Portrait of a detective (2)

[bingbang]

We are back to what I said too elsewhere again : you are commenting with a fantasy in mind, and this fantaisy is the way you WOULD like to see the image, and not what the image is. It is a never ending discussion if you handle things on this way. You suggest that his hat and jacket would be dirty, and if it was the case someone would say that it does not fit the clean appareance of the moustache of the character, or that there would just be no specific point for making it dirty. You suggest that the hat and the jacket are not from that era, but the phone and the typewriter are not from that era either (btw, the bills are just napkins with the corresponding printing on it). Why is the phone not angled toward him ? Why his hand is over the carriage ? But why should it be an another way either ? And so on, and so on, and so on. The fact that is is a fantasy is clear from a single sentence that you wrote : "I would like to see [this and that]". The moment you realize that this is a fantasy of yours, you can free your mind and imagine. It is all about imagination here. As long as you don't, you got stuck with an infinite number of details that you will always miss from a picture, whatever the author could have proposed. Because the chance that the author presents what you would like to see are just equal to 0. And I can bet with you that other people thinking the same way will miss other details that do not fit yours and that can easily conflict with them (not even mentioning the other idiot that cannot even imagine a wall).

I am just tired of explaining things that are just so plainly obvious to me, tirediron. I don't say that you are an idiot and for sure you deserve some respect for taking the time of answering. But as long as you do not try to understand what I tried to explain, be sure that you will never ever be happy with an image and, as the majority of people that got stuck in photography forums, this will directly translate into this characteristic obsessive-compulsive disorder that I mentioned above, that consists of suggesting changes whatever the picture is. I have seen that so many times with people commenting this way pictures by others that I can frankly speak about a disorder. I am not a physician, I cannot handle that. And I cannot stand it anymore either.

 

[tirediron]

At the end of the day, it's your image, and if you're happy with it, that's what counts. In fact, that's really the ONLY thing that counts. However... as was mentioned earlier, one of the purposes of these forums is to provide critique, and critique is a subjective thing, and it should help us grow as photographers and artists. You certainly don't have to agree with any of the critique/comments/suggestions provided, but it behooves you as an artist to listen to all of those points and evaluate each one, even if that evaluation is nothing more than, "Hmmm... okay, that person doesn't like it because.... Well, I don't care, because I like it!" DO NOT take it personally, and DO NOT take it as a slur on your work; we're simply offering input on what would make the image better in each of our minds.

 

[mmaria]

I don't have a time to write a long explaining reply, I just stopped by to tell that I really do see what OP is trying to say, with his photo and the words written here... Either you do understand it and do like it either you don't. I wouldn't change a thing.

There's absolutely no need for arguing.

 

[bingbang]

You did'nt get my point, tirediron. May be I did'nt explain it clearly enough, that's quite possible. Moreover these are things that people are not easily listening, especially on a photograpy forum, as it goes the opposite direction that what they are used to do. I DO evaluate each critic I get, even the dumbest ones. Each critic helps me to understand why I did someting that way and why I could have done it another way instead. But you have to separates what you see from what you would like to see. This is probably the most difficult part, I guess, as there is always this confusion when you look at the images, at least if you are not conscious of it.

 

[Designer]

bingbang; we all see something that we would like to do differently if we were to make the photograph, so you shouldn't get worked up over the comments.

As for this shot; I see good lighting, good balance, good frame. I say it fits your intention well enough. Yes, I also see problems that have not been mentioned, but I also cannot watch television or movies without finding fault. Don't be discouraged.

 

[Braineack]

so you want us to critique the photo, but if we say anything that you disagree with, we are living in fantasy because what you did is 100% correct and nothing could be wrong and you can only recieve comments that it's perfect, because that's the way it is. correct?

i just wanna make sure, because I thought I looked at the photo and was bugged by things I saw, but I think I did it wrong.

Therefore I'm sticking with: the photography is good but the photograph is bad.

 

[leeroix]

You asked for critique. You got it. Otherwise you would not be here. You need to have thick skin and learn to use the comments to grow. If everyone always says your pictures are spectacular and wonderful, then there would not see the mistakes to learn from.

 

[bingbang]

@designer : right, these are wise words from a wise man, according to what I have seen so far.

@braineack : please make the mental effor to reach a clear decision; you just mentioned earlier that the picture was bad, and now it is good. Be an idiot if you want, but try to be at least a consistent idiot.

@leeroix : I have seen this comment written so many times, by so many people and in so different places that it does not make much sense to me anymore ; it just sounds like a universal answer to any possible reaction. A simplistic answer, as are all ready-to-use universal answers. Things are more complex than that, fortunately.

 

[Braineack]

@braineack : please make the mental effor to reach a clear decision; you just mentioned earlier that the picture was bad, and now it is good. Be an idiot if you want, but try to be at least a consistent idiot.

The photography is good. But by your rules the picture you created is bad. This is not an inconsistency.

That's about the best I can do for you givin your strict guidelines of blowing wind up skirt or not--anything else is fantasy.

 

[bingbang]

sounds to me that you activated a part of your brain that is not used to work.

 

[Braineack]

sounds to me that you activated a part of your brain that is not used to work.

use your imagination, you'll understand once you do.

 

[bingbang]

Have a nice evening.

 

[leeroix]

Things don't need to be complicated. You have heard it so many times before because its the truth...

 

[vintagesnaps]

What came to mind for me was a stage set for a one act play. I like the idea of it, and like film noir, I can't say this quite takes me back to that era of private eyes as much as it seems a re-creation. I like the old movie stills on TCM's site for films like Maltese Falcon where they often used shadows to create an atmosphere; I'd probably keep trying different ideas with this.

 

[The_Traveler]

Why you guys do you want to always argue about the fact that is shoud be this way or that way instead of what you are seeing ?............ So take it as it is : you like it or you don't like it.

You were trying to create an illusion by dressing the subject and the set with those period pieces, otherwise you would have just taken a portrait in whatever clothes he wore.

I told you what parts of it break the illusion for me.
And that seems to be what other people are telling you.

It seems you don't want to hear that.