - hence, photos like this are not sharp in some areas. With the help of Darren and others I think that I've solved this problem - but only for FUTURE shots. Meanwhile, I have some otherwise good photos like this that I'd still like to use. I welcome any of the usual overall thoughts, but please also help me assess whether this photo and others like it are "salvageable." Should/can I still use a photo like this, despite its flaws? Furthermore, is there any post-processing that I can do to improve it - in sharpness as well as in any other areas?

Thanks again, guys :).

P.S. the area most out of focus is the bottom. I could crop that out. However, I think that her thin shoulders/arms are an important part of the photo - and of her - they indicate probable less-than-ideal nutrition/health, and thus perhaps explain partly why her eyes are so sad.

bfly, Jeppe, tuffellow, sulucas, elena has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Josh69 (1427) 2004-03-18 10:01

Good title for this photo, she does seem to have sad eyes. For me at least, there seems to be something missing from this photo, with a good subject like her, I think it could have been better. The high viewpoint makes it look like you are looking down on her (the out of focus is a bit of a problem also, but even in focus it would still have the overhead viewpoint). Anyway, it's interesting to see a photo from the Congo, and I enjoyed looking at it.

Please see the workshop.

[2] +

mimi (2321) 2004-03-18 10:03

She does have sad eyes, but a sweet face, and I love the color that the bands in her hair add. I tried a workshop. See what you think.

[2] [workshop] [compare] +

bullybeef53 (3231) 2004-03-18 11:41

well I tried to do a workshop on this fine young lady . I would certainly keep pictures like this one . Hopefully the next time you take care she will have a smile and happy eyes.
this is a very realistic photograph and a pleasure to do a workshop on

[2] [workshop] [compare] +

waskahegan (0) 2004-03-18 12:37

Great photo...
However I can't help to think that I wish someone, something, somehow, whatever could make that face smile and laugh.
Souvenirs... I spent several years in Africa.

tuffellow (533) 2004-03-18 20:57

This is an amazing picture except for the colours/fuzziness. The incredible workshops above seem to take care of that problem pretty well. One thing that I would mention is that many photographers don't like looking down on the subjects of photos, but in this instance I think it works quite well (not that I'm really a "photographer"!). She seems to be quite helpless and sad (not to mention malnourished - as you point out), so capturing her looking up to the camera seems to give the viewer the impression that she is desperate and pleading for help. - perhaps the type of impression that your organization wants to express to people in the "1st world".

elena (1054) 2004-06-19 17:27

i agree with tuffellow, even though i generally tend to take portraits at eye-level, so that the subject looks straight into my lens, in this case it may be ok to have her looking up, "pleading", asking for help... but you may want to take a few portraits of kids at their level and decide for yourself what you like best. Please keep all those photos, you will quickly learn how to improve them tremendously. (I would suggest the first thing you should do when you are learning, do a duplicate of your photos, and you play around different features without losing the original...) good luck and keep taking good photos like this!

juniorbonner (158) 2004-07-18 7:04

This is a great photo because it expresses emotion which will always beat technical competence in my books. This photo hits you with force and has a magnetic pull to it. It is difficult to look away from those eyes and you are left thinking about them and the subject long afterwards. Well done for capturing such an image.