Stopped in Starbucks to get my Saturday mocha and un-numb my fingers. Saw this guy when I walked in and thought he'd be a good subject, but wasn't comfortable popping up the camera and just shooting - it's not a large Starbucks. So I shot this with the 10-22 kinda discretely using the dSLR as a point and shoot, not looking through the viewfinder.
Little bit of a crop, Lightroom preset which added the blue and the deep contrast - something called Creative Catalyst 10, which I tweaked a hair. Cloned a reflection on the poster on the right side, sharpened a bit, resized, added a small border.
I really like this. Hope a few of you do as well. Thanks for looking!
[Jan. 15th, 2009 08:13:16 AM]
I have pretty much reached what I figure is my peak here at DPC with this. Favs during voting, a VERY respectable score, an apparent Posthumous ribbon* (and blue, at that!), AND an e301 comment. I really don't think it gets any better than this!
By the way, the dark blob in the lower left is the back of a person who was sucked into the vortex of the vignette. While the preset may add a bit of vignette, it really was created more by contrast levels - the dark stuff got a lot darker. Or something like that.
* Voting isn't over yet - can't count my Posthumous until it is.
Post challenge - I'm keeping the Posthumous ribbon, thanks. :-)
Note: 15mm on the 10-22. Slight crop on the right.
Statistics
Place: 8 out of 200 Avg (all users): 6.5774 Avg (commenters): 8.1053 Avg (participants): 6.4146 Avg (non-participants): 6.7326 Views since voting: 3148 Votes: 168 Comments: 79 Favorites: 24 (view)
It's interesting how we are creatures of habit - I've seen people sit in the spot in church for years. I didn't see this during the challenge but really like what you've done; that guy looks so lonely.
Hello Deb, I know this took me a while but I've been quite busy.
This was one of my highest votes and I picked it to be in the top ten easily. I really love the composition and your choice to use B&W with the blue overtones, it lends a calming quality to your photograph. I think that your subject choice for this shot was smack on, I don't think a teenager, family, a woman, or even a younger man would have had the same impact as this older gentleman. One is left wondering what he could be thinking and how his lifes journey brought him to that spot at that time in his life. The Lighting and focus are fantastic not to mention your title fits to perfection. Congratulations on another top ten finish and I hope your able to run into this gentleman again and offer him a print I think he would be thrilled with it.
Excellent capture. The lighting on his face is great. I might've tried a slightly closer crop to make him a little larger in the frame, but not so much as to lose the mood of the coffee shop.
Nice shot ... it makes me wonder why I can't spot scenes like this what I'm out and about. i guess it relates to having two under-3's with me most of the time. Fantastic shot.
PostLuminous Award WINNER!
can't add much to the comments already provided, except to say that this is a MEMORABLE image--I won't have to come back here and look it up again: it exists permanently in my memory, to enjoy whenever and wherever I wish. And this is the work of a Master. Plain and simple, a Master.
Outstanding job, Deb!
The missing painting above your subject makes it appear as if he is "Life Imitating Art". Or maybe he is actually a painting just coming to life and sampling his first cup of coffee.
In either case, this is a "shoot from the hip" masterpiece.
Ohmygoodness. Like it? This is one of the most amazing "street type" photos I've ever seen. The blues. The complimentary background. The light that seems to beautifully spotlight your subject -- and the "look" of the gentleman. It all is perfect. This is the bar that I'll hold as excellence in street work! Congratulations on front page honors.
One of my faves during the challenge. I loved the lighting and the tone. I love that he is isolated and staring off into some unknown region. I couldn't get this if I tried. Beautiful capture!
Wonderful shot, and one of my top picks from the challenge. Love the simplicity of this shot, and the fact that you left so much space around the man to help the feeling of isolation and sadness that is on his face. Something about the way he is framed with the corners of the tables and posters all pointing towards him, with his round table and round mug is intriguing too. Congrats on the top 10 and the Posthumous blue!
Deb, well done! This is wonderful image and deserves the high accolades received already. I didn't get chance to even look at this challenge, never mind vote, but it would have been an instant 10 from me too. :)
I like this very much. I especially admire the fact that you did not crop this closer to remove 'distractions' and to obtain a portrait in which the man is more physically dominant. This photograph is not so much about the man himself as it is about what surrounds him ... not who he is, but where he is; not who he is but what he has. And has not.
If 'Life' is 'not a box of chocolates' then, I should always know what I'll get? Is that it? Anyway, I like the blueish tint rather then totally black and white. The paintings on the wall and off-centered table make up for the centered man (centered subjects always kind of bug me). The quality of the photo is very good and all in all the photo has a very strange emotive feel. I think it will do well: 8
At first I liked that semi-vignette, now if feels like there's something in my eye. Love the picture, really, but I'm unconvinced about that - it seems both a little over-done, and a little heavy-handed. Still the best shot in the challenge so far, though.
I give you my Posthumous Blue Ribbon for courage in the face of diversity, cynicism in the face of God, and mud in the eye of the beholder. Oh, but a gorgeous blue mud like Billie might sling it.
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