A smile, finally

Critiques [Translate]

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• Polonaise (15749)
• [2008-05-06 11:59]
• [3] - [workshop] [compare] [+]

Dear Michele...
Confucius once said:
Photography preserves the precious things...
So... Preserve...!
Preserve the 'things' you love...His face, his wicked 'country and western' denim shirt, his addictive smile...
The burnt spots on his forehead...?
Do you really like them ?
Just in case if your answer to the question would be 'NO", I did the dirty job for you...
I cut the guy with the scalpel on the operational table - mercilessly...
There... You can have him back... Castrated...

:-))))


g.

...............
Love and scalpel, Michele.. Forever...

•  
• MrCairo (1823)
• [2008-05-06 12:34]

Good frame ! Polonaise style :)
His scalpel is good. His WS is like clear message.
BR
Wojtek

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• MarianneS (6810)
• [2008-05-06 12:40]

Bonsoir Michele,
J'aime beaucoup ce traitement N&B que tu as choisi.
Combiné avec le recadrage serré de Georges, c'est superbe!
Excellente collaboration.
Cordialement,
Marianne

•  
• Clairedelune (4730)
• [2008-05-06 14:56]
• [2] [+]

Note: Exceptionally, I'll write my critique in English, even though my English is less good than my French...
First of all Michele, congratulations! I think you have done something that was not easy for you and this, in itself, is a victory: to interact with someone and ask for making a photo. I don't mean by that that we always have to ask for a photo, but it is an open door for photography opportunity, for another type of photography. You did it Michele! You did it!
The second step is... how to take a photo once the door is opened! That may sounds easy. It is not. Since one year, I've gone against my natural shyness more than once. And each time, looking at the photos after, I was disappointed. A missed opportunity. Somehow, the photos were very bland, dull, insipid, static... All that to say that it is not that easy. The last time I had an opportunity, the photos were better... So, maybe there is hope after all! :))
Indeed, George's workshop gives a big piece of wisdom... Just the things you love.... If you have the time, go see one of my first photo in TE. Go see the WS of George. I think that time I stayed a few hours in front of this and learned a great deal. George is the enfant terrible in TE. But we can learn so much from him...
Sorry for this too long comment.
Cheers Michele. Don't stop there!
Claire

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• bebel (7149)
• [2008-05-07 0:34]

Bonjour
joli portrait en noir et blanc, peut-être un peu trop centré et les tonalités légèrement "dures" comme on disait du temps au tirage papier. Le regard qu'on ressent très présent est un peu loin du coup. Cela dit c'est sympa comme sujet.
Pour la note, moi qui ne suis pas très costaud en anglais, j'ai l'impression que tu n'as pas parlé du quartier juif qui est historiquement présent depuis bien plus longtemps que les gays qui l'ont investi depuis une vingtaine d'années. Le Hamamm de la rue des Rosiers était bien fréquenté, comme le restau Goldenberg et les nombreuses épiceries détaillées dans le guide du ROutard.
C'est aussi le lieu de deux ou trois café-théâtre forts connus.
Cordialement
pierrot

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• zmey (4283)
• [2008-05-07 5:23]
• - [workshop] [compare] [+]

hello michele

it seems, our dear george is on a run here today ;)) but ain't it sheer pleasure to read/watch him even when he's swearing at the same time smiling straight in your eye? something to be learned from him always. sorry for this sidestep, michele. back to your photo: first, my congratulations on that big step you made! (i've done it a couple times, but only traveling (not sure if that counts). still have to muster my guts to do it here, where i live, if you know what i mean. and after that the second part (the one clairedelune is speaking about): i'm afraid, i have not even touched the tip of the iceberg here). sorry, a side step again... back to your portrait - a nice result! from his smile, it seems he appreciates your doing. and, on the same token, his smile serves as the best possible reward for you. one thing: i feel, i am not that happy with the amount of light in his eye area. i would have loved to see his eyeballs whiter and maybe more glint in the middle ;) as to the higlights on his head. one way to go would be to take george's workshop (excellent as usual); another: clone those spots with the 'material' you have right next to them. it seems, there are no features (like wrinkles) in that area, so - plain cloning should have done the job just fine. another issue is the highlights BEHIND his hed on the left. those seem to be jumping forward aggressively and competing for attention (mine at least) with the portrait itself. george has wisely cropped them away. alternative: tone them down with curves, but could be tedious since all information is really blown [burnt] out of them.

warm regards,
kristaps

ps. oh yes, michele, he does seem genuinely FRENCH to me :))

pps. michele, even though i love george's workshop, i dared to add a simple one to illustrate what can be done if one does not possess the sure guided hand of a head surgeon (like george here does). hope you do not mind.

•  
• Clementi (20249)
• [2008-05-07 16:50]

ciao Michele ,
l'idea e' buona c'e' solo il bianco sulla sinistra che disturba e bene ha fatto George nel ws.
comunque rimane una bella foto vedrai che a forza di tentare migliori anche nel ritratto.
Giorgio

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• noborders (11162)
• [2008-05-08 10:55]

Chère Michèle, après tout ce qui a été écrit ici, je ne sais pas trop quoi ajouter - j'aime beaucoup le sourire charmant et expressif avec les "pattes d'oie", bien sûr les WS apportent quelque chose mais ta photo me plaît déjà au départ. A part que si tu avais un peu décentré c'aurait été encore mieux...
Voilà, en gros, elle est vraiment sympa et je viens de voir ta dernière mais honnêtement, c'est celle-ci que je préfère !
Très heureuse d'avoir fait ta connaissance, à une autre fois j'espère,
Cath.

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• scroller (1960)
• [2008-05-08 13:50]

Hej Michèle!

An excellent portrait of this (hesitating) happy man. I will not give any recommendations of improval, no knowledge, and alson beacuse I like it the way it is.

Hälsningar
Stefan

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• paololg (4641)
• [2008-05-08 14:22]

Ciao dolce Michèle,
un ottimo ritratto in bianco e nero ( sono i più difficili da fare ) dove dimostri ancora una volta tutta la tua bravura. Trovo molto interessanti le tue note, ma non sono d'accordo con le tue peroccupazioni per i riflessi di luce sulla testa. La foto è bella così, come è al naturale. E' molto più vera. In ogni caso, è apprezzabile il WS di zmey, mentre trovo assolutamente brutto il WS di Polonaise, con una cornice da funerale che taglia inspiegabilmente l'immagine facendo perdere valore alla foto. Molto meglio la tua versione.
Ciao e buon soggiorno al mare ( porti con te anche Merline?). Lucy è un pò più brava, anche se vuole fare sempre quello che vuole.
Paolo

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• jorgi (2231)
• [2008-05-14 23:43]

Hello,

since I'm so behind your posts I have the preveliege to enjoy opinions and suggestions from others. Of course George did it. Just that missing touch to make it stand out, to make it perfect. But I do not think I can give you right opinion about portraits cause I really have no experiences here, just if I like it or not. In my honest opinion I prefer that "snapshot" of a girl. I can find richer story behind it than here. I'm so not good with people but seeing theit portraits I cannot help to wonder about their lifes. You already wrote yourself it would be better to put him in his environment, behind the counter. That would give him a story to tell. And me a story to hear. However you did sth big here, you made a contact for the purpose of taking a photo of him. For that I bow to you, my dearest Michele.

Kind regards,
Jeri