Tone Mapped from 2 variations of a single RAW exposure, exported to CS2. High Pass sharpening. A touch of hue/sat, lower reds & yellows, bump cyans & blues. Various detail clonings with spot healing brush. Tiny adjustment in levels. Trace of vignetting.
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Statistics
Place: 54 out of 268 Avg (all users): 6.0625 Avg (commenters): 7.1538 Avg (participants): 5.8315 Avg (non-participants): 6.2621 Views since voting: 1783 Views during voting: 358 Votes: 192 Comments: 22 Favorites: 0
Didn't get to vote on this challenge, but this would have been a high scorer from me. Excellent, raw self-portraiture. I think the title is great (if for nothing else that you didn't name it "windows to the soul"). ;) There is an abstract sense about this, that I think the title pulls out and plays with. The "weathering" of your face evokes an expansive, varied, and not always serene landscape. There is the sense of seeing the effects of your travels, as well as the paths themselves. Excellent work.
I thought that was you. What a great portrait to show the depth in those eyes! The detail and emotion there are captivating! I really like this one so much!
Jeepers, you're stressing me out just looking at this! : ) This man looks like someone who has lost everything dear to him - all is long gone. The crop adds to the mood - no mouth so he's silenced - nothing left to say - and it feels tight like he's caged. Nice detail and shots (like yours) that demand some sort of emotional response from the viewer are truly art IMO. Back to bump you up to 8.
Brutal (self-?) portraiture, if then it must be catagorized as such.
It is, beyond any appearance, mystery or conjecture, the face of a man engaged in an existential dialogue, perhaps as much with himself as with forces beyond his control. Framing a face mouthless and at such intimate proximity, head-on and so bloody real, does little for portraiture or any manner of it. It does, however, shine a light on the human condition that leaves little doubt and might wake a shrewd idea of beauty which has nothing to do with aesthetics and everything with the predicament of life.
It is an arresting photograph, IMO, because it has something to say to those who can bear (pun intended) looking. Whatever technical finesses have gone into it will go as unnoticed as they should be, serving good reason instead of flattering Circe or the sentiment of decorators.
On my bitching scale (it embraces the dead as well as the living), it would be a 7. Here, I need to award it a 10.
Mate i can relate to this after a night on the hops!...seriously, you have really captured all the torture that exist in the soul of man. I gave this a 9
Wonderful. I'm expecting to see your reflection in his eyes, but you did a good job of preventing that. Very moving shot. Nothing that I know you can improve. Good luck.
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