Carpe Diem

Hi all,

I've recently been trying, and to a large extent failing, to teach a few members of my camera club about studio flash lighting principles. As an exercise, we spent a few weeks taking photos of each other, with the intention that each member should create a series of portaits unique to them.

In hindsight, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this approach to anyone. A group of 2 or 3 with a model is feasible, but we were 6-8 or so, and it really wasn't the greatest success.

Anyway, I thought I'd share my results with you and ask for your feedback. These images were taken in various locations using studio strobes. I won't say anymore about my intensions since I don't wish to bias your views. I should say that as far as studio work goes, I have much more experience with still life that I do with models, so in many ways I learnt as much from this exercise as my "students".

The limit of 4 pictures per message limits my ability to place them all here. Please accept my apologies for pointing you to the appropriate gallery on my site:

http://www.timothyarmes.com/gallery.php?gal=carpe

Thanks for your feedback,

Tim

Hi Tim,
Unfortunately, using the tools to hand - 'the oxford english dictionary', and google language translation) I can't make much sense of 'carpe diem' but the phrase obviously has some significance wrt. the photos. I could only comment on how I viewed the lighting/cropping, not whether it carried over the intention of the photographer to me. (That my be all you wanted, of course).

Best wishes,

Ray

Ray West said:

Hi Tim,
Unfortunately, using the tools to hand - 'the oxford english dictionary', and google language translation) I can't make much sense of 'carpe diem' but the phrase obviously has some significance wrt. the photos. I could only comment on how I viewed the lighting/cropping, not whether it carried over the intention of the photographer to me. (That my be all you wanted, of course).
Ray

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Hi Ray,

I'd be interested in hearing all opinions, whether they be related to the technicalities or the emotional response (or lack of it).

"Carpe Diem" is latin for "Seize the day".

Tim

Tim, I knew the phrase from having encountered it on t-shirts and mugs at the Adult Chamber Music Conference at Interlochen, Michigan, years ago. Seemed to have been a catch-phrase all over, at that time.

I went to view your five photos--was vastly entertained by the toes in my face. I'm not competent to talk image-shop with you, but just wanted to say that I enjoyed the slideshow very much.

I went on to view the other galleries on that front page, to read "About," and from that convenient link to view slideshows from two or three of your other galleries. Must say that I found all intriguing, and several very much to my taste, combining beauty, information, and impact.

One thing, mechanically, that I liked a lot: The thumbnails that remain above the larger image being presented, all in a row, with the one currently on view highlighted.

First time I've seen that kind of presentation, and it made everything so easy for me as a viewer.

Tim Armes said:

"Carpe Diem" is latin for "Seize the day".

Click to expand...

In the sense of 'Make the best of what you have today', not the much ore embelmatic 'Make my day'. But then, Ray's message was surely meant as 'pulling your leg' since the expression itself is quite known all over Europe - particularly after the Weir[d] Dead Poets Society; 'diem' lifts it's head all over idoms in business, accounting, travelling ...

I found the portraits different in a good way. Although they were all similar in a gritty, no nonsense, somewhat ironic, manner ... individually very interesting and creative for a "classroom" assignment. One would have expected something more formal and "pretty" ... HS Senior Portrait-ish.

I appreciated the control of light which produced some character enhancing shadows. Those type of shadows are an advance technique (at least in my book). I appreciated that as an assignment your students went beyond the traditional head and shoulders and incorporated more body parts/elements ... (thinking outside the box) thereby learning that portraits with character are more than just a "pretty face".

In most of the shots, I found the sign way to distracting and way to prominent. Was the assignment creative portraits or creative sign photos?

My $.02

Gary

Gary Ayala said:

I found the portraits different in a good way. Although they were all similar in a gritty, no nonsense, somewhat ironic, manner ... individually very interesting and creative for a "classroom" assignment. One would have expected something more formal and "pretty" ... HS Senior Portrait-ish.

I appreciated the control of light which produced some character enhancing shadows. Those type of shadows are an advance technique (at least in my book). I appreciated that as an assignment your students went beyond the traditional head and shoulders and incorporated more body parts/elements ... (thinking outside the box) thereby learning that portraits with character are more than just a "pretty face".

In most of the shots, I found the sign way to distracting and way to prominent. Was the assignment creative portraits or creative sign photos?

My $.02

Gary

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Hi Gary,

Thanks for your response. Just to be clear, these were my own results. Each of us produced a series of images based on our own ideas.

Gritty and ironic were certainly amongst my objectives, so I'm glad that's come across. I'm not a fan of pretty portraits....

Interesting comment about the sign. The sign is the link between the images (other than the obvious similarity in style), but I suppose it could have also worked had it been more subtle.

Tim

Sorry to dissapoint you Dierk, but I don't know everything. I thought the phrase may have been related to fishing -(carp...) Anyway, knowing the idea behind the sign, I reckon the first one is pretty good, followed closely by the second. I am not too keen on the cropping of the others. The final one. the sign is too large, distracting from what could have been an interesting portrait, imho. I actually think the lighting and pp, if any, is good, giving the gritty feel mentioned by Gary. I first thought that the second one, the black area in the centre should have been lit, but in truth, I do not think that a full on crotch view would give anything much to the effect.

I think I like the first, since it reminds me of the sort of women portrayed by Kathy Burke (see second image down, here - http://www.kathyburke.co.uk/pages/about.html)http://www.kathyburke.co.uk/pages/about.html her characters have a certain appeal to a particular sort of UK type humour. (Actually, in the images on the Kathy Burke site, she's 'scrubbed up well'

Best wishes,

Ray

Hi Mary,

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Mary Bull said:

One thing, mechanically, that I liked a lot: The thumbnails that remain above the larger image being presented, all in a row, with the one currently on view highlighted.

First time I've seen that kind of presentation, and it made everything so easy for me as a viewer.

Click to expand...

I'm glad that you liked it. I spend a huge amount of time trying to find the best way to present the images.

Regards,

Tim

Hi Ray,

Ray West said:

Anyway, knowing the idea behind the sign, I reckon the first one is pretty good, followed closely by the second.

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What's suprised me most about this series is that all the people that I've shown them to have had a distinct preference for one or two of them, but not necessarily the same ones. There's no single image that's been the most preferred.

However, you're the first person to have preferred the first in the series. I'm pleased, because it's also my favourite...

Ray West said:

I am not too keen on the cropping of the others. The final one. the sign is too large, distracting from what could have been an interesting portrait, imho. I actually think the lighting and pp, if any, is good, giving the gritty feel mentioned by Gary. I first thought that the second one, the black area in the centre should have been lit, but in truth, I do not think that a full on crotch view would give anything much to the effect.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your feedback,

Tim