>>> Challenge 74: Character Studies <<<

[David Willis]

Congrats to all!!!! ...the past two weeks have been really busy for me...and I couldn't find time to do much hosting. The images posted were splendid and I feel badly I didn't have time toactively comment!!!!

Of course...special congrats to Michael for an amazing display of talent and skill!!!!

Cheers,
:-D

 

[jnconradie]

When I look back to the respective Top 10 galleries of Challenge 73, it is really impressive, high quality stuff. Congratulations to all the winners!

Looking forward to the new challenge already. Although to the honest, portrait-type work is definitely my weakest suit... so I feel severely "challenged" this time around!

Regards to all, jnconradie

 

[JimH]

Not only having an album cover published, but also getting to do the kind of shooting you love. What a great deal that will be

Congratulations!

--
Jim H.

 

[photocat]

and congratulation all other winners and place getters too......

I had just 2 entries this time and I am delightfully surprised to see me placed at 3rd and 7th!!! ... thank you for voting for my entries and also thank you for commenting to those who did.

I am extremly sorry to not have commented much for this challenge or missing the voting. I have been having a very hectic time...

From what appears, this one challenge is going to be an interesting one!!!
-Cat

--
--Photocat
http://www.photocat.biz
Charter member of Atlanta CTF/CSLR Challengers Society

'It is what we think we know already that often prevents us from learning' -- Claud Bernard.

 

[lonnit]

--
Please visit my primary gallery at http://www.flickr.com/photos/graphicdetails/
and offer your comments. I love a good critique!
My secondary gallery is at http://www.pbase.com/lonnit

 

[thefly]

But what is the difference between a character shot and a portrait? Exhibition is full of head shots. Is this our goal for the challenge?
--
Charter member of Atlanta CSLR Challengers Society
~ Be the kind of person your dog thinks you are. ~
http://359degrees.org

 

[Gayle159626]

I just looked at the exhibition gallery and wondered the same thing. The pics I were considering for entry aren't head shots, so maybe I'm way off base.

Cheers,

Gayle

--

'We don't make a photograph with just a camera. We bring to the act of photography all the books we have read, the movies we have seen, the music we have heard and the people we have loved.' Ansel Adams



http://www.shot2shot.com
http://www.pbase.com/gayleknowles/

 

[JimH]

I suspect that the head shots are there simply because that's what a lot of us have in our bags of old photos to offer to fit this theme.

But the way I read Michael's description, I think this challenge is open to a lot more than just head shots. A lot more.

I've been wracking my brain to come up with some interesting ideas to take advantage of the challenge's theme. And I've got a few ideas, but I have nothing in my existing "Hard Drive 'O Photos" that really explores the limits of what I'm interpreting this theme to allow.

Thus, the head shots

Not that head shots won't count, in my opinion....

--
Jim H.

 

[Michael Puff]

Jim said it better than I could...I agree fully with his comments.

A head shot is certainly one way to interpret the theme, but I can also think of ways to show some insight into a person's character or life without ever seeing a face and I hope to see a number of different styles in this challenge. Glad you asked so that folks don't settle into the idea this theme is solely about headshot style portraiture.

Michael
--

Galleries:
http://www.pbase.com/mtpuff

 

[Michael Puff]

... well, it's way cool. An album cover would be fantastic. Ya know, I rather think it's all about the fact someone feels an image you created communicates to them. Further, the fact they put faith in the image to let it communicate to others is a real thrill in my book. All appendages crossed for you that the album cover comes through.

Michael
--

Galleries:
http://www.pbase.com/mtpuff

 

[Michael Puff]

I'd like to take a moment at the outset of the first weekend of intensive shooting to ask everyone to think carefully about the challenge topic. It's very subjective as to what constitutes a "character study" and that's OK, different styles will appeal to different people. However, please remember that this is NOT a portrait challenge. Rather, it is a narrower slice of people photography that aims towards giving you an immediate gut level feeling about the person(s) depicted. Sure it's a portrait, but it's not every portrait.

There are many wonderful images starting to appear. Take a look at the galleries...if your immediate reaction to an image is "that's a fabulous portrait" then the image might well be off topic. If your immediate reaction is about the person(s) in the image, positive or negative reaction, then it's likely the image is totally on topic. I exaggerate with those examples, but I think you'll get my point. In other words, a beautifully accomplished portrait of a person is not what I am after in this topic. What I'm after is an image which invokes gut level feelings about the person and/or their environment.

Apologies if I'm having a hard time communicating this theme. Others should feel free to add their thoughts on a definition of "character studies" vs "portrait". I will not be deciding which images are on topic or off topic. That's for each participant to decide. While I will no doubt have an opinion, no images will be moved to pending except for violations of size rules.

Thanks,

Michael

--

Galleries:
http://www.pbase.com/mtpuff

 

[Victor Engel]

Last night I went to the Elephant Room with my laptop, with a plan to browse through existing photos and choose one for the exhibition gallery. My time would be divided among doing that, listening to the wonderful music, writing my book, and drinking.

I did find a picture which I decided to post to Exhibition. I edited it at the Elephant Room, and I learned something in the process. Editing with the laptop at its dimmest setting (to match the ambience and keep from calling too much attention to myself) results in a picture which looks way off when reviewing it with the monitor turned back up to full power.

Maybe I can figure out a curve filter I can insert so that I can edit under these conditions (I'd then remove the curve layer for full powered viewing).

Anyway, I uploaded the picture to Exhibition and then reworked it a bit and re-uploaded it. It's from one of my first photo shoots with my 135mm lens.
--
http://www.pbase.com/victorengel/

 

[Traveller]

To a small degree, I think that I have to dissent from the position of our amiable Host. Portrait work need not be a character study, but a character study may very well be a portrait.

Some of the Portraits already submitted I think qualify very well as a Character Study...others are just Portraits....lol

But this is a very fine line, I think.

Some of the Portraits are sooooooo good and revealing that I hope to copy some people's style before this challenge is over.

Immitation is the sincerest form of flattery, (smile and grin)

Best Wishes,

Traveller

 

[Traveller]

...I have responded to her and added an explanation to this image also.

http://www.pbase.com/cslr_challenge/image/64974743

This is certainly not the best work in the world, but I found it revealing as to the person.

Best Wishes,

Traveller

 

[Michael Puff]

...I'm all for it

I certainly hope I didn't put anyone off on the challenge. I expressed my interest and goal. But I'm not particularly dictatorial and I'm open to however the challenge flows. I might add that I'm loving the look of the galleries right now.

Go take pitchas,

Michael
--

Galleries:
http://www.pbase.com/mtpuff

 

[Victor Engel]

http://www.pbase.com/cslr_challenge/image/65076897

One look at the EXIF and you may say, "What! Victor has a performance shot with flash?!?!"

I have to admit, that is true. I did it in order to add some dimension to the artist's very dark skin. I dialed in -1 stop flash EC, if I recall correctly. I note, though, that right after I took this picture, he called me a paparazzi. He was joking around, of course....

I used the popup flash and a napkin (held about 4 inches in front of the flash). I used flash for only one other shot last night.
--
http://www.pbase.com/victorengel/

 

[NW Charlie]

But what is the difference between a character shot and a portrait?

. . . that a portrait shows the person, whereas the theme of this challenge is to show the character of the person.

Thus, if you put all the character shots in the world in one box, and put all the portraits in an other box, you would have copies of some shots in both boxes, and some shots would be in just one of the boxes.

--
http://www.pbase.com/cbeck

One does not achieve success by being at the right place at the right time, but rather by being ready when the right place and time present themselves for your inspection.

 

[Rob_O]

Seems fairly clear the challenge is a "people study" ... but is it limited to people, as in humans? I was out today and took a bunch of shots I thought would be eligible based soley on the title and what I thought I originally read in the theme description (i.e., it's not a portrait challenge, etc). However, my shots were more creative and not people. ;-)

What say the judges?

--
Rob O
20D
EF-S 17-85 IS USM
70-200 f/4 L

 

[Olaf.dk]

However, my shots were more
creative and not people. ;-)

What say the judges?

I think it is pretty clear. Here are a couple of quotes from the original post:

This challenge is all about people photography.

Requirements:
1. Your image must contain at least one person or part of a
person. You may certainly have multiple people in your image.

--
Olaf

'Error is a portal to new discovery'

 

[Rob_O]

That's why I said it seemed pretty clear. Just thought I'd get an official ruling, as character studies -- as an overriding theme -- could extend to subjects beyond people. ;-)
--
Rob O
20D
EF-S 17-85 IS USM
70-200 f/4 L