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Simply happy


Simply happy
Photo Information
Copyright: Michele Gruber Caelen (Merline) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 844 W: 88 N: 1185] (5062)
Genre: People
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-03-18
Categories: Daily Life
Camera: Canon EOS 40D, Canon EFS 17-55 IS USM f/2.8
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/60 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): I love Paris [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-03-27 10:40
Viewed: 398
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This couple were walking hand in hand along the Seine, they looked simply happy and eager to discover.. I liked her sweet face, the beautiful white hair in ponytail as she observed the view. I let go of my husbands' hand to shoot them... he is a good assistant, although sometimes tends to just go towards the subject I am aiming;-))). This image is a dedication to him and I hope will will visit Paris like this when we are older...

* I guess I should have used a F-stop of 2.8 or something for a bokeh, but well, one learns as one tries out. Again it's nice to see a bit of the view, what's your feeling ?
Then the opposite : if I wanted the picture sharp all over to the bridge and behind, at what should I aim/focus ? (say being at around F-13, 16...). I have difficulties in understanding. Grateful for any input! *

I could have made a b/w conversion, but I preferred the soft colors of her skin and hair going well with the ones of the river.

°°°°

The Banks of the Seine in Paris were added to the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1991. The river splits Paris in two, with the Left Bank Rive Gauche sitting to the south of the river, and the Right Bank Rive Droite to the north.It forks in the centre, creating two small islands, the Ile de la Cite and the ile Saint-Louis.

The waters of the Seine have always been the heart and soul of Paris, dating back to the days when the Parisii tribe first established a fishing village on the island now known as Ile de la Cité — between 250 and 200 B.C. Prized for its position as a major inland port, Paris has been invaded, occupied, and conquered by its share of foreigners over the course of two millennia, many of whom arrived by this waterway. The last major invasion by water occurred between 885 and 886 A.D., when 30,000 Norman pirates in 700 ships sailed up the Seine, only to find it valiantly defended by Comte Eudes.
Ever since the days of the Roman Empire, when Paris prospered through extensive river trading and expanded to the Left Bank, the Seine has been a great commercial artery, linked by canals to the Loire, Rhine, and Rhône rivers. Officially established as the capital city by Clovis, king of the Franks (who defeated the Roman governor of Gaul and established the Merovingian dynasty), Paris evolved into a cultural center and a showcase of glorious architecture.


I love Paris
HulyaTaskin, albertopiubello, mariandrea, avene, jorgi, Clementi, paololg, Dyerco, scroller, rushfan2112, noborders, Jean-Luc has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To michiels: Yes, we willMerline 1 03-29 17:18
To paololg: Caro amico,Merline 1 03-29 17:12
To Dyerco: Hi PhilMerline 1 03-29 16:38
To rushfan2112: I certainlyMerline 1 03-29 16:36
To matteo97: grrrrrrrrMerline 1 03-29 14:23
To bwiti: !Merline 2 03-27 15:07
To japiey: Yes,Merline 1 03-27 11:11
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Michele,
Simply touching :)
Very lovely couple & well taken...
All the best,
Hulya

  • Great 
  • wolf38 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1981 W: 75 N: 959] (6572)
  • [2008-03-27 10:44]

Hello Merline. The photo pleases me very well. It is realistically, alive and worth seeing. A good snapshot. Best regards, Wolfgang.

Bonsoir Merline,
quelle belle image si pleine de poesie! Et tu as laissé la main de ton mari pour la capturer et pour nous l'offrir... cela ajoute encore de la poesie! ça communique l'envie de goûter à la vie!
Super!
Alberto

Hi Michele,

Thank God, you posted again... I was writing earlier, and quickly that image vanished..

Years of life in their faces.... Millions of lovely moods in their dreams..
A HAPPY SHOT :)

jp

Hi Michele, great picture!! full of expression, it really transmits feelings. In these cases the technique is on second place, you caught a beautiful scene, well done! and thanx for sharing, chau chau,

Maria

Hi dear Michele,
Wonderfull !
Not only that those two nice people are almost my age, but it radiates something very special: To enjoy the beauties of the life.
And this capture is with it's perfect pov and compo a perfect evidence of this reality.
Congratulations and TFS
Best regards
MESUT ILGIM

  • Great 
  • avene Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1070 W: 68 N: 1335] (5018)
  • [2008-03-27 12:21]

such a great photo, Michèle, it's warm, it's wise, it's joyfull, it's the essence of a life well-lived. I think the lady would be very pleased with it :) I like a lot how you have composed the shot with the bridge perfectly framing her head, and the soft warm light fits well with the overall mood of the scene. excellent work!

with kind regards,
Kristine

Hi Michele,
Very nice scene,I have doubts about the link between the title
and the photo,I don't know how happy looks that face.Nevertheless
a good approach,nice mood...I wonder it it's not to centered ...
Regards,
Horatiu

hello Michele,

Indeed a lovely scene, full of emotion.
I like the bit blurred background. The main subject are the persons and otherwise the background would take to much attencion. If you want it sharp you must use a diafragm of 11 or higher ( when you have something in the first plane). If you shoot a photo in the distance without a first plane you can also do it with diafragm 4.5 for example : it doesn't matter (then the shutterspeed could be important). If you like the person very sharp and the rest before and after it blurred to put the attencion on the figure, use a small number of diafragm like 4.5 and put the focus on the person. you just feel it after a while, very nice to work with !!!
greetings, inn
ps. when we will go to brussels i will explain you the details :))

  • Great 
  • jorgi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 724 W: 122 N: 490] (2231)
  • [2008-03-27 12:58]

Hi Michele,

It is nice to see happiness. I needed this days. And I love this shot. It is so soft and warm and free. With some wind in the hair, with a flow of a river and all free and spare time to enjoy and embrace this lovely sunny day. Yes, happy. You captured happiness. :)

Kind regards,
Jeri

Ciao michele,
e' bello vedere come alle persone anziane basti poco per essere felici un po' come i bambini, stupiti guardano il fiume.
molto il bello il lavoro sulla foto in particloare la profondita' di campo sapientemente regolata per dare maggiore vigore al soggetto principale .
veramente un bel lavoro
Giorgio

Bonsoir Michèle,
Ce qui est particulièrement bon, c'est la composition, avec la diagonale formée par cette élégante femme qui se penche sans masquer le pont de pierre blanche sur la Seine.
Amicalement,
Fabrice

faut pas vieillir!

  • Great 
  • bwiti Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 783 W: 92 N: 1035] (5990)
  • [2008-03-27 14:49]
  • [+]

Il est passé où ton coin fumeur ?
Elle est marrante celle-ci, en tout cas voilà bien la preuve que la curiosité n'a pas d'âge... Combien de gamins se dressent ainsi sur l'avant de leur pieds afin de voir au dessus du parapet ? Et bien mamie fait de même évidemment.. C'est vrai qu'un noir et balnc aurait également parfaitement fonctionné....
A plus Merline...

Ciao dolce Michele,
leggendo le tue belle note, questa immagine acquista ancor di più valore e poesia. Anch'io resto incantato piacevolmente quando vedo due amanti con i capelli bianchi camminare mano nella mano. Il vero amore non ha età. Bella foto, fatta da una persona sensibile come te. Brava.
Ciao
Paolo.

Hi Michele
I like this scene as it shows the lady has the curiosity of a child. I think F10 was just fine. The BG is not totally sharp and if you had gone to F2.8 the man would have also been out of focus. I think he is integral to the shot even though we don't see his face at all.
Phil

Hej Michèle,

Its seems that they are happy in the spring sun. But what is she looking for? Did she drop anything ;).

About the photo I dont mind having it unfocus in the background the opposit way I like it this way. Portrait photos like this should be in this way in my opinion. Only but is a little tilt of the river.
Hälsningar
Stefan

  • Great 
  • sagar Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 380 W: 65 N: 284] (1783)
  • [2008-03-28 6:14]

Hi Michele,
This is a very touching shot!!! It should be felt, and admired. More tahn the camera , I salute the heart that took the shot.
Regards,
Sagarneel.

Ciao Michele ,
che buffa foto sembrano due bambini divertiti di vedere il fiume .
molto bella anche la sfocatura dietro .
brava
Matteo
P.S. mio padre ha detto di salutarti GRU....

Hi Michele.

I love this shot. It's exactly how I want Lara, my wife, and I to be when we are their age - as much in love as we are now. Bokeh can be over-rated. I thing there's sufficient blur for the bridge not to distract (though it is a bit bright) and enough detail to put the scene in context. For me, it's just right. Great work. Regards, Paul.

Hello Michèle-Merline,
Je vois beaucoup de tendresse dans ton regard, c'est un superbe portrait de profil (et un très beau modèle). Je ne connais rien aux focales dont tu parles dans ta note, mais pour moi c'est très bien ainsi, le visage de la dame bien net et la distance marquée par le léger flou du pont, pourtant suffisamment visible... Et très contente de voir cette photo en couleurs !
Très belle photo,
Compliments,
Cath.

Bonjour Michèle,
IL n'y a pas d'age pour visiter Paris comme on peut le constater tous les jours en flanant dans les rues de la Capitale ou sur les quais de la Seine!
C'est un instant plein de poésie et de douceur que tu nous offre avec ce portrait d'une femme, plus toute jeune, mais dont on devine la jeunesse d'esprit par ce regard curieux penché vers la Seine.
Bravo aussi pour la note bien documentée.
Amicalement
Jean-Luc

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