Detail
f/1.8, 1/320 sec, at 85mm, 50 ISO, on a Canon EOS 5D
OPD. Overview, Portrait and Detail. Maybe I’ll look at the O and the P in this list at a later date.
I want to confess to you right here on the net, for all to read; my weakness, ok, one of my weaknesses is “detail.” To come right up to a subject and focus on something that might have escaped most peoples notice. I have a hard time zooming my eyes in close. So I have been working on it as of late. Here is a quick sample. If you are one of my two readers besides my wife, then maybe make a comment and tell me what you think.
These are the hands of a stone mason in Kashmir. He mostly makes tomb stones. He will on occasion make mortar and pestles.
Here is the EXIF data for you photophiles:
model: Canon EOS 5D
software: Adobe Photoshop CS2 Macintosh
capture date: Wednesday,April 12,2006 11:05:59am
exposure program: Aperture Priority
ISO speed: 50
shutter speed: 1/320
aperture: f1.8
exposure bias: -1.0
metering: Spot
flash: OFF – Compulsory flash mode
focal length: 85.0
I think all of your images are amazing. But this one does exactly what you want it to, great detail and still tells a story.
-carly short
Matt – There’s nothing wrong with this – technically it’s good – but when I read your blurb and you tell me he primarily makes tombstones, I think you missed greatness on this one. If you can tie the detail of this image to such a powerful theme – mortality – it would be brilliant. I don’t know how you’d shoot that except that the same shot over a tomb-stone while he’s carving lettering – or making the tombstone somehow identifiable as a tombstone – would make take this a step up and add a strong thematic/story element.
Also because a hammer in action is not static I feel this one is posed. Whether it is or not is not important – it just FEELS that way. Some blur on the hammer swinging – say at 1/30th would be cool.
All that being said, it does accomplish what you set out for it. Tones and textures are great.
David
pixelatedimage
David,
Thanks for the input. Sorry to say, it was not that dramatic. He carves just the main stone, he doesn’t do the lettering. I have some with the blurred hammer. Maybe I will post those as well. By the way, this was not posed. Thanks again for your comments and or dropping by.
Matt