The Rose

Jean Kelly · 07-02-2004, 01:10 PM

Here's this full view of the first shot, before I lightened the image. The comb would be removed and possibly replaced with a fancy brush or a small pink rose. There seems to be more red, and I can reduce that if necessary.

Joan, when we had all our rain I was watching Texas also, you had some major ones too! Madison doesn't get tornadoes in the city because the lakes tend to split major storms north and south. But we got hit in the city with an F-1, massive damage in an older heavily wooded gracious neighborhood, but no injuries! And I got the photo! Dumb, but invigorating.

Jean

Mike McCarty · 07-02-2004, 08:29 PM

Nice job Jean,

I like the first of the second bunch. If it were mine I would play around with making the chair seat a dark solid color. I would give several more inches above her head than you have shown, and, I would be inclined to simplify the floor. I might even crop it just at the bottom of her dress an eliminate the feet. If I did the feet I would not include the flowers. I think there is a big enough story to tell above her hem line.

Beautiful dress and model.

Jean Kelly · 07-02-2004, 09:18 PM

Hi Mike, thank you, I feel that I have been blessed by the photography God.

I asked my husband for his gut reaction and that's the one he picked also. I think you may be right about the cushion, changing it will be no problem. Eliminating the flowers is easy also, I looked at it cropped higher (at the dress line as you suggested) and it certainly does look more elegant. I will think on the feet, with everything simplified they may still work. I know its not "congruent", old rebellions die hard. I planned on giving it more head room on top, as for cropping I'll have to check on the scale (canvas size) as I'm having a stretcher built for this and I'll have to catch Steve before he builds it if I need a different size!

The first photo has a Billie Holiday feel to it. That's the first thing I caught from it anyway. I'm going to do a small one, 20"x14" or so just for fun. Maybe pastel.

Thank you for looking and commenting, I appreciate it. Wanna see my tornado???

Jean

Mike McCarty · 07-02-2004, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Wanna see my tornado???

That sounds like a trick question. But, I'm easily tricked and confused, so let's have it. It would in fact be a portrait of a tornado, right? You could delete it later.

I think with a composition like this you can be very generous in leaving space above, below and beyond the subject.

Jean Kelly · 07-02-2004, 09:45 PM

No, not a trick question. I't's digital zoom, just before it actually touched down. I ran for the house when I realized it really was a tornado, guess the sirens are for real! We went into the area that was hit, and I took some photos there too, Tom and I helped with some of the clean-up. An F-3 hit a few miles up north too, we are officially a disaster area times two now (floods and tornado damage). It sure is good to be kind of back to normal now and able to work.

Jean