Untitled Portrait

[Karm Redland]

Observations and comments welcomed.


Untitled by Karm Redland, on Flickr

Karm

[dubaiphil]

I feel uneasy about this one! I think you're going to have to comment on your relationship with the subject and a little bit about them to help with any critique

[Mike Buckley]

Gorgeous toning! The vignette is a bit heavy to my taste, perhaps because its brightness attracts my eye away from the subject. Consider darkening the vignette a tad.

I'm a little concerned about the angle of the image, as it almost seems as if you are sneaking up on the subject from behind.

[Shadowman]

Nice image, very creative for a portrait, more of an abstract until you look closely. How close would you want viewers if you were exhibiting this photograph?

[Karm Redland]

dubalphil, appreciate your concern. I am biologically related to this person.

Karm

[Karm Redland]

Mike, I tried different vignette's. I chose this one because of the ephemeral feeling it gave to the picture. I'll go back and try to make it a bit darker.

Karm

[Karm Redland]

Shadowman, great question. I think its abstract quality only appears when you view the image closeup. From three or four feet back the dark areas dominate and you clearly see the subject. At least that's what I see.

[wmoore]

Gorgeous toning! The vignette is a bit heavy to my taste, perhaps because its brightness attracts my eye away from the subject. Consider darkening the vignette a tad.

I'm a little concerned about the angle of the image, as it almost seems as if you are sneaking up on the subject from behind.

Like Mike I don't like the angle of the image and the vignette is a bit too much for me.

[kdoc856]

Somehow, I just don't feel invited to be here, that I'm intruding by my very observation. She is so vulnerable, and I don't feel we are protecting that vulnerability. Also, with the lady's left hand pulled up so close to her mouth, it appears to be an extension of it.

[Dave Humphries]

I find the dead centre ear somewhat attention grabbing.

Dragging the Lytebox view down, off the bottom edge of the monitor, gives me a better crop at about a 16:9 type aspect ratio - if that makes sense.

[Mike Buckley]

Somehow, I just don't feel invited to be here, that I'm intruding by my very observation.

That's such a much better articulation of what I was trying to get at by mentioning the angle.

[ggt]

oh, it looks like a scene I've viewed a few times. The end of life seems so awful. As a a person afflicted with the vice of vanity, I always hate how not even a person's hair is "done" at the the end and even the most prim women don't seem to care by that point.

Then I remember what a privilege it is to be with the person at this time in their lives. So many humans never get to this point. A full life, surrounded by family, served by family, made as comfortable as possible. It's really a photo of a successful life.

That you showed the person at this angle, with nice flowered sheets and clean hair, shows significant respect, IMHO.

[Karm Redland]

oh, it looks like a scene I've viewed a few times. The end of life seems so awful. As a a person afflicted with the vice of vanity, I always hate how not even a person's hair is "done" at the the end and even the most prim women don't seem to care by that point.

Then I remember what a privilege it is to be with the person at this time in their lives. So many humans never get to this point. A full life, surrounded by family, served by family, made as comfortable as possible. It's really a photo of a successful life.

That you showed the person at this angle, with nice flowered sheets and clean hair, shows significant respect, IMHO.

[Karm Redland]

Thank you ggt.

karm

[Karm Redland]

Sorry Dave, but are you referring to Lytebox the software?

Karm

[dubaiphil]

dubalphil, appreciate your concern. I am biologically related to this person.

Karm

Karm - you know what I mean! I don't mean that all portraits should be flowery, soft focus dreamy images - just that if this was not a relative then it would be a slightly disturbing image, and possibly invasive of privacy.

[Karm Redland]

Karm - you know what I mean! I don't mean that all portraits should be flowery, soft focus dreamy images - just that if this was not a relative then it would be a slightly disturbing image, and possibly invasive of privacy.

[Karm Redland]

I told you in an earlier email that this is a relative. I don't know what else I can say to you.

Karm

[dubaiphil]

I think you've misunderstood

[Kris V]

oh, it looks like a scene I've viewed a few times. The end of life seems so awful. As a a person afflicted with the vice of vanity, I always hate how not even a person's hair is "done" at the the end and even the most prim women don't seem to care by that point.

Then I remember what a privilege it is to be with the person at this time in their lives. So many humans never get to this point. A full life, surrounded by family, served by family, made as comfortable as possible. It's really a photo of a successful life.

That you showed the person at this angle, with nice flowered sheets and clean hair, shows significant respect, IMHO.

Maybe so - and I agree it's a beautiful memento for her relatives. That said, I would greatly object to have a similar picture of me or one of my relatives on public display.
Just my 2 cents.