John

[aprilS]

Larger version: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bungalow104/2887757713/sizes/o/

I was stumped about how to process this image, and ended up using Nikon Silver Efex (demo version) along with Photoshop Lighting Effects to help bring out John's face in the shadows.

B&W conversion is new to me; any suggestions for improvement are most welcome!

(I do miss the red lettering on the sign in the color version, but a selective color treatment seems like overkill...)

[eob]

I am glad you did not choose the selective coloring, April. That would be a total overkill, IMHO. Instead, you got this subtle and intimate statement that makes me want to think about the content instead of dismissing the photo right off the bat, for its exaggerated technique.

I understand that most people participating in this forum are after the feeling, the sensuality, the meaning of the content of their photos. I usually start (and often end) my critiques with the technique. The reason is not because I can not see beyond technique. The reason is my conviction that without proper technique, there is no way to convey the idea or feeling properly and strongly enough for the third party to get engaged in the process of deciphering a photo's content. That does not mean that I think the technique should be perfect by all means. Sometimes imperfections make a photo more believable, more authentic. But introducing deliberately a wrong technical elements into an image can sometimes completely ruin otherwise strong photo. That is exactly why I am glad you decided against the selective coloring in this example.

 

[Theo]

I agree with eob on this the red would have been overkill, I have been trying to stay away from selective coloring for one just because its been used so often but i do like to bring color in very subtle in my bw. You did a nice job on the bw placing the subject in the shade with the light on the sign to guide your eye worked for me. it makes me feel the what your subject might be feeling. I also like the crop using the empty benches to the lest just adds to the lonlyness.

How do you like siver effects i love it.

I know my technique needs a lot of improvement and i am working on it you got to have the rules and the technique down in order to know and to break it or stick to it. but that is what this is all about right

yours

[habakuk]

I immediately try to connect the face with the writing. And boy is that intense, as all I see in the first glance is a pair of sad, tired eyes and the word "satan" in the background. I get gooseflesh... April, this shot really begs to see some treatment in the spirit of Versace. How about trying to get a bit more shine on his eye area only? Something to make that connection of words and eyes more standing out.

I absolutely love that I am protected from colors here. All I need, all I want to see, all that it takes to convey a meaning is there: it's in the look and the letters. Very strong shot, imho.  Thanks for sharing!

cheers
®

[aprilS]

Thank you each for your comments.

Roland, you've nudged me to go back in and try to apply/practice more of what I'm learning from Versace about post-processing -- but with a specific aim for this image. That is very much appreciated, and if something noticeably stronger results I'll post the revision. An initial foray today looks promising...

[Athena]

I think his expression, your composition and connection and the subject matter are all fabulous.  There is definitely a story and a message here.  I would love to see the light on the man pulled up a wee bit and the brightness on the sign also brought down a touch.  As is (at least on my monitor) they are both a bit too far in the extremes for me.  My mind suffers the difficult choice of looking at the brightest area of the image (the right edge of the sign) or looking where I know the subject is - the man in the shadows.

If it were mine, I'd use two masked curves layers.  One for the man with the midtones pulled up and one for the rest of the image with the highlights pulled down.

[Ted Byrne]

Suppose I were to write a short story called, "Th Man In The Shadows"? Would I have to write a word after I posted this as the illustration? With that title careening around in my mind, I actually find the image, exactly as presented - poetic. But if my intention were to do not a character study so much as a street portrait, hmmmm.... yes, then perhaps some compression of the dynamic range would resonate more sharply.

But like a recurrent tune, I cannot get the "The Man In The Shadows" out of my mind and so I don't want to see more of his face, I want to imagine more of his story from the parts you've presented.

Am I the odd man out, wanting to "improve" an image at the expense of the way the image resonates in my imagination? Hulp?

[eob]

Well, yes and no, Ted. I agree with Athena when she would like to see more of the man's face - for a purely visual reason. And I agree with your contradictory suggestion about the 'man in the shadow'. Both are valid comments on this photo, depending on specific interpretation. That's why initially, I did not comment on this particular aspect of a visual impact of lighting.

[aprilS]

Thank you for the instructive comments!

"The man in the shadows" resonates with my initial impression of a voice that whispers in the back of our minds. So each of your notes have brought me back to expressing that idea, but with improved technique.

Now I'm intrigued by re-processing (version 3); when John began to turn into a street portrait (version 2), I lost the enthusiasm.