# Faces



## Dunluchyn (Sep 15, 2012)

An Australian Poet of some vague ability wrote a Poem about the_* Faces in The Street*_ that he had met
His name was Henry Lawson
I guess that we Ozzies must have appreciated his ability as we have his moniker ( face) adorning one of our paper currency notes

I've sung his Poem  put to rousing Irish Rebel music
I've danced to the tune
I've looked and found many_* Faces*_ in my journey trough life
The eye artist in me sees the peopke, thew word artist gets blocked by inadequacy

I'm begining a Work on faces
Thoughts, impressions and constructive crits are welcomed

Heck I hope this upload bizzo has worked..was a tad complicated for a Virgin


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## Cran (Sep 21, 2012)

Youth may have beauty, but age has character. 

There are some interesting journeys mapped on those faces, *Dunluchyn* - 
any or all of them would make great flash/short story challenges.


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## Dunluchyn (Sep 22, 2012)

To be very honest here, I've had more feedback and crits on a Social media forum than with in this place where I came looking for input and guidance


I honestly don't care - well, yes I do, if u think this work is awful..but some feedback would be helpful


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## Dunluchyn (Sep 22, 2012)

Yes Cran..that would be interesting
Each of them have a history
All it needs is a Challenge perhaps to put all thre into one Tale


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## Dunluchyn (Sep 22, 2012)

This man annoyed me , but challenged me
I see th challenge and query in his Face


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## Dunluchyn (Sep 22, 2012)

I wonder where his memories of yester year took him.


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## Dunluchyn (Sep 22, 2012)

You are disturbing my Slumber - why?


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## Cran (Sep 22, 2012)

Dunluchyn said:


> To be very honest here, I've had more feedback and crits on a Social media forum than with in this place where I came looking for input and guidance
> 
> 
> I honestly don't care - well, yes I do, if u think this work is awful..but some feedback would be helpful


Activity in the smaller parts of WF - it's predominantly a writing forum, after all - tends to wax and wane, even among the dedicated core members. Again, members more often get back what they put in ... eventually. As there are only two or three good critical artists* currently active here, worthwhile feedback takes longer.

The annoying, challenging one seems to have been enlarged too far. 

The relaxed, snoozing one is one of your impromptu portraits that I admired when I first saw it. Where his memories take him, I couldn't say, but there are hints in his expression that suggest a bittersweet taste to at least some of them.

_*No, I'm not one of them._


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## Gumby (Sep 22, 2012)

I love the character in those faces, you can catch glimpses of their stories on them. I see what you mean about that man who annoyed you, it's in the eyes and the set of his jaw, I think. 

The cat is spot on with your caption. I've only recently gotten another cat after years without one. They are a pure mixture of love, devil, and sweetness.


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## Abbey08 (Oct 27, 2012)

Dunluchyn said:


> An Australian Poet of some vague ability wrote a Poem about the_* Faces in The Street*_ that he had met
> His name was Henry Lawson
> I guess that we Ozzies must have appreciated his ability as we have his moniker ( face) adorning one of our paper currency notes
> 
> ...



I saw this when you first posted it; I wasn't a member, so I didn't comment. But...I relocated it and want to ask some questions about this particular image(the one of the three women.)

I wanted to know first about the arrangement of the three women. Why those particular women in that particular order? The middle one seems not to belong to the group; she's better dressed, doesn't look as though she's lived as hard, and why is her finger to her lips? Makes me think of a teacher or librarian.

All of the women are tight-lipped. Did they know they were being photographed? There are ways to get people relaxed so the portrait is more comfortable looking; these women look like fish out of water. And speaking of that...I could have cut these women out of a magazine and collaged them together; was that the intent? That sounds like ridicule; I assure you that it wasn't meant to be. It's just what the image reminds me of and I've seen it done several times lately.

I would have liked seeing these women in their natural surroundings or doing something that defines them. It would have put a very different appearance to each face. Then, the face could be emphasized in post-processing to greater effect.
********
The man you didn't care for: I'm not sure there's enough there to know whether I like him or want to know him. His image tells me little.
*********
The sleeping gentleman: I very much like the out-of-focus background. He looks as though he's having a gentle slumber.
********
The cat: gotta love the cat. He wears the same expression my dog wears when I've disturbed her nap.

Not sure what you're needing or expecting here. Not sure any of this is helpful; I only hope it is.

Lorraine


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## Dunluchyn (Oct 28, 2012)

The women are three faces in an audience; they were sitting in rows behind each other. Their faces are, I guess, reflections of their participation of whatever was happening on stage


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## Abbey08 (Oct 28, 2012)

Dunluchyn said:


> The women are three faces in an audience; they were sitting in rows behind each other. Their faces are, I guess, reflections of their participation of whatever was happening on stage



So...it's a collaged effect from a photograph? I think that the idea of doing a study of faces is interesting. I've seen hand studies, eyes, mouths, but never full faces. I am a big Ansel Adams fan(along with a love of black and white photography in general); have you looked at the portraits he took? People don't think of him as a portrait photographer, but his images of Eliot Porter, Georgia O'Keefe, and Edward Weston are really neat. I think they're successful because of all the textures in their faces that show up so well in black and white.

Lorraine


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## Dunluchyn (Oct 31, 2012)

Yep..black & white is a challenge and a format that gives a lot more scope for using shadow and depth. I've done some B&W work but probably not enough to feel comfortable with it - yet


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## Abbey08 (Oct 31, 2012)

Dunluchyn said:


> Yep..black & white is a challenge and a format that gives a lot more scope for using shadow and depth. I've done some B&W work but probably not enough to feel comfortable with it - yet



I started with black and white; it took me forever, and digital photography, to feel comfortable with color


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## ClosetWriter (Nov 1, 2012)

Some tips that work for me: First of all I shoot more nature than anything else. I think that with any shot, however, that lighting is very important. I would suggest trying faster exposure. This prevents the brighter areas from being washed out. It also creates a mysterious feel to the shot. A good way to get a feel for this is to take several shots of the same subject speeding up the exposure with each. The auto settings on most cameras tend to allow too much light. Be aware of the background as well. The photo of the man sleeping would have had more of an impact if his face took up more of the shot, so try framing the shot as to remove distractions from the subject. You might also, consider turning the ISO down a little. I love the character you have captured in their faces. Try making that the subject more than the person -- if you know what I mean.


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## Dunluchyn (Nov 3, 2012)

Thanks ... I must admit to being a bit of a slacko and using the automatic settings most of the time
Be a brave girl and try using  the manual settings, huh? 

BTW - the old chap was my Grandad


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## Abbey08 (Nov 3, 2012)

Dunluchyn said:


> Thanks ... I must admit to being a bit of a slacko and using the automatic settings most of the time
> Be a brave girl and try using  the manual settings, huh?
> 
> BTW - the old chap was my Grandad



My husband and I photograph two different ways. He uses the auto settings and worries more about composition; I fiddle with the settings and use Photoshop Elements to fix composition problems. He doesn't even have Elements on his computer; he relies on Aperture(we both have Macs)to fix whatever little he fixes. We use different lenses as well; my camera body would have a meltdown without my macro lens being attached; he loves his wide angle and his great white telephoto. He likes what I accomplish, and I envy him his eye for landscape.

Read your manual about the manual settings and then play with it. Until you get comfortable with manual settings, be sure to shoot whatever image using the settings you're used to.

And Closetwriter is absolutely right; the auto settings will overexpose more likely than not. 

Lorraine


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## Dunluchyn (Nov 4, 2012)

I guess that I tend to go more for the composition as well, it's pretty much a case of what my 'eye' sees is what I want to capture

Manual? OK, come out, come out, where ever you are...bottom drawer of filing cabinet - maybe?


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## Abbey08 (Nov 4, 2012)

Dunluchyn said:


> I guess that I tend to go more for the composition as well, it's pretty much a case of what my 'eye' sees is what I want to capture
> 
> Manual? OK, come out, come out, where ever you are...bottom drawer of filing cabinet - maybe?



My imagination comes heavily into play when I photograph; it becomes a case of "What can I turn this into?" when I notice something. It sounds like you and my husband approach it in a very similar manner. Nothing wrong with that. My original image, when compared with my finished image, is usually worlds apart :chargrined: 

Manuals are an issue in our house too  I solve the camera/lens manual problem by sticking them in a spare pocket in my camera bag; that way, if I'm out and can't remember how to do something, I've got them with me. This happens with one particular lens more than anything else 

Lorraine


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