Thanks to Karmat for the inspiration. I predict this will probably score a 3.5. Yeah, that'll be my new low!
Washable marker, don't worry. We argued a lot about the crop...
RAW
Canon DPP
Curves
White Balance to Flash
Saturation
Sharpening
Trimming Tool
PSElements 2
Curves
USM for initial sharpening
USM for contrast, Threshold very high to prevent dark eyes
Saturation
Color Mixer
Probably a few other tools
File: - C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\Canon Dumps\050106\CRW_5671_1.JPG
PhotometricInterpretation - 2
Make - Canon
Model - Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 350
YResolution - 350
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software - Digital Photo Professional
DateTime - 2006:05:01 21:07:56
YCbCrPositioning - Centered
ExifOffset - 148
ExposureTime - 1/125 seconds
FNumber - 8.00
ISOSpeedRatings - 100
ExifVersion - 0220
DateTimeOriginal - 2006:05:01 21:07:56
DateTimeDigitized - 2006:05:01 21:07:56
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
ShutterSpeedValue - 1/125 seconds
ApertureValue - F 8.00
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 1.80
Flash - Fired
FocalLength - 50 mm
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 1421
ExifImageHeight - 1421
FocalPlaneXResolution - 3443.95
FocalPlaneYResolution - 3442.02
FocalPlaneResolutionUnit - Inch
SensingMethod - One-chip color area sensor
FileSource - DSC - Digital still camera
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
WhiteBalance - Auto
SceneCaptureType - Standard
Statistics
Place: 228 out of 288 Avg (all users): 4.8790 Avg (commenters): 6.0000 Avg (participants): 4.5316 Avg (non-participants): 5.0414 Views since voting: 528 Views during voting: 340 Votes: 248 Comments: 17 Favorites: 0
as a portrait there are a few flaws... the eyes are too dark but still you have washed out spots in them, the lighting is bad, a straight flash from the camera is never good, try using a reflector or bouncer, even just a diffuser would help.
as for the challenge.. the saying you used " 'Til I'm Blue in the Face " a different makeupstyle would have scored much higher, the saying refers to pushing it so hard that you stop breathing and you need oxygen because your skin is turning blue.
a white powder on your face and a light blue lipstick would have been great, then adjust whitebalance too make the white powder turn slightly blue. that would make you look like "blue in the face"
--Trading Post--
The lighting looks a little flat here. I do like the composition and the square crop, but I'm not sure that it fits snugly in the challenge. I do like the creativity, but I think more blue would have helped. Great focus. I hate doing self-portraits.
~trading post~ The composition and format work well here, but the lighting doesn;t seem all that interesting imho. I definitely think you should have gone for all-blue, so it looked less haphazard and more comical.
But yeah, I think the lighting is the main thing that needs improvement - its just all very flat and this makes it more snapshot-ey.
Also, it could have benefitted from a deeper dof - the focus is fine, but narrow dof makes some features (eg eyes) soft.
The idea is great though, and if you had gone all blue I think it would have done much better. You beat your prediction though! lol
Actually, now I look at it more I'd personally suggest a slightly lower crop, so your chin isn't cut off.
Trading Post -
Not quite sure about this one. I think you should have fully committed to the title and went all blue baby. I may have opted for a slightly tighter crop - taken the ears right out. Your lines on the nose are a little off which left the pic seeming a bit off balance. The lines on each side of your face seem symmetrical though. I think the lighting on your eyes was maybe in the middle of where it would have worked better. A little brighter to see the color and detail of your pupils or a littl edarker to make it more sinister.
This shot did make me smile when I first saw it - but you would have scored much higher in my book had you just dipped your whole head in blue paint. That would have screamed dedication to your craft.
Trading Post comment
I didn't vote in this challenge, but when I scrolled through, this one made me laugh. Great idea! Need a bit more light to define the eyes and it would have been more effective with more blue. :-) Good job with the skin tones, and I like the crop!
Trading post...
I gave this a 7. I think the image went well with the saying. The stare is really disconcerting. I think what might have gotten you a better score is if instead of drawing a pattern you made the whole face blue. I like the tight crop around the ears but would have included the rest of the forehead and chin.
I don't know what to make of this photo. I like the tight crop and agree with those who think that the eyes should have been better featured (I've done the same thing, so now I recognize it.) The blue is a bit jarring, but I suppose that is the point. As rhythm goes, the pattern is all drums to me. : )
Not a lot of people liked this image. I think the pattern of markings was a little distracting. Interesting idea though. I would have rated higher if focus was back further so that the eyes were sharp as well. Some additional lighting on the eyes would also be nice or you could go the other route and rake the light so it darkens the eyes.
Good idea! One more light source will have helped you a lot. Try to use multiple light sources to improve portraits giving you less contrast and more appealing images.
It's a pretty clear portrait, but I'm having trouble with linking it to the meaning of the saying *doing something* until you are blue in the face... The portrait is too restive for me to link with this saying. The face is not nearly blue enough either.
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