All The Joys Of The Fair, a photo from Leicestershire, England

Photographer's Note

This young lady was so intent on the 'grab a toy' crane machine she was operating I was oblivious to her - her face was a picture and not the easiest image to capture through the body of the machine and it's contents - her friend who had spotted me composing the image was a sport by not alerting her - i just thought this summed up one aspect of the fair - it can re-make a child of us all if we let it.

Not a particularly contrasty subject with the cross lighting and atmospheric effects of the glass but I like images that are not so punchy at times - a nice one for me to play with as a print I think.

My town, Loughborough, has one of the largest old town centre street fairs left in the UK and it's been happening since the 13th century. i've switched from my images of Istanbul at the request of TE member and friend Brendan Head who with his partner Danielle formed a relatively impromptu TE trio at this event. A picture of the two of them in the workshop.

This is dedicated to Claire Vezina who just reminded me that friends are everywhere and that feelings count!!

ninaL, rigoletto, vapours, flory, Dpbours, luisafonso, AyseGurel, Clairedelune, eleparc, JorgeCK, faubry, kdialyna, nicoz, salvator, MayaG, josien has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

bantonbuju (51815) 2007-12-06 1:12

oh, this is delightful, kev...i envy you this post processing which results in such a natural colours palette...this is technically flawless portrait but that glass and the reflectiosn and all these "disturbing" things - they make the difference!
love it to the bits!
bw, j.

devimeuxbe (58557) 2007-12-06 1:20

Hi Kev
i like this one !
the sharpness is great on the glance. beautifull and strange colors around
Very nice
BErtrand

Gustaw (21670) 2007-12-06 1:24

Hi, my friend!
It is very nice photo. I like your portrait. Good composition and nice colours. I like your reflection. Well done.
Marek

ninaL (21348) 2007-12-06 1:26

Unbearable lightness of being.
Youth, beauty, dreams and transparency ...
Everything is still possible for her...she i seems to float in a world of elfin projections ...
Beautiful one, Kev...
Best regards. Grazyna.

rigoletto (34279) 2007-12-06 1:52

Last weekend i was photographing with Korkut in a lunapark, and the same kinda crane machine had some people around it, all with excited and enthusiastic faces like this. But it was far too dark for my camera, and max. aperture of f/3.5 was indeed not enough to create such a nice DOF. Therefore, i had to quit the idea of taking a similiar photo like this one.
Well, good camera sometimes really counts...
Envy...

vapours (8264) 2007-12-06 2:11

What I love about going on shoots with other people is it brings out the difference in what we see with our camera. I remember taking a few shots of people playing this machine but was trying something completely different.

I liken this shot to my only photo from the day, an intimate view of somebody experiencing some small joy in their day. The streaks of light give it a good upbeat atmosphere, reflecting the night time vibe of the carnival.

Thanks for the day again mate, and glad to hear that you aint leaving yet. (Check my workshop ;))

[workshop] [compare]

aralda (1240) 2007-12-06 2:15

Hi Kev,
Delightful portrait indeed, with an air of mystery and beautiful layering.
Raluca

maystroo (329) 2007-12-06 2:32

this is so pure,welldone

Dpbours (222) 2007-12-06 4:17

Hi Kev,

This one could also have been titled 'All the joys of flair'. She has a certain flair around her that comes really out nicely in your work here. What a great creamy blur, only a slight noise in the whites, and what a nice reflections of light in the foreground. The 5D and you at their best :-).

Greetings,
Dennis

luisafonso (862) 2007-12-06 5:52

Beautiful Kev. Your silky "filter" worked wonders here. The soft tones have really created a poetic atmosphere and the doubled bokeh emerges like a layer of dreaminess. Very good...

partha (14023) 2007-12-06 6:33

Well capture. Tough shot but executed brilliantly.
Partha

fryz (1735) 2007-12-06 7:11

très beau portrait Kev
see you soon
Vincent

AyseGurel (574) 2007-12-06 11:20

Hello;
very soft capture with a dreamy face and little butterfly..
very nice colors..
TFS
ayse

hamster (104) 2007-12-06 11:44

Interesting shot, even more because of the light reflexions. Nice lens you have - the picture is sharp and the colors are very pleasant.

Regards,
Grzegorz

adelune (0) 2007-12-06 12:14

A really very great portrait! TFS a so really good shot Kev! Best regards, alain

Clairedelune (4923) 2007-12-06 18:25

First, thank you Kev. Thank you for the dedication. You see, post like that have their raison d'être in TE. It might not be perfect, but it is valuable.
Yes, I can see somehow the "fairy" world in her eyes and her smile. And with the reflection, we have an idea of what she is looking at, though I would have like to see it a little more. I might have crop a little at the left side, since I don't think it brings something important or interesting to the photo, and it distracts a bit. Incredible 'texture' you get...
Geez! The little butterfly is so cute! But, you have nothing to do with it, isn't it? :)
Keep sharing your world with us, dear Kev...
Claire

MarcT (20964) 2007-12-06 22:50

Hi Kevin,
What a beautiful girl. Excellent textures and details in her skin and eyes. You never put your Exif data with your pictures. How high did you push your ISOs?
Cheers
Marc

jasmis (58653) 2007-12-07 2:07

Amazing model shown in incredible spotlights.
Really makes impression.
Regards.

eleparc (24063) 2007-12-07 10:43

Hi Kev, this one is a pure gem! the lightness and sharpness of this photo is awesomely beautiful. The reflection on this good looking face is extraordinary, in the mood of one of sasa's work... congratulations!
Eric

JorgeCK (2620) 2007-12-07 12:03

Hi Kev
Excellent sharpness, great portrait with nice soft tones. Excellent use of the natural light.
Bravo!
joRge

keribar (43841) 2007-12-07 22:14

Hello Kev,

This is MY picture of the day. Great great catch of this pretty face, and I am amazed by the pin sharpness of your long Canon lens, which works so well, and you are really holding the camera sturdy without blurring the scene. I am not sure I could do it so well, but I feel that I could aim for such a scene where all details are out of focus except the face. Golden hues and unsharp lights are also a good plus. Friendly yours - Izzet

faubry (35447) 2007-12-08 1:11

wonderful light on face, a lot tranparence, a lot romantic and dream, soft colors, all is wonderful in this photo, bravo
have a good WE
francine

flory (4848) 2007-12-08 14:24

hi Kev,
love this butterfly!shining eyes and all around..delightful image!
thanks,
Flori;)

kdialyna (3148) 2007-12-09 9:46

Wonderful portrait Kev.
Her dreamy expression makes the difference. The absolutely perfection.
Excellent DOF disappears anything it can bothers the view.
Cheers
Kostas

nicoz (1979) 2007-12-10 2:28

Hi Kevin,
Gorgeous portrait! I mean, I really like it all! The tones are incredible and so are the reflections. What really makes it is how fucused anf happy the girl looks. She's really pretty too, the cherry on the cake ;-).
Looks a bit like a screenshot taken from a L'oreal add!
It might be my favorite photos seen on TE recently! Thumbs up for this one!
Nicolas

salvator (19110) 2007-12-10 14:07

Hi Kev,
Wow man. The sharpness is superb, it is more than superb it is woooaaaaaaah. Izzet Bey showed me this photo today, and we were discussing, that the photo, taken with ISO 1600, with such details and sharpness and no noise whatsoever, even when enlarged from 800x600 resosultion is absolutely wonderful.
Impressive quality my friend.
Best regards. Salvator.

MayaG (2415) 2007-12-10 15:13

What a wonderful, dreamy picture this is. Her childish look, the little butterfly, those two 'moons' beside, really beautiful!

josien (175) 2007-12-12 3:45

Hi Kev,

I came across this picture on the day you posted it and now I've found it again and I want to comment it, because I think it is really beautiful. She looks so innocent, lighthearted, totally absorbed. Just playing her game, having fun. It's just like you say... if you let it it can re-make a child of you. I think you've captured that idea beautifully!
thanks..

josien

Ber (8242) 2008-04-07 13:37

Hi Kev
Gorgeous portrait! Wonderful light on face. Delightful image!
regards