At the Opticians

[Alison]

Do any of you pro's out there know why I won an award for this image? I entered it into "People" category.

[Alison]

No critique to offer on this one then?

[payn817]

What award is it? Really, I don't know anything about people photography, just wondering what you've won.

[Alison]

Photo of the day, but will go on to the "photo of the month" judging.

[SmartWombat]

Where was that award?

It's not a usual portrait, you can't actually see her eyes at all.
Just the scenery refracted in the lenses.
That alone makes it stand out among other portraits.

I can see in the image the delicacy of the optician's touch, it's well captured.

[Herriot]

Agreed, certainly not a traditional portrait, I like the hands and the fact that the eyes are missing completely, interesting, did the judges provide any further insight??

Many thanks
Herriot

[yogestee]

Sorry Alison,,this image just doesn't do it for me...I don't want to be too hard on you BUT,,

I'd like to see her eyes for the simple reason she is "at the Opticians"..The optician's thumb is covering her mouth and the papers on the desk are a tad distracting..Also its a bit soft for this kid of portrait..The optican's hands dominate this portrait too much..What I would have done is move your viewpoint a bit to the right so that you are almost in front of the patient and shooting down the arms of the optician,, over his shoulder..

Sorry!! Still friends???

Jurgen
Australia

[Alison]

PAul - http://www.shutterbugs.biz/cgi-bin/display.pl?potd_date=February%2013th,%202006&artist=Alison&src=http://www.shutterbugs.biz/potdentries/winners/63953.jpg&title='At%20the%20Opticians'
Thank you for your comments.

Herriot - No they didn't that's why I am here lol!

Jurgen - You are entitled to your own opinion and I like to hear cc good or bad.
I just turned around to catch the optician fitting my daughters glasses there was no time to pose. And I couldn't really re-arrange the paperwork at the opticians.
It won an award that's gotta tell you something. I just wanted to know WHY it won an award because, like you, I didn't think it was all that either lol! That's why I came in here with it, to ask the pro's ;)
As for the eyes being seen, like I said, there was no time to pose and wouldn't that have made it like all the other portraist like PAul pointed out.
And I liked the hands too which is why I entered it into the "people" category and not the "portrait". I felt my image said to me "this is what people and life is all about".
Yes, still friends ;)