feel that brick texture

[StvShoop]

first off, i meant to post this 10 hours ago, but i lost my webspace password :shock:

i think this shot needs some kind of change, but i can't figure out what. i did all my normal ps stuff to it, and i kept comparing the altered version to the original, and the original kept winning!
this image here is unedited. except for the flowers after spending hours in ps with no success, i had to change something!

i like the way it turned out, and i want to work on it some more. i'm going to shoot again whenever it stops raining at night.
different lighting? different crop? what do you think.

one major problem with it (though you can't tell from this small image) is that it was rather unfocused :?. it looks "ok" at 960px vertical resolution, but the blur is noticable. the problem is that my camera has one of those digital manual focus controls... the focus is "manual", but you control it with buttons, so you can't get the precise focus that's possible with one of those twisty jobbers. i can't move the camera further away, there's a fence. any ideas on this?

this is a self-portrait, btw

 

[danalec99]

Cool shot!

Did you see how it looked in BW? I think this is a great subject for BW.

 

[MDowdey]

black and white, p the contrast so that only the highlighted part of your face is showing and bam!!!! youll have a spooky lookin self pic!

good work too!

md

 

[mygrain]

It almost seems like the bricks are more in focus than you are- night shots are hard work. What kind of fence is it? can you get to the otherside...it might make an interesting comp if shot through it.

 

[StvShoop]

here's a guess at what you were suggesting mdowdey

levels might be way off, it was a quick job on my laptop

thanks guys!
even without the extra contrast, i do like it as a bw. didn't think of that, but that's what the critique forum is for 8)

mygrain, nope, there's a cliff on the other side of the fence. the bricks are a bit less blurry because it was a 4 sec exposure they're better at standing still than me

edited the original pic, i didn't quite like it directly on the white forum background

 

[tsien]

The color of the flowers on the ground carries a sexy feel, even more so if the background goes black. Your title suggests, however, the subject is about the brick. With this in consideration your choice of the colors of T-shirt and pants matches very well. The focus problem might have something to do with the protruding blue color of the flowers?

I think regardless of where your camera stands, you can have full control of how you pose yourself. How about sitting or even lying down? Bricks make me feel down-to-earth.

btw, you might try wearing khaki pants, not sure though..

 

[mygrain]

B&W works really well with this shot. It makes it much more powerful as a photo comp. It now almost makes the slight bluriness seem intentional. Good work.

 

[Lu Tze]

try to sit down with your back against the wall, knees folded with your arms lying on them loosely but lean a bit forward, like you just got tired or you got a bit confused and went out to get some fresh air and clear up your head...and look away (as if someone outside the picture has just called your name) towards the dark side of the picture, take both colour and BW since i'm not sure what would work out fine here...???

 

[danalec99]

You are not the only subject in the frame StvShoop

Play with the "Brightness/Contrast" or "Curves" to enhance that wall!

 

[Corry]

I personally like the color shot much better. Aside from getting it a little more in focus, I wouldn't change a thing. I think it's a supercool shot.

 

[StvShoop]

thanks a lot everyone!

gonna keep working on it