M'siro

Critiques [Translate]

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• daisydaisy (255)
• [2007-09-04 15:38]

Hello Luko

Very good picture.I like the colours. Glance is interessant. Bravo

regards
Daisy

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• Homerhomer (3985)
• [2007-09-04 18:36]
• [2] [+]

Can't believe you have received so little feedback since you have posted this photo, even though only few hours past since the upload, thought that this type of images would gather more interest, but perhaps your fans are used to and expect something else, or maybe she isn't young enough to fall into cute kids category.

Ok, let's get past the "through her eyes I can see deep into her soul" bulls**t", far more interesting would be a question what makes interesting or good photograph, is it the subject, is it how the photographer took the photo, both? Great deep colours, good details, focus is ok although some may want to have both eyes in focus, your composition has her pleasantly fill the frame, I am not too crazy about the vignetting at the bottom. OK, so far so good. Once we get past the basic aesthetics is there something deeper, a story, or should we even contemplate looking for something past what we see in front of our eyes, shouldn't visual be enough, especially if this was (whether it was or wasn't is not relevant) your intent and nothing else? National Geographic most likely wouldn't come calling for this picture, the intro in their portraits books states that close ups are not something they find worthwhile and prefer to concentrate on environmental portraits, yet even though this type of tight image isn't completely stripped of educational value, on the contrary it has plenty, it even links her closely to the environment without even showing it (very smart). You may think that with all I had to say I consider this a poor photo, quite on the contrary, even though it goes against what I usually like in photography, the story, the passion, the surroundings, I still enjoy the image (although the note is even better), it raises questions not only about Africa, your trip, but also photography in general.

Peter

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• sidstakes (738)
• [2007-09-04 20:26]

Great portraiture Luko. The colours are so rich and vibrant! And there's this rustic look about her which makes me a little unsettled....you know..she has this 'inquisitive-repressed-smile' and a direct gaze which is quite something.. On another level, it perhaps sheds some light on the general personality of women in Ilha de Mocambique....there seems to be a lot of individualism in them...it's not a passive image, its rather engaging ...where the subject is looking rather than being looked at...

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• Polonaise (16846)
• [2007-09-04 20:43]
•  [Show CommentHide Comment] - [workshop] [compare] [+]

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• SamB (1944)
• [2007-09-04 20:49]

Hello, Luko--
It's nice close portraiture, for what close portraiture is worth (which seems to be a whole lot if i'm taking the picture, but a fair amount less for those much closer to the professional realms than i am). The colors are warm, as is her expression, though with a little bit of caution or reservation visible as well. The note makes it very useful and informative, also.
Thanks!
sam

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• Furachan (0)
• [2007-09-04 21:58]

Interesting situation here, Luko, one I have grown uncomfortably familiar with of late - over a hundred "passnants" and just a handful of comments. Peter is right to porint out the irony of a close portrait filling the frame but rejected (probably) for lack of "cuteness"..enough said.
A perfectly decent, mature portrait. You have certainly captured the complex of emotions and wiles that make up this proud matron. Two things though:
1. I think in this case the image is markedly outshined by the note.
2. This is where one of the glorious 85mm lenses would have helped you out - the f1.8 sure, the f1.2 even more, to soften everything beyond the eyes, making this more magical, you know what I mean (instead of the 24-105...?)

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• tcht (7163)
• [2007-09-05 0:13]

Hi Luko
top notch portrait here with great eye contact and fascinating details. I like your framing a lot, with the headscarf occupying left side and some bit of space on the right, its not too tight nor too far away. wonderful shot :)
Cheers
Cheukhin

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• luisafonso (13263)
• [2007-09-05 0:42]

Two points for that "Benfica outscores Sporting" sentence! :) I am not a fan of close portraits, so I'll leave proper critiquing to others... For me you are indeed too close. I disagree with Francis about the f1.2 or f1.8. The only good thing about it was that you had to step back to 85mm instead of being at 50mm like you are here. To be, you should had stick to 105mm and try to get both eyes focused. But I also don't like the compo that much. Having the oof eye in the back on the right somehow doesn't make sense for me. A mirrored image would be more effective, I think. But hey, I don't know anything about portraiture...

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• Bruno40 (4824)
• [2007-09-05 2:55]
• [+]

HI Luko
I enjoy the photo, and the note. I learnt something today, which is always good.
I am not expert on portraits, so I can only tell you that I like it, whatever the flaws it might have (I can see the oof eye, but doesn't bother me).
I disagree however with payment for pictures.... just a personal policy... maybe better to have bought some peanuts instead.
Good job, and TFS
Jorge

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• vapours (7690)
• [2007-09-05 4:29]

Heres something I'd be expecting to see on the front page of the Lonely Planet. Bright, full of colour and just demands attention. A portrait thats more than just somebody looking into the lens.

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• Darren (6801)
• [2007-09-05 5:31]

A pure and simple headshot from you Luko? I will have an immediate five Hail Marys ;)

This is an nice headshot, and I see nothing wrong in enjoying one from time to time. However, on the technical side, there are two things that bother me. First, I would have liked a deeper DOF, I can't help but notice the second eye which is not in the field of focus. Secondly, it appears to be badly oversharpened to me. I am not sure if it is technically oversharpened, or perhaps it is just too contrasty in her face. Nonetheless, the Musiro on her face is actually difficult to look at because of either the contrast or the sharpness.

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• ALSOM (6614)
• [2007-09-05 6:08]
• [+]

Salut,

Jusqu'à présent, j'ai tjs résiste à ne pas donner d'argent pour une photo, Dieu sait le nombre d'occasions j'ai voulu payer car ce qui avait devant moi était vraiment d'une photogénie incroyable ... Finalement on se fait une raison après coup.

C'est vrai qu'avec ta frustration au niveau photo, je comprends que t'ai laché qqs pièces sachant probablement que tu ne reviendrais jamais dans ce pays ;o) !

Pour revenir à la photo: cette couleur rouge/orange qui l'entoure est envoutante parsmé de feuille à faire palir un artiste peintre piontilliste, son maquillage qui met en avant son regard et sa bouche. et enfin ce regard qui vaut son prix ;o) ...

C'est vrai que le 2ème oeil est un frustration pour moi car il chasse le regard du lecteur (aidé par le bokeh) vers l'arrière plan. Le vignettage semble maculé ce rouge pure ...

Je vote oui pour l'ensemble photo+note ...

PS: t'as pas apporté de recharge pour tes batteries ?
PS1: pareil j'arrete de photographier les gamins ;o)
PSG: une fois n'est pas coutume, il demarre très mal le championnat ...

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• broglia (2736)
• [2007-09-05 8:03]

Hi Luko, I'm certainly no expert in portraiture but I guess it's the DOF which troubles me the most - looking at the camera info would suggest the light wasn't great and that the circumstances dictated your choice of settings. Certainly not the free and spontaneous type of shot which you are so very good at. Really excellent notes. Best regards, Roberto

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• robiuk (9967)
• [2007-09-05 9:11]

Hi Luko,
now having read all the critiques and spending
some time with the portrait (to digest it and come
out a bit wiser), there's only one thing I disagree
with and it's not the brightness of red colour tones,
nor the vignetting, but sharpness and crispness of
M'siro itself, so the lady with mysterious look in
her eyes looks like she's just finished enjoying her
semolina, eating from a bowl not using hands or
any cutlery.
I here don't even think that choice of different DOF
would help much, but have another solution to it for
everyone to consider, and that is - coming even closer
to her face. Don't think that way you would lose anything
of the impact her red robes make to this frame.
Robi

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• eleparc (24014)
• [2007-09-05 9:58]

franchement, c'est pas cool Luko de barbouiller cette dame de farine et de lait de coco pour faire ta photo! mais bon dieu, qu'est ce que ça marche bien! et alors t'es tu laissé allé à lui flatter l'arrière train pour faire comme les locaux? j'aime bcp!

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• don_narayan (2014)
• [2007-09-05 10:41]
•  [Show CommentHide Comment]

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• AnimeshRay (8777)
• [2007-09-05 11:24]

A very beautiful portrait to accompany an equally beautiful note. Bravo!

Yes, OK, OK, this lens is not the right lens, and all of that, but this is a 'fresh' portrait that goes deep into the psyche of the woman and the photographer...love it as such.

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• dolin (15647)
• [2007-09-05 12:38]

Salut Luko.
- Visage en 3/4, ca c'est le pied, j'adore.
- Ce rouge qui pète la rétine...nickel
- Cette gueule (brun-blanc), ce regard...miam
- Le fond brun qui se rapporte à la peau...top

Par contre....un doute sur la qualité ou sur la technique :(
- Le fond du visage et le 2ème oeil en léger flou....j'accroche pas trop je dois dire.
- Le blanc sur le visage c'est beau, mais techniquement y a un truc qui m'emmerde, j'arrive pas à dire si c'est trop net ou trop flou...ca donne un effet un pezu bizarre...ou alors c'est mes yeux ;)

Bref, un mélange de super bon et de moins terrible quoi ;)

Fred

(PS : t'as réussi à t'endormir hier après ta surprise sur le 5D de zépi ? :) )

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• brevbrev14 (20063)
• [2007-09-09 2:51]

Hi Luko, stunning portrait..and the red is fantastic..
Perhaps i would have prefered more DOF on the second eye..
Anyway.. i like the natural expression and the strong colour here..

ciao!
Valeria

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• coco (23466)
• [2007-09-15 7:15]

Hi Luko.

Splendid work.
This is not only a good portrait: this is also about the traditions of the people from this country.

Well done.

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• yanseiler (6561)
• [2007-09-19 7:46]

hey Luko je suis assez étonné que tu aies posté un portrait du genre, autant j'aime bien tes scènes africaines mais ce portrait ne me va pas trop... Il y a quelque chose de dérangeant à le regarder, il fait mal aux yeux, je ne sais pas la façon dont la tête est tournée, le sens du regard, l'expression un peu plate... Disons un vert pâle pour illustrer l'intéressante note...

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• Prisley (1128)
• [2007-12-09 3:43]
• - [workshop] [compare]

Salut Luko,

Ton dernier voyage en Afrique t’as transformé dis-moi ! Des portraits, des couchers de soleils… tu te renouvelles ;)
Je ne viens plus très régulièrement sur TE alors généralement je fais un check d’un bloc des derniers posts. Si je choisi de commenter d’abord celui là, c’est qu’il m’inspire un workshop très simple…un cropp…voilà mon explication.
A mon sens, ce qu'il manque à ta photo originale c'est soit:
1/ un contexte environnemental comme disait homerhomer dans sa critique, donc une vue plus large. Mais, je pense que ce n'était absolument pas le but (du moins c'est ce que ta note laisse supposer) puisque le sujet (le Musiro) est précisément restreint au seul visage de celle qui le porte.
2/ un angle plus resserré encore sur son visage. Le reste est superflu. Parce que ce qui est beau dans cette image c'est le dialogue muet qu'il y a entre le photographe et le sujet. Ses yeux et sa bouche attirent l'oeil, bien plus que son âge, ou ses vêtements… Il y a une touche d’espièglerie dans cette scène dont je me délecte :)) …parce que j’imagine ce qui a pu vous passer par la tête quand… « l’objectif qui est passé par ici…est repassé par là… »..

P.S : Tes notes sont véritablement aussi belles que tes photos ! Alors j’espère que tu continueras a poster sur TE en parallèle de Pbase.