[Leica] Portfolio Review

[wharting at verizon.net (bill harting)]

Hi Phong,

It might be the architecture of the Callahan picture that makes it work,
though I don't remember seeing such a blown-out version of that particular
picture. Irving Penn also recently showed a series of very high-key nudes.
Your highkey portrait doesn't have (to my humble eye) the framing to make it
work.

(.02)

bh


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Phong" <phong@doan-ltd.com>
To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2004 9:32 AM
Subject: RE: [Leica] Portfolio Review


> Re. http://www.phongdoan.com/Photography/PortraitPortfolio
>
>
> Re.
http://www.phongdoan.com/Photography/PortraitPortfolio/14_crw_7249ap.htm
> (now replaced with a lower contrast version).  The previous version was
> intentionally processed to show no details of skin texture.  It was not
> at all about hiding flaws, but a matter of styles.  I was trying
> to do the same as
> http://www.phongdoan.com/Photography/PortraitPortfolio/02_crw_4698-bw2.htm
> but instead of using shadows as background to the important compositional
> elements, I used the high lights, purposely blowing out the (camera) right
> part of the face so to emphasise the smile, the eyes, and the nose.
> It works much better on print than on screen.   With the overwhelming
> negative response I got on this photo, I decided that the first
> version did not work as intended, and reverted to a lower contrast
version.
> When I have some time, I will rework it in Photoshop.  It needs more
> post processing, not less, for what I want.  Or it is the case that the
> photo just doesn't work, and I need to reshoot.  That happens ;-)
>
> My intention may not be the same, but was very much inspired by one
> of my favorite photos of Harry Callahan, "Eleanor, 1947"
> (see for example
http://www.peterfetterman.com/artists/callahan/pic01.html)
> I am sure that is not the only example that I have seen and admired where
> facial details are blown out, though I cannot cite any other example
> at the moment.