Join Now
Join ePHOTOzine, the friendliest photography community.
Upload photos, chat with photographers, win prizes and much more for free!
- View Large
Upgrade to e2 to view large
Upgrade to e2 membership to see a large version of this photo. - Vote
Join to Vote
You must join ePHOTOzine to vote. - Comments
-
this is Chris outside the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds centre. Taken on Thursday when it was well below freezing out there!
He's on a high step here with a speedlite off to the left acting as the main light for the scene.
At about 2 o'clock, there's Steven Bowden with another speedlite, and down behind him was Richard Spurdens with a 3rd speedlite... all triggered from a 4th speedlite on my camera!
I like the way light reflects off his coat, reminds me of the portrait of Jean Michel Jarre on the cover of Equinoxe.
There will be another shot to choose from in Version 2 - please tell me which shot you prefer from the 2. I like them pretty much equally, that's why they are in a pair.
ta
ade
| Camera: | Canon EOS 5D |
| Lens: | 24=105 |
| Recording media: | RAW (digital) |
| Title: | Lovely Ciggies |
| Username: | 
ade_mcfade |
| Uploaded: | 13 Dec 2008 - 6:28 PM |
| Tags: | 3 flashes, Chris, Cigarette, Cold, Flash / lighting, Fun fair, Leeds, Portraits / people, West yorkshire |
| VS Mode Rating |
Unrated These stats show the percentage of wins and the rating score that your photo has achieved. You can go to the VS Mode by clicking on this icon. Signup to e2Signup to e2 to see which photo this has won or lost against in the vs mode |
| Votes: | 28 |
| Modifications Welcome (Upload a Modification) |
 | Variant - Report |
Comments
the title comes from an episode of Father Ted where Ted gives up smokeing for lent
Father **** Burn comes around and is smoking, the smoke forms the word "Lovely Fags" when he exhales
I changed the word Fags to Ciggies as I didn't want people to think Fags referred to chris!
Both images are great but it's the portrait for me. Ecellent light.
Guess its version 1 for me, its got everthing atmosphere and mood. Versions two a little too sterile for me.
Yep I think I agree with Andy - V1 is different and is a very powerful image - its amazing how the glowing cigarette tip holds the eye - when you think of all the other lights and illuminations in the image. The lit diagonals bottom left are superb and serve as a signpost 'this is where to look' - so yep my vote goes here.
V2 is accomplished (would we expect any less) but there it ends - a little like a marshmallow - promises much, tastes good but I am left hungry. Now if there was a hand grasping at the end of the ice break - then I think we would be in business!!
Cheers
Robert
V1 Ade, a superb capture that doesn't 'feel' staged, the lighting is spot on holding your gaze on his face, and then, when taken in you can wander around the rest of the image, taking in the subtle details like where is he looking or what is he looking at? Very nicely done. Would look great in mono, but think you have already thought of that 
V2 is nice but holds nothing against V1.
Stewart
v1
Ade, if i have a chink in my photographic armour its outdoor flash and balancing it with ambient light. doesnt mean i cant apreciate it though as i actually like this quite a lot, if "like" is the right word. shots like this are generally not understood , and often people ask why you took pictures like it! --but that is the whole point, its a portrait yes, moody, yes, the cig adds (bad habit though) theatrical and yet linked to reality with the background, its like a still from a movie and i guess the model is blown away by it. very well done. i cant take the landscape to heart after this.
V2 its a bit like bitter sweet because i would have been quite animated if i was at this location, all the ingredients are here for a stunner but they didnt pull together, the sky is superb and the details in the ice/snow, basic composition is faultless except for me the foreground does not link happily with the mid distance splitting the whole thing into individual unlinked areas of interest. the zig zag just behing the foreground (which is interesting but a bit messy in its natural arrangement) may have been a good strong link if you could have moved up to it without sinking. Perhaps a big red hat on the dominent slab up front or something, either way its V1 by a mile and a half. (and i would have been happy to take V2 but its in better company tonight)
Phil
the icey rock a few days back was the one you'd like then Phil 
getting 3 flashes balanced how you want them isn't straight forward, with digital you can chimp of course, but from the 580 I was controlling all 3 separately - chaing the flash output remotely, trying the shot, telling people to move further away etc.
it's alot more involved than landscape
but then again, you're not reliant on the weather and light so much - so both have their difficulties
ta
Can't really choose on this pair, but if i had to .....V2, love the zig zag pieces of cracked ice and my eyes then follow right the way up, along the pieces of raised snow/ice in the middle till it reaches the land and then hits that sky.....
For me, it's version one. I think it's a much more accomplished shot. The way the lighting folds around the jacket is really pleasing, and I think it's a better example of a portrait than version 2 is as a successful landscape. I like the use of selective focus on the ice floes, but I think that for it to work to the fullest effect, it has to be a little more selective than it is here. Still a good shot, but not to the extent of the portrait. (Also, are those water droplets I see on the lens?)
Quote: (Also, are those water droplets I see on the lens
?)
no
Well this certainly had the effect you wanted V1 is superb and in a completely different class to V2
However I can't help but think that if V2 had been uploaded as a single image that it would have caught my eye in the gallery as it is a great landscape - one that maybe you considered as epz friendly, maybe I am just a sucker for epz friendly uploads so that must mean that I am just one of the masses and happy to be so
I only really noticed V1 because I clicked on your link to it in the forum. I like this shot because it is a superb portrait and as I am a smoker it is good to see a controversial subject uploaded. I have been reading the topic you created in the forum and it has been interesting to see the varied responses. Debbie
Add a Comment
ePHOTOzine, the web's friendliest photography community.
Upload photos, chat with photographers, win prizes and much more.
Related Content
Join Our Free Newsletter
Awards
Current Competitions
Olympus 'Portraiture' Competition - Win £1000 Worth Of Gear!
30th April 2013 - 31st May 2013
This month, to celebrate the launch of Olympus' new micro site Olympus Image Space, Olympus are giving you the chance to win £1000 worth of Olympus gear!...
Featured e2 Photo
May's Photo Month
Check out ePHOTOzine's inspirational photo month calendar! Each day click on a window to unveil new photography tips, treats and techniques.
