The Eyes Have It

[Matt Halstead]

Hi guys,

Took these shots the other day. Unfortunately it was quite an impromptu street shot so I didn't have any of my strobe gear with me.

Fortunately, it was a nice cloudy and overcast day...best soft box in the world!

Any comments or criticism would be gladly welcomed!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3424/3273221326_8515d1b0a8_b.jpg

Read about my photography at my photoblog:

Imagespike (http://www.imagespike.wordpress.com)

[Nicolas Claris]

Would gladly make an animation of the 2 images, just for the fun…

A nice sight anyway

[Asher Kelman]

Nicolas,

Do it! I'd like to have a mouse over too! Can we have that in vBulletin?

Asher

[Matt Halstead]

Nicolas,

Do it! I'd like to have a mouse over too! Can we have that in vBulletin?

Asher

I personally prefer my photos to remain static, but if you kids want to have a play!....

[Asher Kelman]

Matt,

Of course, there's zero artistic benefit to your photographs to be approached by making them live, although it's interesting. I have a larger long term interest.

I've just been waiting for someone smart to show us how to mouse over in vbulletin. Then we could see before and after various edits of pictures. That's my interest. I often switch eyes but having a mouse over would allow changes to be examined more critically. for me this seems a great opportunity if you don't mind the liberty with your pictures.

Thanks for being sporting in this. I should have asked you!

Asher

[Matt Halstead]

Matt,

Of course, there's zero artistic benefit to your photographs to be approached by making them live, although it's interesting. I have a larger long term interest.

I've just been waiting for someone smart to show us how to mouse over in vbulletin. Then we could see before and after various edits of pictures. That's my interest. I often switch eyes but having a mouse over would allow changes to be examined more critically. for me this seems a great opportunity if you don't mind the liberty with your pictures.

Thanks for being sporting in this. I should have asked you!

Asher

Absolutely no problem Asher, please feel free to seperate the image into two sections and then bring the image to life as you see fit!

I've often considered posting before and after versions of my images over on my blog, to demonstrate the levelof work that has been done in Photoshop. However, I decided against this for the simple reason I didn't want the original unedited shot to detract from the final piece of artwork, as in my opinion the latter should be the focus of attention, not the original shot.

That being said, when i get round to making tutorials, I would then use the above technique you mention, so I wish you luck in your endeavours.

Now, does anyone have any comments on my photo?! :-)

[Asher Kelman]

Hi guys,

Took these shots the other day. Unfortunately it was quite an impromptu street shot so I didn't have any of my strobe gear with me.

Fortunately, it was a nice cloudy and overcast day...best soft box in the world!

Any comments or criticism would be gladly welcomed!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3424/3273221326_8515d1b0a8_b.jpg

Read about my photography at my photoblog:

Imagespike (http://www.imagespike.wordpress.com)
Matt,

These two pictures work magic together. Eyes closed, we a sent inwards to try to make out what she might be thinking. This is a moment when someone might say, let me think about that before I answer, or someone tries to remember some past event.

The second photograph, by contrast presents a bright woman who is totally externalized, looking towards us and observing us. Interestingly, somehow we know look to her lips as if she'll now speak.

Having seen these pictures, I'd like to see more. I don't know what got this set of two pictures together, something planned or happenstance. Still, side by side, they are engaging. Perhaps the first is more about the past and the second is about what is about to be decided, as it's the woman's moment to speak. At least this is how it appears to me.

Printed large together these would be impressive and for sure spark discussion.

I'd like to hear more about the thinking behind this work. Without any more description of intent and purpose, all I can now say is I'd be happy to have these in a gallery. I'd stop, find a seat and take this in for a while and might bring over others too. I'd ask, if there was more. At least I feel there has to be one more. There's a beginning, a middle and an end.

I have not discussed lighting or composition or color. These are not as important as the motif.

How would I feel about it in a week, I don't know now but I'll revisit.

Asher

[Nicolas Claris]

Now, does anyone have any comments on my photo?! :-)

I like the idea of the opened and closed eyes, side by side.

They look a bit soft to me, but that can be fine, the print should tell better.

I am wondering about the dark areas, I don't know if the overall image would benefit or not if they would be brightened…

[Matt Halstead]

I know the girl in the shot, and have always wanted to shoot her because she has absolutely incredible eyes. On this basis the eyes were the intended focus of the shot.

As I believe her eyes to be incredibly powerful and emotive, I deliberately composed the image next to a shot of the girl with her eyes closed. I was actually thinking about what you had written about before, and trhe fact that people read the image from left to right. as the viewer looks at the photo, they first see the eyes closed, and then pow...eyes open!

The shot was titled "The Eyes Have It" on the basis that when i viewed the image, my eyes were always drawn to the right hand side of the image where the girls eyes are open...the eyes have it, the "it" being my undivided interest!

[Nicolas Claris]

Asher
if you want to have mouseover changing image, you would need to allow javascript and I really doubt that Sean would agree with that!
The only solution I forsee is to enable flash files to show, then you could have all flash effects, videos (encoded in flash), and zoomify files…

For now, the only way to get animation within OPF is to use the poorly colored and basic features of animared gif…

[Matt Halstead]

I like the idea of the opened and closed eyes, side by side.

They look a bit soft to me, but that can be fine, the print should tell better.

I am wondering about the dark areas, I don't know if the overall image would benefit or not if they would be brightened…

@Nicolas, firstly, thanks for taking the time to comment. The image hasn't been sharpened for print yet, when this is done I'm sure that any softness in the eyes would be addressed.

I'm not sure which dark areas you refer to, if it is the background then this has been deliberately darkened for effect. I could brighten her jacket just a touch, but I think due to it's darkness, it gives the subjects face more pop.

many thanks,

[Nicolas Claris]

I have to go for a meeting… so I'll answer you a bit later…

In the meantime, since Asher asked and since you agreed us to play…

http://mnclaris.free.fr/forum/3273221326_8515d1b0a8_b.gif

[Nicolas Claris]

Sorry for the change of colors, these are due to the GIF… I said already gif is poor with color and have no CM…

But seing this, it seems quite obvious that in both shots it is the same pic for the BG and the girl's face. Only the eyes are moving… not a single hair is…

[Nicolas Claris]

I'm not sure which dark areas you refer to, if it is the background then this has been deliberately darkened for effect. I could brighten her jacket just a touch, but I think due to it's darkness, it gives the subjects face more pop.

I agree for the dark BG, a touch of light in the jacket, around her collar, and a bit in the hair…
But I'm not sure… would like to see…

[Asher Kelman]

I have to go for a meeting… so I'll answer you a bit later…

In the meantime, since Asher asked and since you agreed us to play…

http://mnclaris.free.fr/forum/3273221326_8515d1b0a8_b.gif
Very well done, Nicolas!

Now do the lips change at all? There seems to be some emphasis on the lips when her eyes are open. Is that just how we are wired to interpret the face? We notice less the lips when the eyes are closed?

That I'd love to know?

Asher

[Nicolas Claris]

Now do the lips change at all?

The only thing I did was to play one pic after the other, nothing else!

I think the emphasis you see, is also seen in the original shots on the cheeks, maybe some alteration of the very same file, just to cheat the viewer and revealed by the alternate view…

Also it could be the gif that alters the lips…

[Asher Kelman]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3424/3273221326_8515d1b0a8_b.jpg

Matt,

There's an interesting article on recognition of facial clues to people's characters.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45467000/jpg/_45467992_luckywoman.jpg

The study used composite faces to compare self-assessed traits. A woman's personality traits may be "written all over her face", research has suggested.
The Glasgow University and New Scientist study examined whether self-assessed personality characteristics could be identified from appearance.
It claimed that women's faces were easier to read than men's faces, with greater success in matching traits.
Glasgow University's Dr Rob Jenkins said: "We did not expect there to be such a difference between the sexes."
Dr Jenkins, a specialist in the psychology of social interaction, devised the study, along with Professor Richard Wiseman, of the University of Hertfordshire.
Dr Jenkins said the research should pave the way for further investigations into the link between a person's character and their appearance.
"Past studies have shown that people do associate facial appearance with certain personality traits and that our snap judgements of faces really do suggest a kernel of truth about the personality of their owner," he said.

................... More than 6,500 visitors to the [New Scientist]site attempted to identify the lucky, humorous, religious and trustworthy faces. From this, it appeared that women's faces were more transparent, or "gave more away", than men's faces.
A total of 70% of people were able to correctly identify the lucky face and 73% correctly identified the religious one. Source (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7884223.stm).

[Kristin Nathanson]

I like the comparisons made in these photos. I'm definitely drawn to the photo with the woman's eyes opened. I also agree with Asher's statements made previously. When her eyes are closed it makes me wonder what she is thinking about, and when she opens them she is alert and right with you.

[James Newman]

Very nice Nicolas. Now, if you would, please have her just wink one eye, smile a cute smile, and say "Hello James".