DSS #24 - Am I close

anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
edited April 22, 2009 in The Dgrin Challenges
The first photographer that came to mind when I saw the theme of DSS 24 was Andrzej Dragan. I recently came across some of his work and am very intrigued with the darkness his images convey. His post processing work is very interesting to me.

This is not the image I will submit since it is not fresh and probably not the best subject but I thought it was a good image to play around with the PP.

What do you guys think of what I've done here so far... am I even close or should I find another photographer to emulate?

518063481_wLWKb-XL.jpg
"I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

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Comments

  • dniednie Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 1,351 Major grins
    edited April 21, 2009
    wow, he has some really wierd, yet hypnotic, work. I don't know why, but I really like it.
    I like what you have done with yours, I think you are on the right track. Go for it! I can't wait to see what you come up with!
  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited April 21, 2009
    Isn't his stuff awesome? It will be a challenge but I think I will go for it.

    I will either do a self portrait on this one or use my father. My father is 81 so he is a bit on the wrinkled and worn side, which I think will fit his Dragan's work better. I just have to see how cooperative he will be. He's a no nonsense kind of guy so I don't think he will be up to doing any posing or anything like that.
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

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  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited April 21, 2009
    Really interesting. I just went to his website and the portfolio shots there are fasciniating; disturbing, in a way, and very raw but compelling for sure.

    Seems to me a lot of what he's "about" is contrasts and opposites - young looking old, old trying to look young, rough looking smooth... not just the processing either - a lot of his shots seem to me to be juxtapositions in the composition and subject matter too.

    This challenge is so cool because I can see I"m going to learn about WAY more than just my own choice as we all work through our entries. Woohooo!! This is great!

    Great start on your idea, AC thumb.gif
  • dniednie Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 1,351 Major grins
    edited April 21, 2009
    Isn't his stuff awesome? It will be a challenge but I think I will go for it.

    I will either do a self portrait on this one or use my father. My father is 81 so he is a bit on the wrinkled and worn side, which I think will fit his Dragan's work better. I just have to see how cooperative he will be. He's a no nonsense kind of guy so I don't think he will be up to doing any posing or anything like that.

    My Dad is 82, and yes, they make good subjects. I used his hands for one photo I did for a show and everyone kept commenting on the hands. They were perfect for the subject. My Dad is ok with it, and my brother... my Mom, don't let her see the camera or she will give you heck if it is pointed her way.

    Good luck, I am still trying to find someone I like (easy) and might be able to do justice to (hard).
  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2009
    OK... more playing around. This time I tried some really poor attempts at self portraits making stupid faces.

    #1 - Crazy Face

    518238398_7PUkz-XL.jpg

    #2 - Cursing at the camera

    518240958_TNEFp-XL.jpg

    #3 - Not sure what I was doing here??

    518237540_DhXe2-XL.jpg

    #4 - The normal me

    518268514_rYDdU-XL.jpg

    #5 - Another dose of the decaffeinated Cuban

    518283186_aDe2G-XL.jpg
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

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  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2009
    Boy Dragan's work is fascinating.

    Love your self portraits - #3 is my fav. I like the attitude.

    After looking at Dragan's work just now, I wonder if you might ramp up your approach by adding some context. Minimal to be sure, but something to put viewers further off balance and leave them wondering "what the h is going on?" (of course, there is no answer!)

    The processing is really neat.

    Virginia
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  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2009
    Flyinggina wrote:
    Boy Dragan's work is fascinating.

    Love your self portraits - #3 is my fav. I like the attitude.

    After looking at Dragan's work just now, I wonder if you might ramp up your approach by adding some context. Minimal to be sure, but something to put viewers further off balance and leave them wondering "what the h is going on?" (of course, there is no answer!)

    The processing is really neat.

    Virginia

    #3 I really pushed the grunge in the processing. I do plan on reshooting to add context to the image. I just haven't figure out what. Any ideas?
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

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  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2009
    I like the last one a lot.

    I think the "context" with Dragan's work from what I looked at is that he seems to find the ugly in the subject as well as the attractive; this is not a cozy, flattering portrait style but a style which cuts away the superficiality and gets to people's soft underbelly. What about YOU would you rather people didn't see, didn't know about? That to me would be the context.

    In a way, this is a hard style to do as a self-portrait, because the things Dragan seems to emphasise are things we might not notice about ourselves; it might actually take an outsider to "see" them.

    Food for thought.... or something....rolleyes1.gif
  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2009
    divamum wrote:
    I like the last one a lot.

    I think the "context" with Dragan's work from what I looked at is that he seems to find the ugly in the subject as well as the attractive; this is not a cozy, flattering portrait style but a style which cuts away the superficiality and gets to people's soft underbelly. What about YOU would you rather people didn't see, didn't know about? That to me would be the context.

    In a way, this is a hard style to do as a self-portrait, because the things Dragan seems to emphasise are things we might not notice about ourselves; it might actually take an outsider to "see" them.

    Food for thought.... or something....rolleyes1.gif

    Nice Diva... very intriguing interpretation of his work. I may try to explore this angle. Highlight beauty and the ugly in me. Problem will be finding the beauty!
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

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  • KatmitchellKatmitchell Banned Posts: 1,548 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2009
    Competative
    I checked out this guys stuff too. I agree his stuff is very disturbing. So if impact is what your going for you made a good choice. I think self portrait #1 comes closest to his style of work.. you pulled that off well with the rebellious expression and harsh and blown out tones. Pics # 4 and #5 look like very professional portraiture. They turned out very nice.. you would do well at modeling too. # 4 is my fav... definitely a great online pic to use of yourself.

    you are definitely setting the bar high for us already:jawdrop
    in this competition..:rambo >> So Bring It..!!!
    Ha Ha..
    yeah right..oh well,,, I will give it all I got.... cant wait to see your finished product..

    Kat
  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2009
    I checked out this guys stuff too. I agree his stuff is very disturbing. So if impact is what your going for you made a good choice. I think self portrait #1 comes closest to his style of work.. you pulled that off well with the rebellious expression and harsh and blown out tones. Pics # 4 and #5 look like very professional portraiture. They turned out very nice.. you would do well at modeling too. # 4 is my fav... definitely a great online pic to use of yourself.

    you are definitely setting the bar high for us already:jawdrop
    in this competition..:rambo >> So Bring It..!!!
    Ha Ha..
    yeah right..oh well,,, I will give it all I got.... cant wait to see your finished product..

    Kat

    You're way too nice! Thanks for all the nice words. Yeah, I discovered this Dragan's work a few weeks back. It is very disturbing but captivating at the same time. Some of his stuff is too dark for me but a lot of his portrature is really cool. I love the post work he does. It really sets a unique tone to his images.

    Well... I will keep working on this effort and hopefully come out with a good product. I just now need to decide on the context for the image I will enter.
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

    Moderator of the People and Go Figure forums

    My Smug Site
  • KatmitchellKatmitchell Banned Posts: 1,548 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2009
    Good Luck
    Well good luck with that and look forward to you sharing it.

    The one of his that disturbs me the most is the guy that seems to represent Christ with the thorns on his head and the lashes.. The second most disturbing is that beautiful model with the starved 80 year old body...

    makes you wonder what goes through this guys head..:crazy I agree, he seems to be a master at the post processing..

    well... good luck.. I will share mine once I shoot it.. maybe this weekend..

    Kat
  • dniednie Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 1,351 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2009
    Well good luck with that and look forward to you sharing it.

    The one of his that disturbs me the most is the guy that seems to represent Christ with the thorns on his head and the lashes.. The second most disturbing is that beautiful model with the starved 80 year old body...

    makes you wonder what goes through this guys head..:crazy I agree, he seems to be a master at the post processing..

    well... good luck.. I will share mine once I shoot it.. maybe this weekend..

    Kat
    His mind, yes.... but what about that poor girls? She was modeling like she looked wonderful and in her own eyes she is... that is the distrubing & all to sad part to me.
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