I missed an earlier chance (starting with your post, “Quickly declining engagement… Thinking about options.”) to express my appreciation for your blog, and support for whatever future path you choose. I read your work every day. For me, it serves as a much-enjoyed morning coffee or an after-dinner chat with a favorite buddy (I do the same with MJ). As with friends I get to see (or used to see) in-person, that time is valued for both the interests we share (principally photography) and the diversity of wider life experience (however “pool/s” comes into it :-). I find your writing instructive, personal, and engaging; challenging me to be more skillful and productive in my own image-making.
To be more specific, from my POV, your recent posts, “The most misguided camera…” and “Photographing for fun…” are just two examples of what you do so well - just sharing what engages and interests you. By your nature, I know photography and image-making will part of it. I visit your blog to engage with a unique and talented person One who’s made photography a core part of daily life and who also shares the life that comes on all the other sides of it.
I hope you keep creating the unique personal content of your blog. If not, I’ll just have to cope the same way as when a friend leaves the community for some other opportunity. If you move on, I do hope you’ll leave the thousands of posts you’ve created in the last 13 years, so we all can reminisce and revisit wisdom from our old buddy Kirk.
I think it´s not the first time I saw this portrait on your site, but I really don´t understand the maybe sublime quality of it. It seems to have some personal relevance for you, and the high contrast between the two sides of the face, with almost no detail in the left one, could express a certain mood or character … but would it ever have found a way into your appreciated books about lighting ? If this was a test for the critical faculty of your audience, I would say, there are tons and tons of better and outstanding portraits taken by you. Kind regards,
Kirk, Long time reader, sold our house in AZ several weeks ago -- a "architecture" (spelling!!) photographer shot images for web sales site, used an off camera flash with a small, modified bare bulb and an on camera cordless controller. shot multiple varie3d exposures to send to their image processor who blended the images (shot with tripod) to max dark and light contrasts....
I wonder if your booklets on lighting may touch on the newest flash and light panels and how to purchase your publications. Thank you!! Bob Grier.
For some reason, this image reminds me of images I have seen from the late 1920's and the early 30's. It has a haunting quality which also seems to pull me out of time, if that makes any sense.
Technical question re commenting to VSL: from an Android phone, even though I sign in with my Google account (despite being already signed in) I get a pop-up window stating that site security does not allow me to comment.
Sorry MIkeR. Not a clue. Your comment above got through with no problem on my side. I've checked the Blogger settings and everything is set up to let anyone on any platform comment. Moderation occurs only if the comment is more than two days old. But even then, the comment is just held until I approve it and then it automatically posts.
No experience with Android but since Google makes an Android phone I can see that it would make much sense for them to cripple it on one of their own platforms. Right?
Interesting to think about the millions of dollars collectively spent by camera manufacturers (and consumers) to produce (and purchase) cameras designed to homogenize portrait images and prevent outliers like this. Progress?
16 comments:
Jeez, I *really* like this. Explanation unnecessary.
Love it! Easier times ...
Eric
Thank you for this; so much to learn from a perfectly made portrait. Love the expression.
Hi Kirk,
I missed an earlier chance (starting with your post, “Quickly declining engagement… Thinking about options.”) to express my appreciation for your blog, and support for whatever future path you choose. I read your work every day. For me, it serves as a much-enjoyed morning coffee or an after-dinner chat with a favorite buddy (I do the same with MJ). As with friends I get to see (or used to see) in-person, that time is valued for both the interests we share (principally photography) and the diversity of wider life experience (however “pool/s” comes into it :-). I find your writing instructive, personal, and engaging; challenging me to be more skillful and productive in my own image-making.
To be more specific, from my POV, your recent posts, “The most misguided camera…” and “Photographing for fun…” are just two examples of what you do so well - just sharing what engages and interests you. By your nature, I know photography and image-making will part of it. I visit your blog to engage with a unique and talented person One who’s made photography a core part of daily life and who also shares the life that comes on all the other sides of it.
I hope you keep creating the unique personal content of your blog. If not, I’ll just have to cope the same way as when a friend leaves the community for some other opportunity. If you move on, I do hope you’ll leave the thousands of posts you’ve created in the last 13 years, so we all can reminisce and revisit wisdom from our old buddy Kirk.
John Merlin
Wow. Just... wow.
Hi Kirk,
I think it´s not the first time I saw this portrait on your site, but I really don´t understand the maybe sublime quality of it. It seems to have some personal relevance for you, and the high contrast between the two sides of the face, with almost no detail in the left one, could express a certain mood or character … but would it ever have found a way into your appreciated books about lighting ? If this was a test for the critical faculty of your audience, I would say, there are tons and tons of better and outstanding portraits taken by you.
Kind regards,
Helmut the Austrian.
Helmut, I would respectfully disagree.
Kirk, Long time reader, sold our house in AZ several weeks ago -- a "architecture" (spelling!!) photographer shot images for web sales site, used an off camera flash with a small, modified bare bulb and an on camera cordless controller. shot multiple varie3d exposures to send to their image processor who blended the images (shot with tripod) to max dark and light contrasts....
I wonder if your booklets on lighting may touch on the newest flash and light panels and how to purchase your publications. Thank you!! Bob Grier.
For some reason, this image reminds me of images I have seen from the late 1920's and the early 30's. It has a haunting quality which also seems to pull me out of time, if that makes any sense.
Short form: I love it.
I love this portrait, but whenever you post it I am struck by how much it departs from your usual portrait style (which I also love).
Is there a story behind it?
Technical question re commenting to VSL: from an Android phone, even though I sign in with my Google account (despite being already signed in) I get a pop-up window stating that site security does not allow me to comment.
Any suggestions?
Sorry MIkeR. Not a clue. Your comment above got through with no problem on my side. I've checked the Blogger settings and everything is set up to let anyone on any platform comment. Moderation occurs only if the comment is more than two days old. But even then, the comment is just held until I approve it and then it automatically posts.
No experience with Android but since Google makes an Android phone I can see that it would make much sense for them to cripple it on one of their own platforms. Right?
A comment on Miguel Tejada-Flores' comment: You know what? As soon as I read that comment, I looked at your portrait and thought of Man Ray.
Hi Kirk,
Just to say I love this photo whenever you post it. It's magic in a way I can't quite articulate.
Thanks,
Huw
Interesting to think about the millions of dollars collectively spent by camera manufacturers (and consumers) to produce (and purchase) cameras designed to homogenize portrait images and prevent outliers like this. Progress?
I post from an android phone with no issues.
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