[Leica] PAW 4 - 2005 - Lee Hermann

[lkhermann at bresnan.net (lkhermann)]

>Hi Lee,
>To be bluntly truthful there are a couple of things wrong here.
>
>A:
>An exposure with no content! yes you knew he was reading the paper because 
>you saw him doing it. But you didn't really put it on film.Having his 
>lunch? Eating? So where does he really look like he's eating? And where is 
>whatever he's reading? Actually hidden behind a chair and coat.
>
>B:
>You said >> "  I was struck with the colors. " <<<  ?????????
>Quite frankly it looks like you used a daylight balanced slide film 
>indoors and ended up with "bad colour." Or it's colour neg not filter 
>corrected. At what point did you like the colour? When you sat down and 
>looked around the bar - restaurant? Or after the film was processed and 
>you were doing your edit??
>
>But the colour shown here is, well sorry, it doesn't look right. However, 
>it may well have been what it looked like, but that doesn't make it look 
>any better in the picture. And I'd have gone B&W! And for my eye the 
>colour looks like it requires some correction in PS or with filtration. 
>Did the room really look that yellowish colour?
>
>A few suggestions:
>
>1: because in effect you did a "sneaky picture" . ;-) Camera on table 
>pointed in the subjects direction, now lost behind chair with jacket, then 
>it was finger on camera "click shutter" where viewers now can't tell what 
>he's doing and only surmise.
>
>We can see him, but what he's doing is really lost behind the chair and 
>jacket. Why not just lift the camera to your eye and shoot it heads-up? 
>Certainly if you were taken with the colour and subject? Heck HCB and 
>others started all this kind of in cafe stuff, so  Parisians are 
>accustomed to people in cafes with cameras pointed in every which way. ;-) 
>However, "some times NOT!:-(
>
>2: There's a mirror to his right as you see part of him reflected. The 
>mirror was an asset to your picture if you'd made use of it by moving to 
>your right and capturing "two of him reading and eating!"  Also creating a 
>double capture on the colour you like. Whenever there are mirrors around 
>it's a good bet they can be incorporated as a bonus to your picture.
>
>By the same token they can be a big pain in the butt because they show too 
>much. But with a little imagination, usually they can be a bonus.
>
>At least you're making the effort of putting stuff on film. And I trust 
>your postings are working as a learning experience.
>ted



Dear Ted,
         Recognizing that you are one of the elite of the LUG, and indeed, 
photography in general, I can only thank you for commenting on my photo.  I 
appreciate your comments, but do not feel compelled to agree with you.

A.  Perhaps I should have titled the photo apres dejeuner, as indeed he is 
not eating.  You do not like his appearance, I did.

B.   To me this is an "image of reality", not reality, if the color balance 
of the light is not that of the film and the resulting image is not exactly 
what you would feel is reality, well, your eyes see the light but your 
brain corrects for the difference from reality.  I assure you that the 
light in the cafe was yellowish.  To me, it is not "bad color" but rather 
has remarkable golden glow.  Perhaps if I was really proficient with 
PhotoShop, I would have corrected the colors to what is more the general 
reality, but alas I do not do that.  I have said in another  email that I 
have signed up at the local college to take a class in Photoshop, but at 
present, there will be no correction.  George Lottermoser has provided us 
with a corrected version which, I must admit is OK, perhaps I should have 
done this.  Nahh!

         You mention that this is a sneaky shot, I guess that you are 
right.  I am a wimp.  But, I was an American in France and my French is not 
adequate to explain to an irate Frenchman what I was doing photographing 
him.  HCB would not have any trouble.  Perhaps in New York, Chicago or Cody 
I would have fired away. As a Canadian, do you not have any feelings about 
Americans abroad?  I think I have sensed some of these feelings in your 
comments, I at least did not have a Canadian flag on my backpack.  You are 
right, I should have stood up and snapped the picture using the correct 
angle and direct approach.  I am a wimp.  I missed a much better photo, the 
mirror's reflection would have added considerable impact.

         Again, I thank you for your comments.  I am surprised that the 
photo resulted in so much comment, but in a perverse way, I am pleased.  I 
may not agree totally with you, but I do respect your opinion.  I hope that 
I am learning and that you will offer your opinion of my subsequent 
submissions.
Lee