The Few. The Proud.

[MatchlessArts]

Took this image at my wifes brothers graduation and there was a marine standing just watching everyone alone and I wanted to quick take a picture to capture what I saw.


The Few. The Proud.

The Few. The Proud. Before and After

 

[JoshuaSimPhotography]

Amazing! Love how u blurred out the background, to help with the busy one

 

[MatchlessArts]

thanks Joshua , it just was a cool sight to see this one marine out of all these kids and he was just standing by himself. I am in the army and I know how it is when you are in uniform at an event, you just feel out of place sometimes

 

[jowensphoto]

I like the idea, and I think you used an effective, fitting title.

As far as execution of the idea, I think you could do better capturing the blur in camera. A long exposure with the Marine standing still would have achieved the same, although better, effect. Of course, that would have been hard if you weren't toting a tripod.


Also, just the nit picky English major in me... there should be a period after, "The proud."

 

[shady195]

I actually think the original unedited captures the idea and feeling more than the final edited one you posted. The added in blur takes away from the marine, its more distracting IMO seeing all that, I would have only blured the person standing next to him in focus

The Original shows those people in the distance, not in focus, no real detail.. and then here we have the marine, standing in focus and very sharp sticking out around all these people.. From the sound of your post, that was the point of this photo.. to show a marine sticking out amongst a sea of people.. and with the "main" photo you posted you don't get that at all IMO

I love the idea for the photo, and I think if you fixed the levels in the original, just blured out the 1 person to the side of the marine to match the rest of the crowd it would make for a very powerful photo

 

[SCraig]

Sorry, but it doesn't work for me. The motion blur looks wrong, especially around his head. Additionally, while the people would have been blurred by motion the walls would not have been. It just doesn't look right.

Also, the Marines are quite proud of their dress uniforms, much like the Army. I doubt that we will ever see a Marine with a logo like that on the back of their uniform, it looks like a t-shirt or something. Perhaps putting the logo to the side in a frame or something, but on the back of a uniform doesn't work for me.

 

[The_Traveler]

The motion blur technique was done incorrectly to get a clean image.
If you just blur the entire image and then replace the torso on top, the torso edges will be blurred also, making those halos you see.
Cut out the part to be reinserted, then blur the remainder. Then there won't be blurs from the torso extending past the inserted part.

 

[Frequency]

I am really happy that there is a drastic change in your lighting on the positive
I really like the original as well as the edit...it looks like a still from a film....i anticipate some immediate action
I am eager to know your reply to Scraig's suggestion
( i am incapable of evaluating the technical aspects though)
Regards