a special look, a photo from Northern Red Sea, East

Photographer's Note

I have been discovering several things since my arrival in Eritrea three months ago. The first is that the light is very bright and when I am out in the country side it is always during those difficult hours for photgraphy. As our security guidelines tells us that we are not supposed to be out in the field after six (not in Asmara, the capital)and not beore 8 am it has been difficult to catch those perfect moments of the light. The second, is that I think that the world can also be shown by its people ,and this have been slightly easier to capture. The third is that I am not satisfied with my camera and I will upgrdae my self to aniko D-80. I definitelly agree with John (happypoppeye) that a good photo is 95% the photographer and 5% the camera but I think that this upgrade will for sure help to reach that 95%.

About the photgraphy...a Tigre man from the village of Sheib in the arid Province of Northern Red Sea. These guys are really scary when they decide to look thourg your soul.

Cheers

Rolando

Andro, konok, happypoppeye, nbj, emn, isabela_sor, kiks, MLINES, ruisc_pt, pticaruh ha contrassegnato questa nota come utile

Critiques | Translate

Andro (4) 2007-08-28 0:55

Hi
Excellent portrait...Special photo...

jslee (3988) 2007-08-28 1:01

Just Beautiful portrait!
Vey impressive and strong image.

Kind regards
JS Lee

happypoppeye (4819) 2007-08-28 1:49

A special look indeed...

...a scary looking one at that. Great saturated colors inthis one. Sharp and detailed with a nice background also. This is good one. One that connects with the viewer, with the man staring straight in to the camera.

Also, referring to your note - if you out during the day, especially in the sun where Eritrea is, you may want to consider a polarizer. This may really help with getting better colors. Now, I'm sure you're going to have enough on your hands trying to learn everything about the D80, without messing with a filter, but you may want to consider it.

Great work.
John

nbj (2097) 2007-08-28 3:22

that is a seriously intense stare. i like it, and i like the face in profile on the right as well. the blurry stuff at the bottom of the picture is slightly disturbing, but it would of course not be easy to crop out. and who cares, anyway, it's a good picture.

emn (251) 2007-08-28 4:33

Another extremly good portrait. You have a special gift for capture people on their special moments.
The white gives the strong touch for the image to work and it really does.
Congratulations amigo.

emn***

isabela_sor (47748) 2007-08-28 7:15

A very very strong portrait,and his look is really impressive!The focus only on his face and the blurred BG make this composition really great
Still I wanted to see how it looks in b&w
Tell me what do you think
Greetings from Romania

[workshop] [compare] +

brevbrev14 (140) 2007-08-31 1:36

Hi Rolando, woow...
the look of this man is incredible...
great the blured people in BG...
stunning portrait!
ciao!
Valeria

rafid76 (0) 2007-09-07 10:59

simply powerful but i must say that the workshop is even better, that B&W really give it a punch.

mirarer (4751) 2007-09-22 3:54

Hola Rolando:
Perfecto retrato, tiene una fuerza extraordinaria. Me gusta mucho.

He recibido tu comentario sobre la falta de luz en mis fotos. Agradezco tu interés, soy una recién llegada a este mundillo de la fotografía digital e intento aprender día a día. Como digo en mi introducción funciono un poco por intuición y a veces por culpa de la técnica, que no domino, el resultado es un poco decepcionante. Tengo además otro tema que solucionar, tengo serios problemas para postproducir las fotos y comprimirlas en menos de 200 kb con buen resultado.
Por el momento en mis fotos no hay nada de postproducción, son tal cual me han salido.
Prometo ponerme a ello en breve. Ya me he hecho con una versión moderna del Photoshop y aunque me da bastante pereza tendré que empezar a currármelo.
Muchas gracias y buena estancia en Eritrea.
Saludos.
Mirari.

Liekje (574) 2007-10-20 13:46

How come I haven't seen this shot before, it's absolutely brilliant. Off course the white is in good contrast with the man's face, but his look also has some sort of intensity. Somewhere it reminds me a little of this photo of a Touareg man/woman (photographer unknown) of which I have a huge poster in my room. There is in both that and this picture no way you can not look at the eyes, you just have to surrender to the look!
Like this shot, the picture tries to say a thousand words, but the eyes control every detail, and that's what makes this so great/mysterious/intense.

BRILLIANT!

ceremo (312) 2007-10-22 3:19

Beautiful portrait!
ciao!

Ceremo

rbcy1974 (20758) 2007-10-23 13:37

Hola ROlando:
Un doble retrato fantastico
me gusta mucho como el color de la piel de estos hombres domina el marco
muy buenas expreiones
Un saludo
Daniel

Polonaise (5802) 2007-11-07 4:28

It would be one of the most loud speaking portraits on TE..
If you are so close to a magnificent post - you must obey the rules of perfection, Rolando...

"Even the slightest thing can ruin a good photo - the major flaw won't ruin the crappy one " !!! (Confucious)

That partly cut-partly visible face on left (???)

If you'd crop your photo just a notch to the right - it wouldn't be a 'half-face' there anymore...
It would be a great background to your TWO magnificent faces !!!
(Scroll your screen to the left edge of your monitor as far as to hide that neck of the guy on left, even a notch futher than that...
D'you see it ?
TaDa !!!

Oh, well...
It's still a real close shot...
And by 'close' I don't mean 'near'..
I mean close to the very soul of every portrait...

The depth of his eyes !!!

Keep running - breathlessly

g.

-----------------
Your camera ?

Like your Sheib' guy !
As close to perfection as it can be...
Don't go nuts on equipment...
It's not a 5% of success... It's a mere 1%...

oochappan (4880) 2007-11-08 21:51

I like this portrait Rolando, with his serious deep look, the white border pulled a bit too much ditractive attention, so I did a WS, hope you like it ?
Henk

[workshop] [compare] +

kiks (12805) 2007-11-14 3:00

Hi Rolando, indeed a very scary look. Even on the screen I get the feeling that is gooing to jump out. Do they look often like this?
Technacly i think you manage the light perfectly and i like the choice of the unsharp bg and including the man on the right. Great framing. Can you tell me what happend with the lower part of the image.
Congratulations for the good work and TFS
KIKs

serdarakyay (550) 2007-11-29 9:27

hi Roland
very deep and meaningful looking.
cong.
regards
serdar

MLINES (12516) 2007-12-27 15:07

Hi Rolando. This is a fine portrait of a fierce-looking guy. The inclusion of the profile of the second person on the side works well. I am unlikely to go to this place so to see the locals through your lens is a pleasure. TFS.Murray.

ruisc_pt (11584) 2008-07-04 12:43

Hi Rolando
Nice and moody shot.
I like mostly the contrasting opposite tones, yet I supposed that the result will be much better if you had choose the "portrait" format... the "look looks more fearless and.......... the bear should be totally included.
The WS is there to your appreciation,
TFS
R

[workshop] [compare]

glasscafe (1040) 2008-09-05 9:58

Hola Rolando!

Una foto simplemente sublime, esa mirada y esa cara que refleja los extragos de una larga vida es fantástica.
Llevas unos días sin mostrarnos fotos nuevas, anímate que algunos estamos esperandolas jeje.

Saludos
Alberto

pticaruh (276) 2008-09-20 12:33

Hello, Rolando

Impressive portait. All my secrets are now known to that man. I am as as good as a read book. I can see in his look that he also dislikes your camera, he thinks of a possible Nikon upgrade as well!

Very good capture of yours, and complemented by extensive note. Good centering, and nice detail is the rightside blurred man.

Regards,
Asparuh

imtiyaz (1005) 2008-12-02 4:55

Except the white glare on the bottom,
The shot stands great portrait.

Strong expressions, dark colors,
Well Done

The WS of Henk as and Isabela Sorescu is good leanings,

Regards,
Imtiyaz Basha M S

rajhema (1873) 2009-02-13 16:50