honest opinions needed

rsparts · October 6, 2009

I've been playing with a different stye of photography and would like some opinions on the processing/framing/composition etc...

over-processed? too dark? lighting suggestions? be honest but be gentle.

gavin · October 6, 2009

Ha! wicked Idea, I like the dark moody colors.

Overall the image is rather flat. More dynamic lighting would definitely improve this shot 100%

pwp · October 6, 2009

Overall I love the pic. The light falling on the bookcase is a little distracting for me, so maybe a *slightly tighter crop?

Jazmyn76 · October 6, 2009

I agree, the bookcase is a bit distracting, but overall an interesting image.

CyberSteak · October 6, 2009

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Um...photo looks fine. But I guess it depends on what you were going for. Composition wise...the setting seems a little clean. Kinda like a business man came home and all of a decided he want to kill. No sign of any carnage or anything. But if that was the intent..

VayCayMom · October 6, 2009

I like the feel, I get it! I LIKE the bookcase in the frame, keeps it looking like reality. Love the sheen on the knife, gas mask, eh, take it or leave it, maybe a better way to have no real face in the photo??, but a success overall in my view.

Tee Why · October 7, 2009

I like the look. Only thing I'd recommend is maybe cropping a bit tighter b/c those bookshleves on the left is a bit distracting.

Tim Kamppinen · October 7, 2009

It has potential, but I feel like there's too much light on the wall. Using a snoot or a grid to restrict the light so that it falls mostly just on the subject would be a big improvement IMO.

Swartzy · October 7, 2009

You asked for an honest assessment.....it ain't there. If you are going for the psyco look (which explains the dissimiliarity between the machete and the gas mask) then the processing needs to be radical. Right now it looks like a preset blend of cross processing in Lightroom that someone would click on a wedding shot.

The lighting needs to convey the mood as well. Things are not lit properly throughout the image and highly doubt post processing will take it there...unless, you extract part of the image and drop in some other elements..which is completely doable but will take an entire Saturday.

Miguel Delinquento · October 7, 2009

I really like the tones and casts of the shot. It looks like a low-budget movie in the early 70s that was made using video because it was cheap. You may want to consider adding some specialized grain effects.

The composition, however, seems to go halfway. We are missing attention to detail that would add more dimension. Having either dried or fresh "material" on the machete blade is one example. Though I like the short-sleeved style with the tie, it seems a little too neat. It might be nice to have some evidence overlapping the edge of the door jamb on the floor in the hallway. And the bookshelf doesn't add value--perhaps a partial view of an appropriate art work--even one on the shelf--would add more.

A good start that can be improved. Thanks, it is fun to analyze.

M

rsparts · October 7, 2009

Actually I was going for a "Fed up with my boss/customers/the world and now I'm going to show everyone" kinda feel....I guess? I'm having trouble describing it.
Think of an employee pushed too far that has finally snapped. I didn't do a very good job making it known that he was in HIS house getting ready for a "night on the town".

Oh and I like the bookcase - I thought it added a sense of reality to it. Like he's just your average guy gone mad.
I actually have a couple snoots I'll throw on the flashes and see what I can come up with. I thought it was a little too much overflow too actually

CyberSteak · October 7, 2009

rsparts wrote:

Actually I was going for a "Fed up with my boss/customers/the world and now I'm going to show everyone" kinda feel....I guess? I'm having trouble describing it.
Think of an employee pushed too far that has finally snapped. I didn't do a very good job making it known that he was in HIS house getting ready for a "night on the town".

Aha. So I got it right?

What do I win?

jmphotocraft · October 7, 2009

I think you should take this down for now, it is bad timing and poor taste in light of the recent news out of NH...

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20091007small_nh_town_shaken_by_violence/srvc=home&position=also

pwp · October 7, 2009

jmphotocraft wrote:

I think you should take this down for now, it is bad timing and poor taste in light of the recent news out of NH...

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20091007small_nh_town_shaken_by_violence/srvc=home&position=also

While the story is tragic, I highly doubt the OP was "inspired" by this event. Would you suggest postponing the release of all the Halloween slasher films slated for this fall? Let's not get too bent over a little artistic expression.

jmphotocraft · October 7, 2009

pwp wrote:

While the story is tragic, I highly doubt the OP was "inspired" by this event. Would you suggest postponing the release of all the Halloween slasher films slated for this fall? Let's not get too bent over a little artistic expression.

Wasn't saying he was inspired, just that the weapon of choice in the crime was a machete, so...

BGtom · October 7, 2009

jmphotocraft wrote:

Wasn't saying he was inspired, just that the weapon of choice in the crime was a machete, so...

My first reaction was to be creeped out, probably because Smug is the antithesis of the grist of that image. But...isn't it an emotional reaction we are seeking to engender when we release the shutter (oooohh! "Release the Shutter..." now there is an emotional metaphor!). So slash on, I say!

Now, on to the picture...Sounds like you have a story, and that's perfect. Every picture is a story, so tell the story. But if you're having trouble describing it, then you need to work on it a bit more. Another thing is the point of view. Are you telling the story from his point of view or someone elses? Right now, it looks like it's someone else's, a victim perhaps...? Another thing to remember is to show only what the audience needs to see to get the story. Now, if you're telling the story of a junk shop dealer it would be fine to have a room full of junk...I'm not saying for you to keep your frame empty...rather it needs to have what you feel is necessary to tell the story without distracting the viewer. Some film directors obsess over every detail in every shot to tell their story (I know it's just a single shot, but the rules are much the same; you are trying to tell a story, only it's with one picture). If the focus is supposed to be on the guy then you need to create a composition that leads the eye to the guy. Or the knife. In this case, maybe the bookcase (or perhaps it's the light on it) is drawing our attention away from the guy.

What might be fun for a subsequent shot (perhaps the natural progression of the "story") might be the guy being a minor part of the composition, almost an afterthought, even literally out of focus...and the focus would be on "something else" (I think you know where I'm going with this...).

cheers.

rsparts · October 7, 2009

jmphotocraft wrote:

I think you should take this down for now, it is bad timing and poor taste in light of the recent news out of NH...

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20091007small_nh_town_shaken_by_violence/srvc=home&position=also

I respect your point of view but I won't remove the photo. I hadn't even heard of the story up until 3 minutes ago when you posted it and even if I had, I certainly would not have used it as inspiration.

BGtom wrote:

What might be fun for a subsequent shot (perhaps the natural progression of the "story") might be the guy being a minor part of the composition, almost an afterthought, even literally out of focus...and the focus would be on "something else" (I think you know where I'm going with this...).

cheers.

You read my mind. I've been coming up with ideas all day for "aftermath" pictures.

Tim Kamppinen · October 7, 2009

Ever see the movie "Falling Down" with Michael Douglas? It's similar to the scenario you describe and he even wears the short-sleeved button-up shirt in it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106856/

He basically looses his job, snaps, and goes on a rampage across the city.

EDIT: Oh, and suggesting that he take the photo down is just silly.

Dave Clee · October 7, 2009

I think the effort is there but for me it comes across as a bit to clean. I also did not get the "pissed" off employee from this. Maybe a briefcase with the machete hanging out of it ? I also like the idea of an arm just visible in the hallway...Definitely alot of possibilities with this topic..

Maybe a reshoot outside an office door with the boss slightly out of focus slightly sideways to camera and he is on the phone not seeing you standing in the doorway ??

Anyway great concept..

Cheers

Dave

rsparts · October 8, 2009

Tim Kamppinen wrote:

Ever see the movie "Falling Down" with Michael Douglas? It's similar to the scenario you describe and he even wears the short-sleeved button-up shirt in it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106856/

He basically looses his job, snaps, and goes on a rampage across the city.

EDIT: Oh, and suggesting that he take the photo down is just silly.

actually I hadn't seen that movie but that's kinda funny. I bought the gas mask with the intention of taking other kinds of photos but then I saw a knife in my tool box when I got home from work and it just clicked. my wife asked me why I was being so dark all of a sudden - i just stared at her twitching my eye

honest opinions needed

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