E N I G M A, a photo from Aklan, Western Visayas

Photographer's Note

Here's the Boracay girl again...Lorelei.

I went home to the Philippines two weeks ago and I mailed to them the pictures I took of them last April. Somehow, I became a friend to their family. Not only have I taken loads of pictures of them but also because I find them very friendly and genuine. I met them two years ago and they still recognized me. I bough something from their shop and I was given a big discount. Such is the hospitality of the Boracay people (and the Filipinos) in general.

I am leaving for a 12 day tour of Scandinavia in less than 12 hours. I hope I can meet people like Lorelei and her folks in my destination.

See you later guys.

sway, Albrecht, AmiBe, nwoehnl, ChrisJ, eleparc, carper, letuananh, Galmeida, huynt, bip-bip, mlopes, dsidwell, MLINES, pandora ha contrassegnato questa nota come utile

Critiques | Translate

maurazos (0) 2005-07-08 0:58

Beautiful composition! I like the outstanding sharpened face of the girl and the soft light you registered. Regards.

sway (436) 2005-07-08 1:03

I hope you have a good trip.

Great photo. You have used the liht very well. I like the shadow on the girls face and the curtain.
:)

geist_21 (664) 2005-07-08 1:20

Another good portrait, very good use of the light just pratically showing half face, but with a very good expression and quite revealing.

Zepi (22848) 2005-07-08 1:26

Hello Manuel !
Mmmmmh, quel délice ce portrait !
Merveilleux et focus parfait sur l’œil !
La technique est fantastique, le côté artistique est impeccable aussi !
On sent beaucoup de complicité entre le modèle et toi !
C’est superbe
Merci du partage

azadys (717) 2005-07-08 1:30

hi manuel.
great shot. nice saw the cam. i really like it.

regards
azad

eco (112) 2005-07-08 1:44

hi

very good portrait
good expression
perfect colors. light, sharpness

perfect shot

best regards
rafal

alekpet (4663) 2005-07-08 2:31

Great composition.

If someone asks for a cover on TE book, I think this should be it!

billabongx (1585) 2005-07-08 3:13

Hi Mnauel

Superb dof, sharpness & graphim in this attractive portrait. The eyes are really deep!!!
really nice and perfect photo.
byebye
daniele

jinju (14265) 2005-07-08 3:24

Super! What a disarming, charming and beautiful portrait. The power and vulnerabilit of this girl is very powerful. Nice DOF and good sharpness with nice, rich tones. A very good portrait.

Albrecht (11283) 2005-07-08 3:45

Hi Manuel
Wonderful portrait; good compo and colours and the look of the child is lovely.
Greetings Albrecht

cyril (2748) 2005-07-08 4:04

Hi Manny,
Once again a great portrait.
I love her eyes and her expression.
No other words than perfect.

Have a good day
Cyril

P.S: go to my favorite

ducnc (814) 2005-07-08 4:12

Excellence portrait, nice colour tone. I like the way you composed her eyes.

faubry (35447) 2005-07-08 4:59

i don't know how you made for have always very great works... superb all usual, beautiful regard, light and sharpness
bravo
francine

dolin (7369) 2005-07-08 5:06

Hi Manuel.
Another perfect portait.
I like the position of this gril and this beautiful glance.
The colors are very nice and the quality of the pic too.
Nice light.
Fred

mauricio_matos (417) 2005-07-08 5:52

This is a close to perfect portrait. The beautiful look of the little girl, the way you framed it the warm colors. Just beautiful.

coco (30439) 2005-07-08 6:15

Hola Manuel.

Again we have a wonderful portrait. Magnific how she watchs at the camera and how you has captured.
Superb.

eev99 (1264) 2005-07-08 6:46

Truely a wonderful look.. a gaze that says so much and yes enigmatic at the same time. Your framing here is perfect and the colour saturation is spot on.

AmiBe (6042) 2005-07-08 7:04

Hi Manuel,
perfect close portrait, I like the warm tones and her glance.
The light is fantastic and the drawing on the right is very nice.
Well done and good trip !

aferrao (1145) 2005-07-08 8:47

Good light in a fantastic portrait!
I like the fact that a litle part of the face is hidden in the shadow, maybe denoting some shyness.
Great shot!
Greatings, Artur.

guliz (438) 2005-07-08 10:08

Excellent portrait. I like it very much.
Very good colors and light.
Very well done.
Cheers Guliz

erdna (5713) 2005-07-08 11:53

She is really a young pretty model. On this photo the huge design on the curtain is fighting for attention. A nice portrait shot nevertheless. I wish you'd tech us some of your techniques.

Have a good time on your vacation!

Andre'

robiuk (10807) 2005-07-08 12:15

Very nice composition, Manuel - that's the first thing I spotted here (apart from Lorelei's eyes, again!).
She IS photogenic and knows how to pose for a portrait - did you make any suggestions or give her advice how to do that for this particular shot?
Have a good time (and weather!) in Scandinavia,
Robi

nwoehnl (122) 2005-07-08 12:22

A beautiful portrait, Manny. It is obviously posed but I mean to say this in a good way; the result you present here looks quite professional. Nice focus on her right eye, and a good inclusion of the piece of curtain or cloth at the right. Enjoy your trip, and I look forward to seeing your photographic take on Northern Europe.

michel_r (1118) 2005-07-08 12:27

very good again manny. we see just enough of the eyes for the mystery, plus the light in the eye. I like very much.
amicalement, michel.

MaJose (427) 2005-07-08 15:54

Like all the photos of this famlia of the Philippines, is magnificent.
The composition, the contrast and colors, the position of the girl and the handsome thing who is she. Those eyes! Of course, she trusts you.

Graal (103040) 2005-07-09 6:38

Hi Manuel!
Next interesting portrait. I like the composition, colours and contrast. I look soft light here. Very nice effect. Well done.
Rgs, Aleksander

shangri-la (353) 2005-07-09 7:00

très joli et doux portrait...
;-)

eleparc (24063) 2005-07-09 8:00

greta shot manny! back to scandinavia? pity you don't make it to paris, i would show you around... another very personal and highly artistic portrait! have a safe and nice trip
Eric

kevinos (7517) 2005-07-09 9:23

This is a very nice portrait Manuel. Lovely sofy colour and textures and a wonderful eye.

rowanb (864) 2005-07-09 9:45

another beautiful portrait manny. lighting and composition are superb. keep up the good work, enjoy scandinavia =)

carper (96) 2005-07-09 14:01

it's a beauty again Manuel,
those speaking eyes, the fantastic composition, the good pov and the great dof, fantastic job my friend,
gr. Jaap

ropetko (0) 2005-07-09 19:38

What to say but to cry! You are taking so wonderful photos that are just breathtaking, but can also be used as a textbook for creating good portrait photography. Thank you for that! Your ability to find suggestive faces for your stories is amazing. But what's most amazing for me is the colorset of your country - skin, backgrounds, earth, sea... So vivid!
Have a good trip Manny! Come back with more nice portraits.
Robert

ChrisJ (172440) 2005-07-10 3:41

Hi Manuel

The usual very high portraiture standard here. I like the soft, diffuse, lighting, & superb sharpness. Well done!

Galmeida (12559) 2005-07-10 5:48

Hello Manuel,
A excelent close-up approach and a very nice picture. Quality, expression of the girl, enquadrement and a great result.

Very good portrait as you usual also capture with quality!
Great job!
Regards
Fernando

huynt (5081) 2005-07-10 9:06

Hi Manuel
Wonderful portrait shot. I am learning too much from your great pic. Thanks for sharing. Best regards
Huy

banyanman (7797) 2005-07-10 18:38

A lovely composition Manuel! The sharpness and colours are perfect. I have just 'discovered' your portfolio so look forward to catching up on the wonderful photographs that you have posted here. Cheers . . . David

alimo3 (6854) 2005-07-10 19:22

hi Manuel,
I like so much the serie from this little girl.
she is so beautiful ,i am jalous that you have such a model :)
for me the contrast here is a bit strong, i think that you a had a better balance on the pic "Hypnosis".
but what a gaze,
Great !

Tom

avis2avis (4264) 2005-07-11 9:15

Beautifuly done... again!

Bon voyage. Hope to see equally nice pics from Scandinavia. :)

bip-bip (1837) 2005-07-11 16:31

Hi Manny
A beautiful close-up
The soft light and colors are great and the attitude of your little model very nice
IMO no change needed
Have a nice trip !
Véro

mlopes (494) 2005-07-11 18:48

Well, you will find very diferent people in Scandinavia! i mean phisicaly, they are off course very friendly.

I'm wondering how you will manage your portraits there... hope that you'll post some of them here.

Mario

dsidwell (9783) 2005-07-18 17:12

Hi Manny. Somehow, when a human face is covered, it adds so much mystery and intrigue to the image. It may work to do this when taking family portraits, etc., too, though I fear for formal portraits, it may get old. Still, the success of this image and others makes me thing it would be a good thing to add to any repertoire of tools and poses. Very lovely, expressive photo, as usual! I just love your work! It never gets old.

gren4 (603) 2005-07-19 9:54

Again I like your interesting use of surround in your composition.This one emphasizing shiness is beautiful

kclai (2267) 2005-07-24 23:40

Hi Manuel
Another great portrait. Simply the best, Manny.
The color toning is consistent while the lighting is perfectly executed.
Well done.
Eric Lai

devimeuxbe (58557) 2005-07-28 2:10 [Comment]

Show Comment

srabbe (1424) 2005-08-19 17:36

What a wonderful portrait, Manuel !
She is beautiful, what an intense dark look !
The sharpness is amazing.
Sophie

dvlazar (6662) 2005-09-14 5:56

What an amazing face and expression youve captured with this girl - your work is simply stunning.
Congratz...
David

livman (25) 2006-01-14 18:28

Amzing. Beautiful. Nothing to add. Cheers!

itaca (293) 2006-02-28 12:10

Hello Manuel
Beautiful photo. Very nice composition and lovely colours. Great Shot.
Thanks for sharing

rewshearer (682) 2006-02-28 16:14

Outstanding portrait - if I could create one photograph this superb, I will die happy.

Did you influence the lighting in any way, or was it all in POV and exposure?

CarolinaDB (193) 2006-03-21 11:59

Manuel,

your photographs are amazing!!!!!!!!!!!

I gave a look to some of them and I'm really impressed.
you could easily be a National Geographic professional and succesful photographer! I'm not joking.

cheers

Carolina

raymutlu (201) 2006-04-22 1:30

Very nice shot..

yanseiler (20) 2006-05-06 20:03

Hi Manuel,

Even now that I am in the circle of the ones who know the Luko's sharpening method, I am still amazed by the quality of your shots, really clean, sharp and always well composed.

Kindly
Yan

iGirl (1223) 2006-07-18 12:06

Hi Manny, great composition, I like the expression on the girl's face, and the "mystery" created by almost hiding the one eye. I also love the detail of the rubber bands in her hair.

Thanks for sharing!

Erin

brevbrev14 (140) 2006-07-31 17:33 [Comment]

Show Comment

david_P (512) 2011-04-25 13:14

Hello Manuel,
Nothing to say about technique at all, composition, pov, light etc, all is great
one of the most beautifull portrait i've seen, so much intensity, such a great look of this little girl !
Great portrait, I love it !
David

lilito (3534) 2011-04-25 13:59

Bonsoir manuel
Un très joli portrait, j'adore comme on peut apprécier tous les détails par tout!
Bravo à toi!
Lily

Chihiro79 (40) 2011-06-02 11:53

A stunning picture! Beautiful colours, the details (elastic bands on the girl's plaits, her eyebrow hair) really stand out. I like how one side of her face is in shadow and the other half is more visible.