Steve I

[Matt Halstead]

Hi guys,

Just finished working on another shot. The subject is a friend who recently visited. I always considered him photogenic so was very pleased when he agreed to sit for me:

Thanks guys,

 

[Asher Kelman]

Hi guys,

Just finished working on another shot. The subject is a friend who recently visited. I always considered him photogenic so was very pleased when he agreed to sit for me:

[

Matt Halstead: Steve I

​

Matt,

Glad to see another in your series of portraits with people who seem to be at the transition between life and death, being and caricature of being, virtue and horror.

These are therefore difficult pictures to critique as one is not sure of the standard against which measurement should be made. So my comments are then merely my own impressions of what is needed to give your picture coherence and not appear to be made of disjunctive parts.

Here I am concerned that there's a ring artifact of red at the top of the forehead at the hairline. Also the same effect seems to surround the lips. The eye brows, eyes, and skin just below them, seem unbalanced one to another and then Left, v. Right, and are overshadowed by the rest of the image. Could they be brighter and the right one brought up to appear a sibling to it's neighbor on its right.

Asher

P.S. Now please go to the recent posts and find 3 photographer's pictures for you to comment on! That will help make OPF work as we look after and value each other.

 

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Hi guys,

Just finished working on another shot. The subject is a friend who recently visited. I always considered him photogenic so was very pleased when he agreed to sit for me:

Hi Matt,

I know from your earlier posts that you strive for a painterly effect. In this image you've achieved that quite well, it's subtle but noticeable. I do however have a problem with the eyes as they have been retouched. In this mage they look unnatural, not painterly. Also the fact that he seems to have them half shut doesn't look flattering, but maybe he looks that way, I don't know.

Cheers,
Bart

 

[Jerome Marot]

I am not really sure what to think about your portraits. Obviously, you seek a special aesthetics via perspective, post-processing and choice of colors in this image and the other images presented in previous threads.

But what is the purpose? What feelings is this supposed to convey? What is the message that you are trying to convey? Or maybe: how did you come to choose that particular aesthetics? Even when I consider your portraits as a series, as on your page: http://matthewhalstead.com/portfolio/portrait/, it is not clear to me why you chose these particular aesthetics.

 

[Matt Halstead]

[

Matt Halstead: Steve I

​

Matt,

Glad to see another in your series of portraits with people who seem to be at the transition between life and death, being and caricature of being, virtue and horror.

These are therefore difficult pictures to critique as one is not sure of the standard against which measurement should be made. So my comments are then merely my own impressions of what is needed to give your picture coherence and not appear to be made of disjunctive parts.

Here I am concerned that there's a ring artifact of red at the top of the forehead at the hairline. Also the same effect seems to surround the lips. The eye brows, eyes, and skin just below them, seem unbalanced one to another and then Left, v. Right, and are overshadowed by the rest of the image. Could they be brighter and the right one brought up to appear a sibling to it's neighbor on its right.

Asher

P.S. Now please go to the recent posts and find 3 photographer's pictures for you to comment on! That will help make OPF work as we look after and value each other.

Thanks Asher. when requesting a critique all i am seeking is commentary on the visual appearance of the image itself, so your review is appreciated.

i have had a look at the image again, in particular for the 'ring artefact of red' but am struggling to find it on the image.

Bart - I agree about the eyes, i do think the blue is too much of an enhancement and I will tone this down. Re: the eyes beig closed, this is a personal characteristic of the model and therefore cannot be helped

Jerome - the only purpose for processing the image as i do is because visually I like how the final image appears. There is no other motive aside from a preferred aesthetic. As to why i personally like this look, that i cannot answer. Personal taste

Thanks for taking the time to comment guys

 

[Winston Mitchell]

Matt,

I think Asher's ring artifact is the tone surrounding the bright highlight above the model's right eye.

As for the eyes, for me, the current treatment is a major part of your signature look.

 

[Jerome Marot]

As to why i personally like this look, that i cannot answer. Personal taste

There is always a reason why we develop a personal taste. But if you do not want to answer, I will respect that.

 

[Matt Halstead]

@ Winston, when viewing the image on my smart phone I can see the artefact around the eye etc. However on my monitor it looks fine and on print. I suspect the artefact is a result of different brightness settings of various devices.

@ Jerome, I do really enjoy creating a painterly effect to my images so I do draw inspiration from a variety of classic painted e.g vermeer and other masters from the renaissance period.