Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/08/30

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Not quite PAW, but please could you take a look
From: Simon Stevens <simon@camera-craftsman.com>
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 08:54:00 -0400

Hi Ted!

Thanks for taking a look at the photo.  Point taken about looking 
directly into the camera, however, I am going to respectively disagree 
this time.  For me, it is the eye contact that makes the picture.  I 
wouldn't want a picture of my hemiplegic aunt in a nursing home with 
her appearing to stare into space.  That would be a terribly lonely 
picture.  It would probably be one that a person with more emotional 
distance could, and perhaps should take.  But not her nephew.

Simon Stevens.

> Simon Stevens showed and asked:
>>> but please could you take a look
>> http://www.camera-craftsman.com/Doreen.html<<<
>
> Hi Simon,
> my immediate reaction was.... Why did he have her look straight into 
> the
> camera?
>
> Yep it's a family exposure, sharp and properly exposed. However, it's 
> so
> simple to have the subject, yours or any others reading this, to have
> another person there talking to the subject and creating a "subject
> listening eye relationship" not looking straight into the camera. and 
> in
> many cases makes for a nicer face line shape.
>
> Yep I've had people look straight into the camera, hundreds and 
> hundreds of
> times and most were OK! But!
>
> It only takes one person talking to the subject to distract them 
> slightly
> off camera and it can become a very beautiful portrait. Not that 
> looking
> into the camera wont create a beautiful portrait, but the subject just 
> of
> camera usually makes for a better picture from my experience.
>
> ted

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Replies: Reply from Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca> (Re: [Leica] Not quite PAW, but please could you take a look)