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Technically I cannot find a fault with this. But the prayer/sunday morning service does not get to me.
A few more out of focus "prayers" in the background perhaps would have nailed this.
Tom
I have a total lack of respect for anything connected with society, except that which makes the roads safer, the beer stronger, the food cheaper, and the old men and old women warmer in the winter and happier in the summer. Brendan Behan
The lighting and the black and white textures are well caught here but I agree with Tom that a more open title could leave the viewer to draw their own conclusions. I thought he might be crying.
Sebastian, I absolutely LOVE certain aspects of this...his hands are fantastic, specifically. I also really like the pattern of his shirt against the blurry background.
What doesn't work as well for me is partly what others have said...the title is hard to connect to the picture, mainly because there's nothing else to suggest that he's praying. If this is in a Sunday service, like someone else said, maybe other praying people in the background, or instead of what look like shields behind him, something more stereotypically religious as a symbol...know what I mean? Of course, I don't know how you set the shot up, if this was a quick shot...obviously during a prayer it could be hard to set things up just so.
As IS, like I said, I love the shot...the other things I said are just things that could enhance it to work better with your title.
I'm going to echo everyone's echos here and say that this is a remarkable capture and I can find no technical shortcomings. However, I too am a little thrown off by the title. If this thread and image were simply labelled "Untitled", I'd have no criticisms at all!
This is a fantastic print, and the tones are wonderful. Film or digital? This LOOKS like film to me, so if this is a digital B&W, I'm going to congratulate you on getting a shot that looks better than 99% of the others out there.
Peer through the scope with an amoral code...
-Naked Raygun
It has been a while since I posted a critique but felt compelled to reply on this image. I can understand the disconnection between the title and what is happening. It does not represent a traditional style of prayer but maybe that is point. Prayer can be very reverent but it can also be full of emotion. This is what I truly like about the image. It is a different perspective on prayer. I can see emotion and, the positioning of his hands communicate a sense of urgency in this prayer. I think this is powerful.
I will say that without the title I would have arrived at a different conclusion but, we do have a title and it serves the image well.
Sebastian, I’m not sure if that is what you were attempting to capture but it is what I see and why I commented. I really like this image.
I love this one. There is so much mystery here. What is the man thinking? Is he mourning? Laughing? Crying? I gaze at his face and hands, searning for a hint, a clue as to what this guy is feeling. I find none. I then gaze around his environment, looking for clues. What are those things on the wall? Are they clues?
I think this is an outstanding shot! Way to draw in and capture the viewer!
Rick
Walter Rick Long Nikon Samurai, Mamiya Master, Velvia Bandit
Thanks everyone. Your criticisms echo mine, but it's a matter of the message of the shot being different than what the photo actually recorded. It doesn't communicate what it really is happening. I'm undecided on wether I like that or not.
For those that are wondering, this is digital. I haven't touched film in what feels like decades. Long, happy, stress-free decades.
Really nice, rich tones in this. Your conversion was done expertly and I won't hold it against you or the image that it is digital - I have found that the digital process lends itself nicely to a character filled B&W, as here.
There are many photographers in the past who have used the powerful imagery of hands in their photos - Dorothea Lange comes to mind - and I believe that is where the strength of this image lies. Here, hiding the emotions (or truth), they have been beautifully captured.
Beautiful image! You have a great ability for shooting people, I am always wowed by your works. The books and sheilds lead me to think this is more of a library or lodge though. Regardless of the location, it's still wonderful.
“A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed, and is, thereby, a true manifestation of what one feels about life in its entirety...” - Ansel Adams
The background needs some explanation. This is an Episcopal church that has roots in Wales. The "shields" are some sort of crests, and the "books" are actually just patterns cut into the wood walls. I never even realized how much they looked like books.
You are becoming one of the site's "artists in residence," I think. I like this and I'm curious if there are ramifications to shooting people praying in church. One would think you might go to hell for that. [[Just kiddding. ;) Please don't take me seriously here. ]] or at the least you might get thrown out.
Part of the reason I say that is that my first instinct was that you needed to be closer on this shot. I want to see the detail in his hands anf ring and face and hair better. But I would imagine you can't really be taking pictures in church two feet from the man's nose.
I keep coming back to this and I sort of like it, but something doesn't sit right and I think LL nailed it in that I'm also looking for more detail in the hands, hair, ring... Perhaps its the way my monitor is set up.
Other than that the composition and tones are excellent - still a good photo though.
Roger
PS
Originally Posted by Sebastian
This is an Episcopal church that has roots in Wales.
- one small correction it Scottish not Welsh.
"I hope we will never see the day when photo shops sell little schema grills to clamp onto our viewfinders; and the Golden Rule will never be found etched on our ground glass."from The mind's eye by Henri Cartier-Bresson
My Web Site: www.readingr.com DSLR
Canon 5D; EF100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS USM; EF24-70 F2.8L USM 50mm F1.8 II; EF 100 F2.8 Macro Digital
Canon Powershot Pro 1; Canon Ixus 100
I LOVE all the different ideas this is generating. This is the sort of discussion I want to foster.
LL,
I was at the service for a story a local paper is doing. That makes it easy enough, but this was the church's 50th anniversary and the Bishop was giving the service. This, of course, meant that his personal photographer was there taking pics along with the dude in the back with the DVCam. So no, not staged, but I was also not standing out in any way.
Roger,
The detail is definitely there, it might have something to do with your monitor. If your screen is not calibrated, you really have no idea what you're seeing, another one of those fun technology selling points.
I think this crop conveys the image suggested by the title much more succinctly than with the rest of the background included. I was having trouble resolving the details I could make out with the man. Now that it is just him I have no doubt he is concentrated on his prayer. Beautiful image Sebastian.
Thanks guys. For the sake of disclosure, this is a second, uncropped shot.
Thank you everyone for your input. This thread has helped me realize that the hands were the thing that drew me to this man to begin with. I posted a crop of the second photo in Viewfinder. That will be hanging on my wall.
Glad to see you are still around and submitting such wonderful work. I saw the "hands" post in Viewfinder. I'd say you can't get any better detail! All crops aside (or not) I think this is a very emotive portrait.
The contrast with patterns as well as tones...just stunning.
[QUOTE=Sebastian]. If your screen is not calibrated, you really have no idea what you're seeing, another one of those fun technology selling points.
This one is for you and LL:
[QUOTE]
I just can't believe the difference between using the Adobe Gamma and doing it properly.
Your right the detail is in there I can see that now, but I still prefer the latest cropped version, its excellent.
Now all I need is a better printer with icc's for the paper and ink LOL
Roger
"I hope we will never see the day when photo shops sell little schema grills to clamp onto our viewfinders; and the Golden Rule will never be found etched on our ground glass."from The mind's eye by Henri Cartier-Bresson
My Web Site: www.readingr.com DSLR
Canon 5D; EF100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS USM; EF24-70 F2.8L USM 50mm F1.8 II; EF 100 F2.8 Macro Digital
Canon Powershot Pro 1; Canon Ixus 100
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Originally Posted by Sebastian
