As usual, an 11th hour entry. Railway tracks are generally a metaphor for escape but I didn't want to do the cliched set of feet delicately walking along one railway track. I really wanted to get the hell out of Dodge! So I had to ensure that there was a great deal of space between my feet and the tracks.
There are some rarely used tracks a few minutes drive away, with plenty of visibility for about a mile each direction, and the train comes approximately twice a week at all of 20km/hr, so I knew I was relatively safe.
Originally I wanted to do a levitation in a billowy sundress, but to get the kind of shot I wanted it would have to be a helluva levitation! And levitations are generally very serene, so trying to look serene and get adequate altitude is a tall order. Also, I managed to break the old plastic stool I'd brought along to jump off of (and I would have had to clone it out).
So after tossing the broken stool to the side, it was up to my creaky 45-yr-old bod to do all the work. Fortunately I competed in running long jump in high school, so was able to get up enough speed and altitude for a handful of good shots, but still got my feet caught in the treetops. I had to start jumping and landing closer to the camera, and had to watch my footing on landing so I didn't sprain an ankle, or worse.
Camera on tripod slammed to the ground, and at this point in the shoot, I was risking landing on the camera itself! Used radio remote and Manual focus, once I used Auto to establish approximately where I would be. Did close to 100 jumps. Anyway hope people like it, I know my knees are wondering wtf happened to them this morning! :-)
pp: shot RAW, crop, brightness/contrast, very minor cloning, resize, sharpen, save for web
Statistics
Place: 31 out of 97 Avg (all users): 5.8811 Avg (commenters): 7.5556 Avg (participants): 6.0488 Avg (non-participants): 5.8137 Views since voting: 744 Views during voting: 322 Votes: 143 Comments: 20 Favorites: 0
Commenting for the critique thread (also viewing on an iPad right now).
I see I scored this a 6 in the original voting, as it met the challenge and was technically sound but didn't engage me in any particular way.
The reasons for this echo much of what has already been said - not being able to see your face results in a lack of connection with the viewer, not much definition in your legs (I really would have loved to see this with a billowing skirt or some such) and your left hand tucked behind your body is a shame - both arms a little more outstretched might have helped.
I also feel that the leading lines going to the vanishing point sort of drag the viewers gaze straight through the shot to the far distance rather than leading directly to you
I'm happy with the exposure, focus and processing, just not really the composition.
On the whole, not a great deal wrong with the shot, just not a world beater.
From the critique thread... I like the dynamic aspect of the person hanging in the air but looking up as this person is doing provides no engagement with the viewer.
I can only second what vikas said below and add that I feel the shot is a tad underexposed and somewhat red overall. (viewing on an IPad.)
Its nice to see the siggy being used by the right person :)
As for the critique - I gave this a 6 and here is why - It fits the challenge, train tracks are used and nicely composed. Leading lines with beautiful trees and the processing is nice too.
Now for the negatives - its missing the perfect symmetry that could really make a shot like this work. Vanishing point would have lined up with your name under the picture if it was symmetrical. Foreground trees on the right are distracting and again breaks the symmetry that you were trying to go for. As for the levitation, it does not add much to the photograph, a simpler jump and looking straight down into the camera might have given some more impact in my opinion.
Didn't vote but this would have been one of my higher votes simply because it isn't just some train tracks. I think the light is nice and the trees framing the subject work well as well as the tracks being a nice leading line. Cons... Why is a girl jumping on the tracks? Perhaps another element would help but it's not bad for the challenge. Surprised it finished low.
As you can tell by my origional post Kweeel... I thought this was awesome I gave it an 8 and was shocked it didn't hit the top 5.. like really shocked! to nit-pick the hell outta it, maybe a little more light on your jeans so I could see clearly seperation on both legs??????????????????
What happens if you lighten the shadows quite a bit? Your legs just run together as a black area on my monitor and I could use more detail in the shadow area of the torso, face and hair, and trees on the right side, too. Other than that I am in awe - of your ability to get this kind of focus on a SP AND on your ability to run and jump that many times in one session. Wow.
Missed the jumping girl challenge? Could have blued there. Maybe here too. Quite an incredible, other-minded view. Contradicting our flightless lives. 8
Some serious vert! The background has great mystery and some great white birch trees. I like the pose and the angle, as "a wish critique" I am picturing the Model dressed a bit more anciently, with arms outstretched as if rising.
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