Style, or "The Look"

In a separate thread, Asher and Ruben commented on some images on my website showing a potter at work. I've shown a couple of these last year in the PJ section and wanted to avoid a re-run.

However, I have worked a little on one of the images in the series that did not previously appear here. The recent discussions on style that Rachel and Sydney brought up have me thinking more about this and what sort of look I am striving for in the images I make. With the below photograph, I feel as if I am getting close to articulating photographically what is in my mind. The image isn't as sharp as I would like; apologies for that.

The image is a digital one; D700 @ ISO 3200. Sometimes the grainy (noise) look works with images of this sort and sometimes it doesn't; the challenge for me is to understand when it does and doesn't. As of late I've been shooting exclusively with a Leica M6 and I'm certainly seeing the "look" my mind sees on the negatives. I've three rolls to process and believe I have some worthwhile frames- perhaps in a few days I will have something to show and I'd be interested to hear if there is any commonality in the "look" between those to come and this one (I'll add them to this thread).

Thanks as always,

Wendy

Hi Wendy,

Just a quick reply as I don't have much time right now. I really like this picture and the direction you are heading. I am looking forward to see more soon

Cheers,

Hi Wendy

I really like this shot, here is my edited version, thank you for letting me do this. I worked a bit with levels, brightness/contrast, shadow/highlight, burned a bit, local sharpening, what do you think?

Nice, Jan- it's got a bit more presence than my conversion (done in Nikon Capture NX2). I particularly like the deeper shadows on his left arm- and it didn't change the "look"!

Thanks-

Wendy

Wendy Thurman said:

I particularly like the deeper shadows on his left arm- and it didn't change the "look"!

Thanks

Click to expand...

Hi Wendy

You're welcome, glad you like it....

Wendy (and others),
Please, PLEASE, eliminate the word "style" from your photographic vocabulary! Devote all of your energies and attentions toward capturing what you see, such as this lovely soft, quiet, peaceful occupational portrait (which could lower viewers' blood pressures just by gazing at it for a minute). When you think of "style" your attention turns towards yourself...you might as well just turn the camera toward you (like Cindy Sherman)

If the creative and intellectual dialogue isn't solely between you and your subject ...even inanimate subjects...you're just play-acting.

Ken Tanaka said:

Wendy (and others),
Please, PLEASE, eliminate the word "style" from your photographic vocabulary! Devote all of your energies and attentions toward capturing what you see, such as this lovely soft, quiet, peaceful occupational portrait (which could lower viewers' blood pressures just by gazing at it for a minute). When you think of "style" your attention turns towards yourself...you might as well just turn the camera toward you (like Cindy Sherman)

If the creative and intellectual dialogue isn't solely between you and your subject ...even inanimate subjects...you're just play-acting.

Click to expand...

Point taken, Ken- particularly your observation on the flow of dialogue. It certainly takes "two to tango". Rather than approach a photograph from the "this is what I saw" perspective, it may be more constructive to do so from the "this is what the moment offered" observation.

That word is eliminated!

Wendy