Update on Lyme Character 'The Curator'

I finally managed to speak to and meet with Mary Godwin, museum curator at Lyme Regis museum.  Mary had been away and only got my email requesting a resit on her return.  When I explained that I wanted to retake the picture of her on the stairs with an ammonite she was quite happy to co-operate, it was just a question of co-ordinating our diaries and today was the day.

What I hadn't realised was that, although I had included part of a portrait in my original picture, there were in fact four portraits on the stairs behind Mary.  I went back to the museum whilst Mary was away and took some pictures without her thinking that I could 'Photoshop' her in, but this proved too difficult to get a good result.

In the meantime the date for submission of the full module came round and I had to send it all off minus a retake of Mary otherwise I would miss the deadline.

Here is my final missing picture, hope it was worth it!

Here's the details of the shot:- f11 @ 1/125 with a focal length of 24mm, I used the oncamera flash reduced by one stop so that it didn't create a harsh light and heavy shadows behind.

Assignment 5, The Assignment, Tutor Comments

I received my tutor's feedback on my assignment and here are the comments, warts and all.

Overall Comments

I am so pleased with this assignment. In itself it represents a splendid achievement of a personal goal; in tackling something that you had as an ambition but didn’t think you could realise on the course, but it also demonstrates the excellent progress that you have made since the first assignment.

Feedback on assignment

Well you’ve made my job difficult here; there’s not a lot to criticise. 

I can easily follow your thought processes, methods and decisions; decisions which overall demonstrate informed analysis, both technically, and aesthetically, and with which I agree.  The prep for the assignment and your presentation of your work flow is excellent.

Also the prints themselves are good, and well presented; with the generous borders, weighted to the bottom.

Artist

You absolutely chose the right image here. The composition works well; on the right its all inclined planes, in the easel and the art work. 

The concentrated pose conveys something of the character and there’s even a little movement on the tip of the palette knife while the rest of her has a cool, crisp, clarity. Her head is perfectly positioned relative to the background, a couple of inches either way and she would have had something growing out of her head. The left hand side conveys the clutter of tools and materials that an artist needs and the lamps are almost like two pets watching her work.

A strong image to start and one I would have been happy to come away with if it had been my shoot.

Museum Curator



My final print



When I saw it posted on the OCA website I thought this was one I’d be able to pick you up on from a technical point of view.  I had already made some adjustments to the file posted on the website, this was my edit...

Tutor's suggested manipulation

But I see in the print you’ve tackled the things that I’ve adjusted.

I think you’ve made an interesting composition but I would have pulled back slightly so that the head in the portrait didn’t crop down the edge of the frame.

He adds an extra dynamic to the composition and the meaning, looking over her shoulder like that, but having the edge crop through him irritatingly draws the eye too much.  Otherwise it’s well handled in a technically difficult location.

Fossil Hunter
Although the one you chose wasn’t your initial preference in some ways I think it portrays character more effectively; the tilting forward and to the side pose with the laughing smile.  The overall technical quality is very good; well balanced light contrast and nice and sharp.

Colin, the fossil hunter

I think you’ve learned a lot technically during this exercise. Doing a reccy really helps with visualisation and lighting; it makes you more relaxed on the shoot and so the subject is more relaxed and giving.  You’ve also learned about controlling fill-in with the on-camera flash; about the only thing it’s good for once you’ve learned to use it judiciously.

The narrow bright strip down the left is slightly unfortunate, but in this case it doesn’t distract too much, it feels in keeping with the lighting but it might be interesting to try darkening it down quite a bit more to the brightness around the little wooden mannequin.

Harbour Master

This is an interesting experimental response to a problem; which has been well executed.

As part of a series it probably sticks out like a bit of a sore thumb, as it would having one or two in B&W for no particular reason, but in the context of the assignment I think it does no harm and demonstrates the flexibility of your response to problems.

However, I would say that since you’ve gone for the ‘joiner’ effect, rather than seamless panorama, I would prefer to see that on all the edges, not just at the top.

Town Mayor

An excellent result; given the time and technical pressures I think this has to be the shot of the assignment.  Are you sure you’re not going to be the next Jane Bown?  If I was paying you to make this photograph I would think I’d got my money’s worth.

The Mayor

 

You thought about all the factors, controlled them and executed perfectly with impeccable quality for a daylight session.

 

Photographic Historian

I think this image picks up on something quite fundamental to photographers and that’s their relationship to their cameras.  There aren’t many things in life that you press to your face, with the exception of perhaps loved ones. It’s a close, and closed, relationship you have with your camera when you look through the viewfinder.  This image makes a nod to that, it’s quite intimate.



My submission



For me it’s cropped just a touch too tight at the bottom and although I agree with your Photoshop adjustments in general I would have also used the mid tone contrast control, under ‘Show more options in the Shadows/Highlights control, to lighten and increase the contrast a touch in the lower part of the face.  Something like this... 

Tutor's suggestion

Notice how there is less emphasis on the knuckles now.

Shop Assistant

My submission

I thought your shelf stacking idea was actually a good one, avoiding it looking trite is a question of how you visualise it and there was interest in the way you composed the one that you worked on, but it does have its draw backs, as you say.

This is the best I could do with it in the time...

Tutor's suggestion

...so I think you made the right choice in the end.

It’s not the obvious thing to go for but I think it is the one that conveys most of her character, I can imagine her speaking to me and the sort of things that she might say.  Having her at the door way gets over the mixed colour temperature light problem and the final result has a very good quality.

Winemaker

My cropped image

What a character, he reminds me a bit of Jack Hargreaves from early evening TV of the 60s and 70s.  You coped very well with the technical challenges.  I wouldn’t mind seeing a bit more on the left, it’s cropped a bit too tight to the headshot of the man. I don’t think it would do any harm to see the whole of your original composition. It adds more quirky interest. 

Tutor's manipulated image

He is portrayed as an impish man with his naughty nudes and love of drink.

Conclusion

This assignment is a triumphal summation of everything that you’ve learned and developed on the course; overcoming the shyness that everybody has at first about asking people to collaborate and then the planning, problem solving, execution, editing and presenting, putting the knowledge you’ve gained into practice.

I think you can feel very satisfied with the outcome. You’ve created a very solid base to progress your photography practice from in the direction you desire.

Well done!