I woke up with this idea today, checked the library hours, did a happy dance that have Sunday hours, and walked the few blocks over to pick up a Nancy Drew book. I picked out this vintage copy, printed in 1960. Decided that green would be the best color to go with both the book and the model (moi). Tacked up the green felt and dug up an old pair of emo plastic rimmed glasses. Not bad for a fairly last minute entry, I think!
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Place: 51 out of 127 Avg (all users): 5.7010 Avg (commenters): 6.7222 Avg (participants): 5.4118 Avg (non-participants): 5.7974 Views since voting: 1320 Views during voting: 440 Votes: 204 Comments: 22 Favorites: 1 (view)
Very nice depiction with great colors. As a remote possibility I would have comsidered an alternative clothe change to more subdued colors and even a lamplight to enhance the mystery aspect. Again, this is only meant as a possible alternative. As is, the image tells the story, yet it is my feeling that this concept could have been extended upon. Bumping to 7.
I like the concept, and I like the picture, but it doesn't especially grab me.
Decent photo that meets the challenge is what I vote as a 5.
I'm sorry I don't have anything to suggest. I like the composition, but maybe there's no way to take this particular concept that would really grab me. Maybe having the book glow? 5.
Certainly a different take on Magic & Mystery. A tribute to those of us who still love mysteries - and who grew up on Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys:-) My first Nancy Drew that I read was #47 The Mysterious Stranger - then I read all of them...but I digress. The merits and critique on the photo. I was going to make the point that the model should have had her hair like Nancy's seen on the back cover when it then dawned on me that the title plays into the reason. She is wearing pigtails which is a connection to childhood - and even though us gals get old we always remember our girlhood reading and enjoying Nancy Drew. The expression of the model is good because it shows she is totally engrossed in the action that is happening in the pages of the book. My critiques lie in the elements of the composition. I think that if the pigtails stuck out more than an even stronger connection to childhood and you are never too old would be established. I also think that you could have better utilized the background space - here it is just negative space that has nothing in it. It could have been used to help make a stronger connection to the enjoyment of reading Nancy Drew. Some examples: the cover art for The Mysterious Mannequin shows a veiled woman pointing to a tapestry. You could have had that book in the shot and had a tapestry similiar to the cover art hanging in the background. Or the cover art for The Clue In The Old Album you could have had a picture of a moustached man playing a violin hanging in the background to match the book cover. Or The Scarlet Slipper Mystery in which you have a painting of a ballerina in the background to match the cover art of the book.....you see where I am going with the suggestion. If there is some negative space in the shot that can be used to strengthen an element in the shot without it becoming too busy then it might be worth exploring. Lastly, mayhap tis just me, but the green shirt just is too overpowering a tone for the photo. A more muted green......mayhap even clothes that alludes to an elementry school uniform or girl scouts uniform would have would have been better for the composition for it would help strengthen the connection to childhood and one "never being too old" to enjoy a revisit to an "old friend"
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