My Best Friend

[Charlotte Thompson]

on the eve of the election a very good best- friend of mine stopped by for the election results- I got a shot of him playing chess- I think this shows the spirit he is and will certainly become in age

 

[Asher Kelman]

© Charlotte Thompson 2008 "My Best Friend"


Hi Charlotte,

Your choice of a new subject is welcome. I am moved by the emotion people of African origin have displayed following Obama's election. I'm glad to see you mentioned this in your thread title. Have you seen this picture of where Jesse Jackson, who helped to pave the way for Obamas victory, was inexorably moved to tears?

DerSpiegel.de "Rev. Jesse Jackson's reaction after projections showed that Barack Obama would be elected as the next President of the United States."


This scene, with tears of joy and release of imprisonment with some more of the burden of slavery, will be iconic of this epic change in the USA. It raises the bar for other pictures on the topic.

Without reference to the election euphoria and the joy and hope of it, your photo is still a good picture of the man. I rather think that the fact of him being black and playing chess has no significance to us. BTWm why are the chess pieces cut off or is that a symbol of something?

If you do have the chess pieces in another picture, it could be interesting to see!

Thanks for sharing.

Asher

BTW, look at the spread in your darker tones. The sweater does not show detail on my laptop. Could you check that you are satisfied with the definition.

 

[Ken Tanaka]

Charlotte:

1. You've recorded an intense expression. But, with that slightly knit brow, it suggests anger and fear.

2. You need to learn to pay much more attention to your framing and backgrounds. Cropping the chess pieces as you have, and placing that plant behind the subject's head, create some real visual disasters.

 

[Charlotte Thompson]

Asher

the chess pieces could be a symbol of the man himself -I will go back to my files and look -I rather think at the time I wanted just a small part of those pieces to show rather than over take the picture- as you know I am into real expression (soul taker) it was a big night lot of people and I was moving around catching- this shot was very very unplaned and I was thrilled with it-
as far as the contrast-the best that I could do-his shirt was black and everything else maybe came out a bit dark- that pic of Jackson is amazing- I watched him on tv when that was happening and I was very moved-just wished I could have caught some of that!
thank you for your always welcomed thoughts I hope I answered everything-
I may recrop-

Charlotte-



Ken

thank you for coming by and your thoughts! I didn't place the plant it was there when I caught-this is a candid and a quick catch
as far as the chess pieces I did wonder if that would work or not-maybe not-but as I told Asher I am going to go back and re study the other shots
thank you so very much-I am still learning and always will be that's the best part-

Charlotte-

 

[Charlotte Thompson]

a re crop does this work- or is it too much-

and another shot of the same man -I propped with the scarf and called him The Prince of Tunisa-

 

[Bill Miller]

Charlotte,

1. Focus is soft compare the election photo with the prince, I'm only talking about the focus.
2. The only emotion I see is 'a questioning look'. Nothing to indicate the time or reason. Your 1st sentence could have been "....a very good best- friend of mine stopped by for" a game of chess.

 

[Charlotte Thompson]

Bill

yes I used different lens- the Prince photo was taken last Summer-

Charlotte-

 

[Asher Kelman]

Charlotte,

I know I'm tough but you can take it. Show

1. in focus, (unless there's a particular demanding esthetic to the contrary)
   
   
2. well composed: does it make sense esthetically, command attention and pull one in?
   
   
3. well exposed photographs: are there delicate whites or nuanced dark grays?
   
   
4. a composition that has its own physicality separate from the topic.
   
   
5. the subject should be interesting.
   
   
6. Almost always, one should use all the tones from pure black through low grays up to the delicacies
   of light whites to brightness. This is what gives depth, texture and character.
   
   
7. If there are colors, what do they add to the photograph? (Doesn't apply here).
   
   
8. Are there unwanted conflicts?
   
   
9. Does it really work for you to deliver what you'd worked for in an impressive way?

I can be very direct, since you have shown so many other images I praised generously.

Here, the subject has an emotive connect with you, however, for us, it's out of focus and incomplete, (the chess pieces are missing) and the head is cut of in an awkward fashion. Lastly, it does not meet the much higher standards of composition and unity you have previously shown.

Still, I'm far more happy to see this photograph of a man looking up from a game of chess. This is important as it has you challenging yourself in much harder areas. I hope your good friend will sit for you and that this marks just the beginning of a new and productive area for your photography of people. Good luck!

Asher

 

[Charlotte Thompson]

Asher

to all of your questions I say "of course"
but that I am learning and as I go I find- you are so helpful and yes hard is love and yes I am tough-but better I want more for myself and sometimes I guess I may miss the mark but at least I keep trying- I can never know truly what is my best art for each time it changes like life-
thank you for always your kind help!

Charlotte-