*** Ineligible Ch. 64 - "Contextual Portraits" ***

Nikolai

This is a a side-kick for a primary thread: Dgrin Challenge 64 - "Contextual Portraits", designed to bring the ideas and the inspiration for the primary challenge participants.

All the rules pertinent for the primary thread are applied, with the exception of the following:

• shots displayed do not have to fall into the primary challenge time frame, i.e. you can use your old ones:-)
• no voting will be taking place, hence no prizes or awards can be expected
• one person can post not just 1, but up to 3 images on the subject

Please post your inspirational work in this thread as a reply to this post.
As with the primary challenge itself, please do not comment/critique the submissions here, we want to keep this thread for submissions only. If you feel the need to comment - please start a separate thread.
Thanks - and let's rock this joint! :thumb

Nikolai

Rebecca
She was an usher in a local upscale restaurant:

rutt

As long as the swan is dying, this is Lorna Feijoo rehearing this role at the Boston Ballet studio a couple of weeks ago.

rutt

*** Ch. 64 -- Ineligible Chatter ***
Here is a place to post comments to go with the Ineligible Thread.

I'll kick it off. Great redhead Nik. Now I know why you were so hellbent to do this!

Andy

Let's keep one thread going. Ya'll will have to pay attention and quote properly, like this:

Nik, I think she's lovely and so's the portrait, but it's not a portrait in context. At the reservation stand, holding a bunch of menus, arm out showing the way, etc. She could be anywhere and anybody.



Rutt, the dancer's lovely - but where's the context? How about, "at the bar," or "in makeup"? It's not in context. Oh and John - fix that vigging

Awais Yaqub

He works in Jewlary shop

ridetwistyroads

Is this contextual? (taken some time ago)

behr655

Nikolai wrote:

She was an usher in a local upscale restaurant:

What a beauty but how is it a contextual portrait?

Bear

sayntbrigid

Talking for Tips

davev

Hannah's Art.

Her mom helped with the title work and blocking, the rest was the kid's.



Kate, with her head in the clouds.



Even though you can't see his face.

The Welder.



I don't take many people pics so this is about the best I can do.

Stan

Andy wrote:

Let's keep one thread going. Ya'll will have to pay attention and quote properly, like this:

Nik, I think she's lovely and so's the portrait, but it's not a portrait in context. At the reservation stand, holding a bunch of menus, arm out showing the way, etc. She could be anywhere and anybody.



Rutt, the dancer's lovely - but where's the context? How about, "at the bar," or "in makeup"? It's not in context. Oh and John - fix that vigging

Can we have a separate comments thread too?

LeDude

Stan wrote:

Can we have a separate comments thread too?

give an inch

Angelo

Angelo

gubbs

How do I know she's an usher or that she works in a hotel?


What andy said!


We need something, (some context) some props, some background to tell us who they are, what the're doing etc...

Davev, excellent stuff, took me a second to see the 2nd one but I guess that fits, the last one is spot on


This fits, but I'd like to see some iron/gym/muscles in the bg rather than relying on logos


Again this fits, but I'm left asking, what's he up to?

gubbs

I'll dig out some more examples later, if that's any help.

here's another great example from andy: Thanks

The Haberdasher

Andy your guy in the bread shop is spot on too!

4labs

I think this works.

Action Shooter

New Guy Entry

Angelo

gubbs wrote:

How do I know she's an usher or that she works in a hotel?


What andy said!


We need something, (some context) some props, some background to tell us who they are, what the're doing etc...

Davev, excellent stuff, took me a second to see the 2nd one but I guess that fits, the last one is spot on


This fits, but I'd like to see some iron/gym/muscles in the bg rather than relying on logos


Again this fits, but I'm left asking, what's he up to?

OK, I think we're being a little strict here. Somewhere along the line David suggested that Nik have a little fun.... I agree.

here are your "rules" from the Contextual thread:

---

Ok, so we've done portraits before, so I thought I'd add something extra! I want to see a portrait but I want the photograph to tell me something about the subject other than what they look like. That "something" could be their hobby, career, passion, lifestyle, belief, duty, skill, habit, background etc, etc....
Oh, and one more rule the subject must be HUMAN!

---

What part of my Ironworkers shot doesn't tell you what they do, regardless of the background? And why does my clown have to be "up to" anything?

You site Andy's haberdasher as a fitting entry? Why? It's a portrait of a man in front of a store window. It's a very good portrait but it tells us nothing about the man but for Andy's original description of the shot. He could otherwise simply be a pedestrian. Now if he had a tape measure hanging 'round his neck...

The only "perfect" entry so far is Andy's dentist!

So let's have some fun here! Soapbox down.

gubbs

Angelo wrote:

Somewhere along the line David suggested that Nik have a little fun.... I agree.

here are your "rules" from the Contextual thread:

---

Ok, so we've done portraits before, so I thought I'd add something extra! I want to see a portrait but I want the photograph to tell me something about the subject other than what they look like. That "something" could be their hobby, career, passion, lifestyle, belief, duty, skill, habit, background etc, etc....
Oh, and one more rule the subject must be HUMAN!

---

What part of my Ironworkers shot doesn't tell you what they do, regardless of the background? And why does my clown have to be "up to" anything?

You site Andy's haberdasher as a fitting entry? Why? It's a portrait of a man in front of a store window. It's a very good portrait but it tells us nothing about the man but for Andy's original description of the shot. He could otherwise simply be a pedestrian. Now if he had a tape measure hanging 'round his neck...

The only "perfect" entry so far is Andy's dentist!

So let's have some fun here! Soapbox down.

I'm all for fun Angelo!
It's just my opinion, take it or leave it, it's up to you

Angelo

gubbs wrote:

I'm all for fun Angelo!
It's just my opinion, take it or leave it, it's up to you

Of course, I understand you sharing your opinions of the shots, but since you'll be co-judging the "eligible" thread I think your opinions carry more weight and I just wanted to open the door to clarity.

---

Oh, and I edited the thread. After re-reading it I realized my words were ill-used. I didn't mean to sound so critical of you personally. My apologies.

gubbs

Yuri's shot:
the dirty rough hand and nails, the clothes & the rusty metal plate all add context and tell me he is a manual labourer at his workplace. Probably on tea break!

The dentist:
his white coat and equipment obviously tell you he's a dentist but it's his actions and the fact that the shot taken from the patients perspective that place him at the chair, with a patient, and make this an exceptional shot.

The Haberdasher:
Fantastic portrait! Well, it works for me.
I believe from the picture that's his shop, to me he just looks like a New York shop keeper so the bg is enough. I accept it may not be the best example but I had the link to hand and wanted to offer some guidance.

As I said, both of your shots "fit" and they're both very good, but, IMO, they need another level of context. I think you need more than clothing or make up to make it a strong contender in a contextual portraits challenge.

rutt

At the barre
OK, I hear Andy's point about the portrait of Lorna, so I rushed right out and shot this one (actually just dug around in my pile of ineligible shots.)


Tai Jimenez at the Boston Ballet Studios
Canon 5D / 70-200mm f/2.8L @ 153mm
1/400 @ f/3.2
ISO 1000

ltdesignphotovideo

Ineligible
This is a shot from Williamsburg, VA, a few weeks back. I love historical stuff!!!!! Enjoy!!!!!

mr peas

"Grass in your hair!" & "Payback"
See this thread is working! Since I can't really participate in the challenge, I'll post my try here! : Well these were taken a few days ago.

This is what happens when siblings get rowdy: :P

"Grass in your hair!"



"Payback"



**forgot that my gallery had these photos as hidden :P thats why it wouldnt show up before

mr peas

Okay other photos were sort of like this, like the first one, the red head lady. I dont understand how this photo is contextual and the other not. is it just because this one came out looking and processed better? I mean, its like theyre both face shots, they both dont tell us what they do for a living, how is this one more contextual than the others?

gubbs wrote:

I'll dig out some more examples later, if that's any help.

here's another great example from andy: Thanks

The Haberdasher

Andy your guy in the bread shop is spot on too!

mr peas

exactly what i meant :

Angelo wrote:

OK, I think we're being a little strict here. Somewhere along the line David suggested that Nik have a little fun.... I agree.

here are your "rules" from the Contextual thread:

---

Ok, so we've done portraits before, so I thought I'd add something extra! I want to see a portrait but I want the photograph to tell me something about the subject other than what they look like. That "something" could be their hobby, career, passion, lifestyle, belief, duty, skill, habit, background etc, etc....
Oh, and one more rule the subject must be HUMAN!

---

What part of my Ironworkers shot doesn't tell you what they do, regardless of the background? And why does my clown have to be "up to" anything?

You site Andy's haberdasher as a fitting entry? Why? It's a portrait of a man in front of a store window. It's a very good portrait but it tells us nothing about the man but for Andy's original description of the shot. He could otherwise simply be a pedestrian. Now if he had a tape measure hanging 'round his neck...

The only "perfect" entry so far is Andy's dentist!

So let's have some fun here! Soapbox down.

rutt

I decided I need to show one that definitely wasn't ballet!

rutt

I think Lindsay's Willimansburg shot is just about perfect. Great composition. Great context. Maybe lighten up the face a touch.

gneufeld

I'll try this again. Any comments or suggestions.

rutt

Davev, those last two, head in the clouds and the welder are to die for. I don't know if the welder is really a portrait. If the head in the clouds shot were eligible and it were up to me, I'd close the contest right now and declare it the winner.