<<Hands? Gloves? Underwater? Overwater? I would like it even if the bricks weren't there <<On a technical note, I wonder why the light seems to be coming from above in the top part of the picture, but from below on the bricks?>> Rich, I think you saw through it - the lighting I mean. The picture is actually a straight shot presented upside down. I was building some garden steps last winter and had just laid the concrete base for the middle step - which would be topped with paving slabs - and made an impression with my hands (who knows for why). The next morning it was frosty and I tipped some black coffee into the imprerssions to thaw the ice - again, it still wasn't with the idea of making a photo, just seemed like sommat to do. It wasn't even planned to be worth showing, just part of the record of my building works. When I saw the slide the light reflected from the icy step, coming from the bottom, made me try inverting it (180 degree rotation) as "light should come from the top". Interesting you mentioned "underwater". As someone who spent almost a month of my life underwater the bricks (shown inverted) did convey that kind of effect. I'm wondering why that is? Maybe "underwater" the biggest light source is not the sky but diffuse light reflected back up from the bottom? http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/talbot.html As an ex-diver it also reminded me of being under ice: rotate it 180 degrees and it's just a record shot of a concrete step. Bob Kostas Papakotas - Olympus-Naoussa Restaurant I think the un-sharpness works here. It adds, as does the content of the picture, a sense of "what happened here?" Tim Mulholland - Silhouette of the Present A touching story--the photo does well to illustrate it. The Soviets tried to have their way with Finland, where my mother is from, too. Greg Fraser - Eve Who is Manuel Veritas? Who is turned on by bull-fighting and turned off by soggy quiche? And, why is this information included with your picture? Is Manuel the alter-ego of Eve? Those questions aside, I can see where you would like this portrait, and the client would be ready to fire you. Though you may think it captured her real character I rather doubt she would see it that way, unless she has a different self-opinion than most people. You've made what I think is a successful picture, but you failed the person it was made of because you didn't give her what she asked for. That's one of the reasons I don't generally do portraits--people who want "glamour shots" want flattery, not reality. Hopefully this was just an outtake from the shoot and she got what she wanted from the rest. Marilyn Dalrymple - Sarah Pretty kitties. I won't say much about this one, portraiture is not my area of expertise, but if I was her I would probably like it. Emily L. Ferguson - Slides are tough to scan, aren't they? So hard to hold detail in the highlights like the vapors in the foreground here. I'm sure the original had more detail. I would suggest a slight crop off the top as the lit area up there interferes with an otherwise clean composition. Looking forward to seeing more from your trip, as well as a report on the difference between the two films. Richard Cooper - Genesee River in Fall Colors I'm of two minds with this one. Nicely composed. Darn chimney. Pretty foliage. Darn chimney. Rainbow. Chimney. Etc. Don Draper - Looks down on tulips... Lots of color. That's all folks... Rich
