Eye-eye pirate

martinjamescook · July 13, 2009

Endless fun with a cardboard tube. Comments and critique appreciated

MissB · July 13, 2009

ooh thats really interesting

my only cc at this time is that there is a lot of useless negative space. I want to get closer and see those catch lights better.

rhondavid · July 14, 2009

Very interesting. I ditto comments above about negative space. Cool idea.

martinjamescook · July 14, 2009

Thanks
Thanks for the feedback, it is much appreciated

I have taken your advice and cropped the 'empty' bits and tried to concentrate on the eye and hand. Have I been aggressive enough

Martin

bdcolen · July 14, 2009

martinjamescook wrote:

Thanks for the feedback, it is much appreciated

I have taken your advice and cropped the 'empty' bits and tried to concentrate on the eye and hand. Have I been aggressive enough

Martin

More than...The negative space is part of what was so intriguing about the original image - we have the negative space, blending into the out-of-focus figure, with our eye being drawn to the eye. I admit I haven't a clue why someone would want to see catchlights better; that's like saying 'crop it so that I can see your focusing better.' Catchlights aren't - shouldn't be - an end in themselves, but rather something one might use to give a goose to otherwise flat eyes.

Ah well....

mrlassiter · July 14, 2009

I think the crop works much better both in terms of keeping useful negative space and (to me) a better composition. The eye now falls on the upper/right 3rd... My two cents

-mrlassiter

MissB · July 14, 2009

I really like this! It draws more attention in to the focal point (his eye) yet keeps the great compositon... my eye isn't wandering from where it should be. I agree with BD, however that is not what I was saying (it wasn't about the catch lights...it was about your focal point)...it seems you got the point tho nice job!

VayCayMom · July 15, 2009

I prefer the first crop. more of a mystical feel, and my eye running all over the photo in this case I think is a good thing. more left to the imagination. Plus I really liked the light in the upper right corner washing over the top pf the head. I like the soft water color lighting combination in the negative space.

whiteagle · July 16, 2009

I'm still trying to figure out how you captured this. How did you shoot down the tube while still being able to see his head?

I prefer the original post shot for the same reasons as vaycaymom. You don't always have to crop super tight.

martinjamescook · July 16, 2009

hi, thanks for the comments. I am afraid i can't claim any special technique with this. I just used a selective focus point on the eye. The rest of the image should be in focus but is degraded or blurred by the 2 foot long cardboard tube (and my hand). Have managed same previously with my others son with the same interesting effect. Sorry to disappoint as i have no clever wizardry!