ahh the wood nymph stricks again.
this was by far ~the~ most painful selfportrait i have every taken (and that is saying ALOT!!)
I now know how depp felt in edward scissorhands.
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Post challenge replies
racha, ttreit : the limbs were duct-taped to my (female) arms - sleaves aren't that strong.
neophyte: might want to check that monitor - the highlights are already blown as far as i was prepared to go.
my lighting abilites have definately improved since becoming site active.
mcrochip: hair??
For all the low voters - open your minds a litte... your life might quit being so mundane ;D
Statistics
Place: 70 out of 432 Avg (all users): 5.6745 Avg (commenters): 7.2222 Avg (participants): 5.5933 Avg (non-participants): 5.7568 Views since voting: 1860 Views during voting: 386 Votes: 298 Comments: 29 Favorites: 7 (view)
Alright, I want to comment on this one as well. Lighting? Check. Crop? Check. Creativity? Double check. Inspiring? Check cubed. You are a wonderful photographer, I am still humbled by your ability.
Greetings from the Critique Club!!(again)
There is not really much for me to critique! IMHO This photo is not only asthetically (sp?) beautiful, it is also intriguing and thought provoking. I see that you have gotten a very thorough critique from Neuferland, so I will only put in my little 2 cents. I like the lighting, to me it gives the impression that the subject is turning away, almost hiding, from the light. Anyway, Very nice job, well executed!
~~SiSi
Didn't vote in this challenge but do like this photo and all of yours! I have a very open mind about life but can't seem to express it creatively, which is what I'm striving for and starting to get very discouraged with my photography. My life, I guess, is very mundane ...
This is a wonderfully shot with feeling and mood but there are a few things that jumped right out at me and as a result, if I had the chance to vote on this challenge I would have given this one a 4 or 5.
First, nothing in the shot really grabs my attention to start with except the hand on the left, the left side is not blown out but it's so much brighter compared to the rest of the shot it pulls me away from everything else in the shot, my eyes keep getting drawn back to that highlighted hand. Maybe tone it down a bit or bring up the lighting just a tad in the rest of the shot to balance it out just a touch more.
Second, the negative space on the right does nothing for me, if you were going for the rule of thirds, you did that but it doesn't really work for me in this shot. There is already so much darkness and the additional black space on the right does not compliment the picture to me but more takes attention away from the main subject, right after I can finally draw my eyes away from the left hand I'm taken to the dark right side.
I'm guessing you want me to see the face, the expression and the desolation in the eyes. Using my magic envelope I took off the right side and had the crop right on the right side of the branches so they were leading me out of the shot, then my eyes were drawn to your eyes in the shot, following them up the branch and it made me wonder just what was on the other side of the edge that would cause you to look that way. It peaked my curiousity and therefore held my attention longer. The way the shot is now you are looking into black space, nothing to fear or be wary of.
My crop of your shot, hope you don't mind:
Now, your left hand isn't such a distraction for some reason, instead it draws me in on the left, making me follow the branch line, seeing your face and following it out to the right, making me wonder just what is out there that has you so wary.
Hope this helps.
Deannda
If you asked for a Critique on the photo from the Critique Club, consider it done, I belong. :)
P.S. (this is the edit), the rule of thirds could still work on this if the negative space was on the left instead of the right, don't have the original, have no idea if you could pull that off, but there you go.
I love it. as others have said, it was a very creative take on the challenge and well executed. I would consider this under rated, but that's the way it goes sometimes, so if you are happy with it and have learned to improve your photography, then plenty of good has come out of it. adding this as a favorite.
Wicked Tim Burton cue. Fine lighting, the teensiest bit too bright on the hand on the left which is almost totally immatterial. Superb use of shadow and maybe makeup on the eyes.
WHOA! This is GREAT!!! The lighting is perfect, as is the composition. This is going straight into my Favorites. Outstandingly creative and artistically presented shot.
Thank you. After hundreds of branches with no context, I now have something I enjoy looking at. Think the tones work wonderfully here. Love the crop. Lighting excellent. Since I have yet to see anything like this so far and the image is extremely well done, you get my first 10. Adding to favs.
My first reaction was "thats original!" I like it...except that the branch is obviously stuffed down his (her?) shirt sleave on the left which kind of ruins the magic.
Wow. That's kinda cool. I really like it. It must have been hard to balance the tree branches in your hands with just your sleeve holding onto them. Cool, nice job.
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