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Homage a Le Violon d’Ingres
Homage a Le Violon d’Ingres
tanguera

Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Famous Photograph (Advanced Editing VII)
Collection: 2010
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Tamron AF 18-270mm F/3,5-6,3 Di II VC LD Aspherical [IF] macro for Nikon
Location: West Hollywood, California
Date: Jun 12, 2010
Aperture: 7.1
ISO: 200
Shutter: 160
Date Uploaded: Jun 12, 2010

 The original:

Le Violon d’Ingres is Man Ray’s tribute to the paintings of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, most notably The Valpinçon Bather (1808). The model, Alice Prin (aka Kiki de Montparnasse), was Man Ray’s companion through most of the 1920s, in addition to being his model for hundreds of portraits.

I shot an almost identical composition, and one with the model leaning forward on her knees. I've been submitting one then the other because the hunched over one is more interesting, but the other is a better likeness to the original. I'm a typical mass of indecision...

Preparing for this shot was fun, and completely different from my usual photo sessions, as I had to recreate an already existing photograph. And it is a studio shot, something I have very limited knowledge about. It involved a lot of art direction, including finding the right head wrap, the throw, earrings, and creating the f-holes. This last item was the most troublesome. I couldn't "paint" them on after the shot or shoot them separately and overlay because that would violate editing rules. I also considered painting them on the model (the f-holes in the original were etched onto the developed photo plate, then reshot). I chose to make them out of paper, but the original f-holes I created were too big, so they had to be redone at the last minute on the set. Then they wouldn't stick. In the end, they still required a lot of fixing in pp’ing since they tended to buckle and thus cause shadows. It is also the thing I'm least happy with in this image, as they are also still not quite the right shape.

The lighting set-up included three lights - one on the right for the body, and two on the left (one for the background and the other isolated on the face).

Processing was quite straightforward, as I shot in b/w.

-converted from RAW
-cloned out some skin imperfections
-selective sharpening
-layer of gaussian blur to smooth the skin
-slight levels adjustment
-slight contrast adjustment
-added sepia photo filter
-added border
-saved for web

My profoundest gratitude to my dear friend Caryn for her gorgeous curves (and the use of her studio), and to my buddy photog Jim Hundhausen, whose guidance, lighting knowledge, plus all the lighting equipment made this shot possible. I even took some shots with his gorgeous Fujifilm FinePix S5Pro.


[Jun. 16th, 2010 02:19:51 AM]

[6/15]
Halfway through voting and I just have to put it down for posterity - in the event that this is just a fabulous fluke - that it's at 6.6000.

I'll have to be hospitalized for exhaustion from Excessive Update-itis.

[update]

A new PB!!!! Thank for all the amazing comments.

Statistics
Place: 11 out of 92
Avg (all users): 6.6797
Avg (commenters): 7.7692
Avg (participants): 6.2955
Avg (non-participants): 6.8349
Views since voting: 6004
Views during voting: 501
Votes: 153
Comments: 21
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
Nikon D3s
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED
 09/29/2010 02:28:02 PM
A most beautiful shot...excellent work!
(and I agree about Caryn's gorgeous curves)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
OM System OM-1
Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO
 06/21/2010 06:06:23 PM
very nice replica! (was also thinking about doing it perhaps before settling on another idea :)). Congrats on the high placement!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-7D
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
 06/21/2010 05:13:29 PM
What a great recreation of Man Ray's image! Congratulations on your new PB and top high finish!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
 06/21/2010 05:52:34 AM
Have I told you that this image is much better than the original?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-6D Mark II
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 06/21/2010 04:03:08 AM
WAY TO GO, Johanna! You rocked this one!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 06/21/2010 12:26:08 AM
HUGE congrats on the new PB Johanna! You nailed the original!

Message edited by author 2010-06-21 00:26:36.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Fujifilm X-T5
Fujifilm XF 35mm f/1.4
 06/20/2010 11:12:13 PM
Lovely tones. I wish the sound holes were cut and positioned better. 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-40D
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
 06/20/2010 11:11:06 PM
7 for stealing from the best. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D70s
Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro for Nikon
 06/20/2010 02:51:47 PM
Nicely done! 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
 06/18/2010 04:38:33 AM
Better than the original. Congrats for this amazing image. Love it
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D7500
Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR DG IF-ED
 06/16/2010 10:44:40 PM
Very nice take on the original!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D70s
 06/15/2010 06:04:36 PM
Nicely done Man Ray.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/14/2010 10:08:05 PM
You did a great job re-creating this Marcel Duchamp piece! High score from me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon Z7II
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
 06/14/2010 08:26:01 PM
Very well done. This is my favorite of the challenge. I did not enter; however, this one came to mind.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Peleng 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye MC In M42 Mount
 06/14/2010 06:46:29 PM
Very nicely done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS R6
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM
 06/14/2010 05:04:58 PM
Good reproduction. The characters on her back look edited in, but then again, they do in the original photo as well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM
 06/14/2010 02:28:47 PM
I think Manray would be so proud of this tribute. Excellently executed - should be on the front page.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS R7
Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD MACRO w/Canon Nikon mount
 06/14/2010 12:00:01 PM
very beautiful, 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-450D Rebel XSi
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
 06/14/2010 11:50:45 AM
very nicely done--7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-50D
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
 06/14/2010 11:13:23 AM
Nice take, 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-50D
Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Canon
 06/14/2010 12:24:35 AM
looks close , well done
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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