18 - Help (on photo and title)

FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
edited February 1, 2009 in The Dgrin Challenges
I've been working on low key and, at the moment, this is one of the ones that I like best.

I'd appreciate your c&c. And, if you have a suggestion for a title, I would appreciate it greatly. All I can think of is something like "You Called?" or "Interrupted."

466354453_KzGou-L-1.jpg
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"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

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Comments

  • DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited February 1, 2009
    I changed your title, if you don't mind.

    A tidbit of description goes a long way. Also, it really helps me prioritize my mod duties. You guys do a great job on the commenting and helping each other with the shooting - freeing me up to keep things running smoothly in the background. When I see a thread title that just says "Help" I think problems, and head there immediately.

    thanks,
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]

  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2009
    Flyinggina wrote:
    I've been working on low key and, at the moment, this is one of the ones that I like best.

    I'd appreciate your c&c. And, if you have a suggestion for a title, I would appreciate it greatly. All I can think of is something like "You Called?" or "Interrupted."

    Great shot.

    Unfortunately, the only title I can think of is "Dr Faustus", which may not be quite the direction you'd like the photo to go!

    Related but perhaps less "leading", perhaps... "Scholar"? headscratch.gif
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  • Mike JMike J Registered Users Posts: 1,029 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2009
    Fantastic! The lighting is superb. Very nice feel to this. My only suggestion would be to clone out the brown that is along the right edge of the frame.

    Title: My Favorite Tome
    Mike J

    Comments and constructive criticism always welcome.
    www.mikejulianaphotography.com
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  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2009
    Actually, Divamum, I love the title Dr. Faustus and would be happy to go in that direction, but somehow ..... Ummmm. Maybe .....

    Thanks for the suggestion. iloveyou.gif

    Doctorit, you are welcome to change my titles anytime you want to. In fact, your change is a 200% improvement. My thanks. iloveyou.gif

    Geez, two hearts in one message. I"m getting soft.

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

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  • richterslrichtersl Registered Users Posts: 3,322 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2009
    This is a wonderful shot. I like Divamum's idea of "Dr. Faustus". Or perhaps something related to "Harry Potter"? Perhaps "Harry Potter Grown Up" or something like that?????

    I agree with cloning or cropping out whatever the brown thing on the far right is.
    Linda

    http://lrichters.smugmug.com
  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2009
    Mike,

    Thank you very much for the comment. I don't see the brown on the right, but I'll look closer. I had an ink black background, but may have framed the photo just a bit too wide and picked up something on the edge.

    Love your suggested title. iloveyou.gif

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

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  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2009
    Linda,

    Thank you very much indeed!! My daughter is a Harry Potter fan so I'll check with her to see if she has a title suggestion.

    On the brown area on the right, is it part of the jacket (which is a black tweed that has a brown cast because of the candle light)?

    I'll try darkening the photo more on the right hand side and see if that helps.

    Meanwhile, thanks for the input. Greatly apprecited. Especially during the superbowl game. rolleyes1.gif

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

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  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2009
    Ok guys, I see it. The edge of the backdrop is inside the frame a bit. I'll fix it.

    Thanks for catching what I didn't see. bowdown.gif

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

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  • Mike JMike J Registered Users Posts: 1,029 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2009
    Flyinggina wrote:
    On the brown area on the right, is it part of the jacket (which is a black tweed that has a brown cast because of the candle light)?

    Don't think it is the jacket. What I am referring to is along the right side of the frame starting up at the top. I don't think you need to darken anything - I would just clone this stuff out.
    Mike J

    Comments and constructive criticism always welcome.
    www.mikejulianaphotography.com
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  • JAGJAG Super Moderators Posts: 9,088 moderator
    edited February 1, 2009
    I was wondering who in the world Dr. Faustus is but then I see its a Potter thing. I never saw or read Harry Potter and have no plans on doing so. However, when I saw the image I thought "Professor Oliver Wendell Holmes"...but then not everyone knows who he is either...lol.

    Very good image Virginia! Yes I do see the brown edge also. Looks like your background ran short.
    ~JAG (Joyce) - My site: JAG Creations JAG Creations be a fan.
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2009
    Actually, Dr Faustus is the legendary sell-his-soul-to-the-devil character of German lore subsequently written about by Christopher Marlowe, Goethe, Thomas Mann and others. While many of the interpretations of the German legend have focused on the more, uh... ::cough:: physical desires of his arrangement (ruining the young Gretchen/Marguerite, and having his way with Helen of Troy too), the literary works stress that his pact with the devil was initiated because he wanted knowledge and power (the youth and pretty girls were just meant to be the icing on the cake, I guess! eek7.gif)

    I admit that my familiarity is simply because of the many musical settings/spinoffs of the legend (it's the subject of several operas, ballets, symphonies and song cycles).

    Something about the combination of scholarly-looking gentleman, the old-fashioned bound book and the candle just brought Faust to mind!
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  • sweet carolinesweet caroline Registered Users Posts: 1,589 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2009
    I don't have a title suggestion. I just wanted to say that the lighting looks very well done. Candles are tricky. Also, he has a great expression.

    Caroline
  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2009
    Divamum, one of my husband's favorite opera's is Gounod's Faust so your suggestion is perfect! (In case you hadn't guessed, he was my model for the shot!)

    JAG, as a former lawyer, I love the title idea of Professor Oliver Wendell Holmes. I think that dh would be flattered too. Besides, he is often mistaken for a professor. :giggle (He is a mathematician.)

    Thanks everyone for pointing out the backdrop failure on the right hand side. I shall fix it.

    Will think more on the title. You have given me much food for thought.

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

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  • staypuffinpcstaypuffinpc Registered Users Posts: 80 Big grins
    edited February 1, 2009
    More familiar than we realize...
    divamum wrote:
    Actually, Dr Faustus is the legendary sell-his-soul-to-the-devil character of German lore subsequently written about by Christopher Marlowe, Goethe, Thomas Mann and others...I admit that my familiarity is simply because of the many musical settings/spinoffs of the legend (it's the subject of several operas, ballets, symphonies and song cycles).!
    Actually, I'd venture to guess that almost all of us are familiar with another aspect of Marlowe's rendition of Dr. Faustus; Remember when you watched cartoons and those little angles appeared on the protagonist's shoulders? That's right out of Marlowe's book.

    I also agree that there are much greater ideas in Faustus than desire, etc. It's about a theologan that tries to dupe both God and the devil. He realizes that he can always repent, and so he makes a 24-year pact with the devil to get power while on Earth, all the while planning to repent before midnight on the 24th year. While he is able to still ask for forgiveness, he feels guilty for all he's done. That's where the two shoulder angels come in, leading up to a dramatic 11th hour.

    Now, knowing that, imagine this man is Dr. Faustus looking up from reading holy writ, realizing for the first time this grand plan to dupe both God and the Devil.
    {something witty here}
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