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From a portrait session with actress Theresa Glanzberg.
October 2011
| Camera: | Sony A850 |
| Recording media: | RAW (digital) |
| Title: | "Caught up in Misery" |
| Username: | 
efactsphoto |
| Uploaded: | 31 May 2012 - 11:40 AM |
| Tags: | Actress, Black & white, Portraits / people |
| VS Mode Rating |
102 (100% won) 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: | 13 |
Comments
Intriguing image, subtly cinematic. I love the composition, which is unusual. Is this taken through an old window, or simply through a veil of cobwebs? The lines of the web combine with the timber on the right to distance the subject, separate her from the viewer.
Moira
Hey Moira, what a nice comment. Thank you 
"Subtly cinematic" - that's how it was intended, and I'm glad you've recognized that.
The photograph was indeed taken through a veil of cobwebs on the attic of an old castle, which I use as my part time atelier.
Frank
What a fabulous location to have access to! I love natural filters - cobwebs, wet windows, net curtains - much more satisfying than the manipulated alternative.
Moira
Absolutely! It's so much better to set the scene before the shoot, rather than to make it up by digital means.
This is also very helpful for the actors, who then can "feel" the scene and situation directly. As a result, the pictures are much more authentic - and you can publish them almost "straight out of cam". These days, however, many photographers rely heavily on the use of digital manipulation tools, leaving almost no pixel unretouched. You can see this trend every day on ePz, and it's even rewarded, oddly enough. In the end, though, those works hardly ever look truly cinematic - because the true cinematic look (as can be seen in outstanding movies, like those directed by David Lynch, just to name one of my idols) does not need extensive post-production to be real fascinating and to catch the viewer's attention.
Frank
An immensely strong portrait, superb in every way.
I read your comment above with considerable interest and complete agreement on your discussion of authenticity. There is in some circles a reluctance to portray the female face without smoothing away every hint of texture; I find this so false. I could go on but will refrain . . .
My compliments too to your model. She is not simpering or pouting; while looking straight at the camera she displays no overt emotion but appears to be in shock: looking through the camera, in fact.
Bill
Thanks so much, Bill.
With Alice, my muse, these pictures come just naturally, intuitively. I've started working with her about two years ago, and we've completed several conceptual projects and portrait series, with the "Ophelia" and "Border Crossing" collections being most important and internationally successful. Both will be shown in art exhibitions later this year.
Mind you, I'm so fed up with the tendency to erase any texture from female skin in a photograph - some years ago I started a campaign with like-minded colleagues against that "trend". And "we" are not alone: More and more photo editors of influential magazines walk away from those sterile, manipulated, and uniform looking pictures towards more naturally looking people. Even the "dodge and burn" effect frequently used in fashion magazines has passed its popularity peak. Which is good for authentic photography and bad for advertising. But then, who believes in manipulated ads anyway? Only problem is: An increasing number of photo-enthusiasts and semi-pros, as there are many on ePz or similar platforms, still attend workshops and seminars in order to learn those allegedly trendy, yet short-lived techniques of digital photo manipulation. They'd rather read a Feininger book or see an exhibition with works by Davidson or Crewdson, if you ask me.
Best
Frank
"Picture of the Day" in "Photo & Art, Category: Friday's Female Face".
A big "Thank you" also on behalf of Theresa, who had visited ePz yesterday and was so glad to see how many people liked the pictures of her
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