Camera Nikon D70
F 5.6 1/60th sec
Lens Nikon 50 mm
Lighting: One mono light to the right of the photographer, approx 4 ft away, and just slightly infront of the model.
10 inch reflector with a medium grid attachment.
This image is about contrast. From black to white, from femininity to masculinity, being placed on a pedestal yet being in the dark. Looking into the light but leaning into darkness. from homosexuality to heterosexuality. Boldness to softness. I tried to make this image have meaning, more then just a picture to look at.
Statistics
Place: 168 out of 241 Avg (all users): 5.1954 Avg (commenters): 5.7059 Avg (participants): 5.1130 Avg (non-participants): 5.2448 Views since voting: 5024 Views during voting: 580 Votes: 307 Comments: 17 Favorites: 0
You know, this photo technically very good, and I like b&w photos, it's difficult to give low point. Made me laugh, which is good, you have done good job with shadows and composition. I can say excellent job. Very nice photo overall :)
There really isn't anything here that particularly reads "Mapplethorpian" to me--I mean, the kitschy leather boots can only "read" so far--and they, and the nudity are the Mapplesque signifiers here. In essence, you're piggybacking on someone else's reputation, using it to do most of the work for you.
The lighting doesn't really work here for me at all. My eye keeps being pulled to the strange triangulation of shadow on the chest, rather than to the portrait as a whole. Mapplethorpe's lighting is far more, hmm, I guess the best word would be precise (in fact, I find that the lighting is often the most interesting thing about Mapplethorpe's portraits). And the pose seems strangely demure for a portrait proclaiming to be "In Mappleseque."
i love your pose and i love the lighting...the only thing is that i find the boots a little disterbing...i never seen a man in knee lenth boots b4.but your very brave to try something different..well done
a reasonable homage to mapplethorpe, with a good, if very uncomfortable looking, pose. i wish the quality of light was better - darker or lighter, i wouldn't mind, but even rather than the hotspot on your thigh.
Add photograph to your favorites
Add photographer to your favorites
Photographer found comment helpful.
