[Rainer.]

Challenge #8 VOTING

READ BEFORE VOTING: PICK UP TO TWO ENTRIES TO WIN. If you pick more, your votes will not count.

Self-Portrait

Following in the wake of photo challenge 6, take a picture in which the subject is yourself. You may or may not show your face, but the image should be something that clearly shows you. Try to show an aspect about yourself that you think is truly unique to you. Feel free in terms of locations and other subjects in the image, but remember that this is a self-portrait.

Here are the entries (in no particular order). Voting should be based on technique, creativity, and how interesting the photo is while within the challenge's criteria. Voting will be open for one week after this posting, and the winner will be able to choose the next challenge. Voting for yourself is discouraged.

Due to the sheer number of entries in this round, I am allowing you to pick two entries, but as it says above, pick more than two and your votes will not count.

Awesome turnout this week, folks.


airsoft sniper




ApparentlyNothing




Art




Cadence




emyv1




FTS




guitarguy90




hapa_angel




Here-am-I




Jump5fan




mulletman




natedawg5280




PontiusPirate




Rainer.




Rhonda Schofield




SarahTheGuitarist




surferdude9375

[bobthecockroach]

I picked my two. Good shots, y'all.

[ApparentlyNothing]

Ah man, I knew my #1. Picking a #2 is gonna be a little more tough.

[Rainer.]

I think I might know which are my two as well, but I'm gonna wait to see if I change my mind.

[hapa_angel]

Gahh... Oh. Ver. Load. *brain implodes*

I can't pick two tonight either. Thank goodness for seven days to think.

[Ordinary Sarah]

I liked Brandon's, JonDong's, Rachel's, Ben's and Chelsea's the best. But I voted for Rachel's and Ben's because I thought they were uniquely original and really showed something about them. Moreso than the others, I thought.


But seriously. This was amazing. I knew this would be a good challenge.

[jump5fan]

wow! lots of great pictures this time! i am going to have trouble choosing.

[Rainer.]

I gotta say that Brandon and Chelsea take it for me. Just beautiful shots.

[bowstaff981]

Brandon is of course a master of portraits and Natedawg's comes the closest to perfection imo and is the most unique

[PontiusPirate]

The carrot girl picketh.
I picked Jon's & ...Jon's. Heh.
Both told something about the photographer, without being so in your face about it...and without me having to gag thinking about all that cigarette smoke.

[surferdude9375]

I like Jon's (Rainer) and Sarah's the best out of all them. There were a bunch of entries in this one. Makes for more fun in the choosing.

[ApparentlyNothing]

Brandon's was my number 1. My number 2, I had a tough time deciding between Nate's, Chelsea's and Jon's. But in the end, I went with Chelsea. At some point, I'm going to write up a big RC post on all of them...

[Art]

For me, Jon Dong's picture is #1. I ended up going with my Wife's picture #2, though it was a very tough choice among hers, Chelsea's, and FTS'. I do plan to comment further on individual pics.

[play/crk\th/sky]

I liked PontiusPirates, Cancer, and Sarah's the best.

[Cadence]

airsoft sniper

Technically speaking this is a great shot. The exposure is good and the colors pop. As far as creativity I'd say it's a little dull. I would've picked a better location - the door knob is a tad distracting as well as the blue thing over the door. I think it would've been best to fill the frame with that blue sparkly thing as your back drop. You want to make sure your photos aren't too busy. I think that's a good key to great photos. Here you have so many things going on it seems - the rich blue glasses - the camo - the reddish orange guitar - part of a blue back drop and a door. To get these things uniform and more coherent with each other would benefit a lot.

ApparentlyNothing

These are great - very artistic and moody. I think you're doing a superb job of making digital look like film (assuming you are indeed shooting digital with these) - I've even started taking notes on your post because I love it so much. Great job on the black and white too - it's hard to get good black and whites from digital and I think you're doing a fantastic job at it.

I like the first one best. I like the second one, but I'm not quite sure what's going on there. That's my only beef.

Art

Good eye. I find eye shots need more mood. This has direct flash on it and certain parts (like below your pupil and below your eye) seem a little too washed out for my liking. I'd try finding a way to bounce flash from the side or over head - it'll give it a more dramatic effect. Also I'd like to see more nose in the frame or none at all.

emyv1

I feel this could've been a wonderful and peaceful photo, but I think the colors and that effect takes away from the photo. I would also isolate yourself more from the background - too many distracting elements (the wire - part of a frame etc...)

Compositionally - Watch the head of your instrument. It's cut off - as is the end of your bow. I'd also like to see the hand that's holding the bow. If you had the bow cut diagonally across the frame I think it would've been more sufficient.

I like the angle though.

FTS

This could've been great too, but my first thought was that the photo didn't load all the way. When that happens you only get part of the image and the rest is black - and I thought that's what had happened here.

it'd be nice to know whats in front of you. It doesn't have to be blaringly obvious, but maybe just a hint of it. Obviously we know you're in front of a computer - I think - but it'd just be nice to see more.

Also it's out of focus on your face.

guitarguy90

Good idea, and an A for effort as I'm sure you put a lot of work into this. I would've picked a better location. Also framing and composition. On the left you're cut off and on the right there's too much empty space.

plus you essentially have two backgrounds. Keep it uniform or complimentary.

Over all - great idea.

hapa_angel

Good show on the black and white. Again this is probably digital so I applaud you on the tones and richness of the black and white.

It's very pretty and elegant. Good job on the ring Art

I would've like to see all of your fingers instead of them being cut off. And I'm not sure what to do with the "background", but it seems a bit distracting. Perhaps making this a vertical shot would've been more expressive.

Great job though.

Here-am-I

Very pretty as well. My only thing is that I don't like direct flash - which probably isn't your fault since I'm sure that is all you have, but still not terrible at all for it being so direct. I've definitely seen a lot worse.

I like the square crop - but I think it could've been framed a little better to compliment that. Seems like you're a little too far to the left.

I'd liked to have seen more of your eye or none at all. I can't really tell if it's open or closed from your laughter.

Love the hair in the face though.

Jump5fan

This could use maybe a tad more contrast in the black and white. The composition is off. you're too low in the frame and your eye is a little too centered. Remember the rule of thirds. i find the hat distracting too - namely the little rip hanging down. Your shoulder is a little distracting as well.

When you cut certain things off in a photo be sure that it's done properly. If you're going to cut out an eye or a nose make sure it's done meaningfully.

mulletman

I like the mood, but I'm definitely not a fan of what happened to your shirt. I'm thinking that's not really on your shirt and is some post production thing you did, but it just doesn't suit it.

I like the shadow across the face. Keep exploring how to do that better - it's called controlling the light. if you're doing this in post then I think you did a decent job, but it could be better.

I like the subtle light on the background. It distinguishes you from the background. Again - explore that idea.

Watch out for cutting off hands and fingers like that.

natedawg5280

I like this. I love the background. I think you could've made it more texturey by boosting the contrast in it. But it's definitely nice in it's subtle state.

I'm not crazy about the low angle. I think it would serve well to take this with the camera a little higher than your nose - looking down a bit. Love the whispy hair in the face. I think it could be a little under exposed, so I'd brighten it up just a little...at least on your face. Just a little.

Careful with that chin - it's a little close to being cut off. Leave a little bit more room.

This might've been better as a vertical crop.

PontiusPirate

Lovely of course. I love the high key-ness of it. i think a little more detail could've been kept in the carrots. I actually thought they were french fries at first haha. It also would've maybe been best to wear a white shirt to keep with the theme of white and orange/red - accentuating the relationship between your hair and the carrots.

I think you lost too much detail in there area of your left shoulder. i've been trying to figure out myself how to do high key stuff but still retain detail, so I think you're doing a great job at that. i'd also liked to have seen all of your elbows rather than them being cut off.

Love the expression and the hair cut

Rainer.

This is a good example of how cutting off parts is done well. It's not awkwardly done.

The only thing I'd say is that the orange color cast could've been cooled down a bit - put a little more definition in there. It's also a little too blown out on your finger and cheek.

Rhonda Schofield

This might've benefitted if it were taken later in the day when the lighting was a bit more elegant. Gotta watch out for such harsh lighting. The composition is decent, but I think there's not enough subject interest.

SarahTheGuitarist

good composition. It looks a little out of focus though, and there's too much empty space in the shadow. This would've been best on an overcast day without the harsh sunlight. The green string is a bit distracting as well.

But overall I like the feel of it.

surferdude9375

I like the tones you got here and the mood of it all.

The guitar is cut off which I find distracting. The framing of you and the surroundings are good, but I think you could've filled the frame a little more with everything.

It looks like you have lighting of some sort....good job on the exposure and use of it. It really brought out great detail.

Just watch for distracting elements within the photo - like the wall socket - the clutter on the dresser...stuff on the wall etc...

but keep exploring those tones. i think you did a great job on them.


Well that's my opinion Love you guys.