CoopPix
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Staff Favorite
Superb Composition
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Exceptional Contrast
Superior Skill
All Star
Love it
Jaw Dropping
Genius
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AlanJakarta
August 16, 2013
Excellent close-up mono portrait - great editing. Congratulations on the Award.
An-D
August 20, 2013
This is a super intense portrait. The black and white really brings out every muscle and bit of emotion he's showing. A lot of depth. Wonderful capture!
GordonD
September 03, 2013
This was a brave shot, and works perfect, congratulations, award well deserved :)
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo sitting on the floor of the apartment I rented between important phases of my life.Time
It was in the middle of an afternoon on a weekend where I just wanted to let my afternoon tell me what to do.Lighting
The lighting was all natural. It came in from the balcony window and shined threw the living space to the wall that leads to the kitchen. I wanted a shadow on half of my face. To me it helped to represent the grain that had become my thoughts. I wanted it to add some texture to the shot.Equipment
It was shot with a Nikon D3100 with the kit 55mm lens on a tripod with a remote release. Easy peasy - nothing fancy.Inspiration
This was the second self portrait I had ever taken. I wanted to do different shots of my life after divorce. I had a simple one as a test. Just me looking at the camera. This one was a bit different. I am normally a person that is all smiles. I'm sure that 98% of the people that know me won't recognize me in this shot. I wanted nothing but texture in this shot. Me and the wall - that's it. I took my shirt off, sat down in front of the lens, and attempted the meanest, grittiest look I could muster. I surprised even myself, but this is some of the raw bitter I was feeling at that time of my life. Little did I know that I would meet the angel of my dreams just weeks after this shot was taken.Editing
The only thing I used was a high structure B&W filter. I wanted to add the grain that I could feel being expressed in my mood. I think it came through well. I never thought this shot would get any attention. It was really for just myself. I wanted to see inside myself, how I was feeling.In my camera bag
I have just the one body in my bag - the Nikon D3100. I have the 55mm and 300mm lenses that came with the kit, but I also have a 1.8/f aperture 200mm internal zoom and a 1.4/f prime lens for specific shots. I usually have some charges, an off-body flash, the remote release and some filters, but that's about it. The rest just becomes my observation of nature. I normally don't shoot people....just nature.Feedback
I am always so envious of the capability of others when it comes to portrait shots and the emotions they capture. I wanted just one shot. One shot of mine that I could look at and say, "I did that." This one was just about me. About the face of me that no one sees, the one that I don't show anyone. It is a genuine shot of my genuine feeling. It looks like me, but it doesn't. So I guess that came out as just .... raw me. Thanks for noticing. Now you need to see my smile. :)