fighting through the fog

[Mitch2742]

Link.

A sincere thanks for looking! It means a lot.

An FYI: this is a composite. I am the only one pictured.

 

[waday]

That's interesting! Any backstory to go with it?

 

[Mitch2742]

It has been an immensely trying year. For me, for my friends, for my family. I've been there the best I can for those I care about, yet I often feel like I'm alone in my own personal struggles, and I suppose that sense of unwanted alienation is coming through in my work. I guess you can view this picture as a sort of, "LOOK AT ME!"; a cry for help.

 

[waday]

It has been an immensely trying year. For me, for my friends, for my family. I've been there the best I can for those I care about, yet I often feel like I'm alone in my own personal struggles, and I suppose that sense of unwanted alienation is coming through in my work. I guess you can view this picture as a sort of, "LOOK AT ME!"; a cry for help.

That was my exact thought when seeing it, so you conveyed that well!

I am going to mention a minor nitpick, if you don't mind. The markings just above the arrow are distracting.

The wife and I live around the capital, so we're not too far from one another.

 

[tirediron]

I would really like to see a little more of the seated chap. The disparity between the amount of the standing person we see and that of the seated gives the image a decidedly unbalanced feeling for me. I think the concept is good, as is the exposure & processing but the crop is hurting it.

 

[Mitch2742]

It has been an immensely trying year. For me, for my friends, for my family. I've been there the best I can for those I care about, yet I often feel like I'm alone in my own personal struggles, and I suppose that sense of unwanted alienation is coming through in my work. I guess you can view this picture as a sort of, "LOOK AT ME!"; a cry for help.

That was my exact thought when seeing it, so you conveyed that well!

I am going to mention a minor nitpick, if you don't mind. The markings just above the arrow are distracting.

The wife and I live around the capital, so we're not too far from one another.

Thanks for the feedback! I really need to patch up that wall, or at least start setting up backdrops for my photography. I was going to fix that in Photoshop, but then I inexplicably grew to appreciate the imperfection.

Whoa, my location is still set for York?! It's been years since I was last on this site - I'm only (very) recently getting back into photography. I haven't lived in York for a few years now; guess I should update that!

 

[Watchful]

Rework the 'fog and use a lot less noise and turbulence in creating it, it looks way too much like it's outdoors for an indoor shot.
I'd also increase the density and uniformity slightly and perhaps cut the wind factor completely. Did you do this effect in 3Ds Max or similar program where you have control of the fog, or is it a filter that can only be used or not?
If it's a filter, I'd look for others, or other ways to get the effect or switch to 3Ds Max.

 

[Mitch2742]

I would really like to see a little more of the seated chap. The disparity between the amount of the standing person we see and that of the seated gives the image a decidedly unbalanced feeling for me. I think the concept is good, as is the exposure & processing but the crop is hurting it.

I agree about the crop. I may fix it in the future, but to show more of me would have required a lot of processing that I didn't feel entirely capable of yesterday when I was editing it because of the wall I was in front of. Once I start using backdrops, that shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Mitch2742]

Rework the 'fog and use a lot less noise and turbulence in creating it, it looks way too much like it's outdoors for an indoor shot.
I'd also increase the density and uniformity slightly and perhaps cut the wind factor completely. Did you do this effect in 3Ds Max or similar program where you have control of the fog, or is it a filter that can only be used or not?
If it's a filter, I'd look for others, or other ways to get the effect or switch to 3Ds Max.

The fog is a blend of actual fog produced from a machine, and the clouds filter in Photoshop. Thanks for the feedback. I was unsure of the cloud filter myself but I opted to keep it in the final edit because I felt it gave it a sort of a surreal/circus feel that I thought I liked, but I'm still 50/50 on it.

 

[pjaye]

I like this. Very much. And I'm going to be the dissenter and say I like that less of the person seated is showing.

Without going into too much detail, I can relate to this. And to me, it portrays the emotion of feeling small. Especially in times of turmoil.

I also don't feel that the fog is too much. Again, it's part of conveying the feeling of the shot.

 

[Watchful]

The fog is not 'too much', it's just not done well, imo. You have to have fog in a picture of fog.

 

[waday]

Without going into too much detail, I can relate to this. And to me, it portrays the emotion of feeling small. Especially in times of turmoil.

Totally agree.

 

[Dean_Gretsch]

Now that I know what the mark above the arrow is, I am not as distracted. Clever composition. You give the feeling of hopelessness and despair.