Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/08/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Thanks! The skin is not contrived or retouched (I don't have that kind of legerdemain with photoshop); Ciara was about 21 when the picture was taken, and she has pretty good skin. She may have been wearing makeup. The light was dead-on evening sunlight. The other two things that might have eradicated the skin detail are - -- it was shot on Tri-X, which does not have the level of highlight separation to show pores on sunlit skin - -- it was taken from six feet away - -- it was printed with a 30-year old Componon that probably has some flare in it by now. Regards Dante PS: my sister does set design for opera, so the stage-managed description is oddly apt! On Saturday, August 9, 2003, at 02:53 PM, Afterswift@aol.com wrote: > > In a message dated 8/9/03 10:10:01 AM, dante@umich.edu writes: > > << http://www.dantestella.com/past/past23.html >> > > Dante, > > I'm impressed by the all around competence of your work. In > particular, the > study of Ciara strikes me as very good. You concentrated on dark hair > to frame > her face. The rough bark background offsets her smooth complexion but > insinuates the contrasts you carry out in rendering the features. The > curved shadow > made by her chin reinforces the shape of her face. Instead of filling > in these > pronounced shadows you set your lighting to render a strong > personality by > creating contrast. The tilt of the head and the lighting create a > curving > directionality, so the portrait is dynamic. > > However the smoothness of the skin suggests you did some prettifying. > Those > of us on the LUG know what a Leica lens can do. It shows the pores of > the skin. > So there's something too stage-managed about this study. > But all is well because you gave Ciana the view of herself she wanted. > And > the viewer enjoys a Mozart divertimento. But, hey, to be mentioned as > Mozart-like as a photographer is no small compliment. > > br > > > > br > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > > ____________ Dante Stella http://www.dantestella.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html