Does this photo make me look fat? C&C always --

[ggt]

Hey all, Hope everyone is doing well!

I was alone (what a concept) for a whole day yesterday in a hotel room. I took advantage and walked-around with my camera and did some studying on color and light. As I said before, I'm still confused as I was trained to work with color as pigment and switching to color as light is bending my brain a bit. I've not had the time to do much studying. I also went thru my library and found my stash of color theory books. So, I'll probably have lots of questions in a few days.

Anyway, among the pictures I took, I managed a self-portrait --what do you think? I don't understand why the head area seems blurry.




teehee --taken about 2pm in St. Louis, MO.

[Donald]

Wonderful idea and very well executed.

[ggt]

Thanks MacKenzie. I still think it could be sharper towards the shoulders and head. Ah well, it was a fun afternoon, that's what counts, right?

[Geoff F]

Probably to do with the focus point, Gretchen.

There is a gradual reduction in sharpness, and contrast, from the feet towards the head.

[HMW12]

To add to Geoff's comment - I assume that this was taken at an angle so that the sidewalk was not parallel to the lens. In that case could it be like a DOF effect where the head is effectively more distant. Would a smaller aperture have helped?

[revi]

Also, the distance between object and shadow increases towards the head. That will reduce the sharpness of the shadow towards the head,
unless you really have a point source for your light.

[Sahil]

I like the idea of having your feet included in the shot, Gretchen. Nice shot.

[WJT]

Great shot and all the better for the feet in the bottom, it gives it a cartoon look. My friend's (ex) girl friend once asked if the dress she was wearing made her look fat. He replied no the dress doesn't, it's all that junk food that makes you look fat. It never lasted, who would have thought.

[ggt]

Thanks everyone! I giggled after I took this. Having the shoes in the picture came from the story of Peter Pan --he had to sew his shadow to his feet --or something like that. Or Wendy sewed it --I can't remember exactly. I was taking all kinds of shadow pictures that afternoon, the angles intrigued me, then I caught my own shadow and got the idea to make one as a self-portrait. I'll post some of the others if I ever get time for PP.

So glad you enjoyed it.

[Soozie B]

Or Wendy sewed it --I can't remember exactly.

hehehe Gretchen, I believe it was Wendy who sewed the ever escaping shadow to Peter Pan. I had the exact scene in my head when I first looked at this. Perhaps I haven't grown up either.

I love the fact that a photo has recalled a favourite childhood story for me.

Thank you so much :-)

[HAZZA]

great pic Gretchen, clever idea. thought i would share one of a series of experimental shadow pics my girlfriend and i took recently, this one made me look fat

[AB26]

That question has made good relationships end up in divorce court. I think I will do what is appropriate for a man to do when asked that question - SHUT UP. (Depends on how long he has been married, I suppose)

[ggt]

Hazza, very cool! Thanks for posting.