Alan Kaplan  


A Lonely Walk by Alan Kaplan

March 2019 - A Lonely Walk

March 2019 - Alan Kaplan

Original 1

March 2019 - Alan Kaplan

Original 2

March 2019 - Alan Kaplan

Original 3

About the Image(s)

The sky is a gradient I created. The landscape is virtually untouched except for darkening it using Photoshop curves, and the landscape’s edge against the sky was softened with the blur tool.

I added a black and white adjustment layer to manipulate the colors in the image of the man allowing me to render him mostly B & W and still be able to bring out some color with the adjustment layer’s built in layer mask.

The house and the dead tree were also darkened with curves.

I took the picture of the house in June, 2018 knowing that when the right inspiration came along I’d use it. I took the picture of the old man in October 2018, and they came together in several incarnations after that. This composite is the result of an evolutionary process.


This round’s discussion is now closed!
12 comments posted




Peggy Nugent   Peggy Nugent
A very lonely walk, indeed!
I like your triad of subjects. The eagle seems to be calling something to the dejected man - mocking him? The spiky tree and the eagle's attitude definitely feel hostile to me.
At first I thought the tree/eagle might be better placed a bit closer to the center, but after trying it I prefer your placement. The distance makes the man's walk that much more lonely.

I might consider moving the man just a tad lower in the frame.   Posted: 03/02/2019 19:34:01
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Alan Kaplan   Alan Kaplan
Peggy, Thank you for your observations. I guess moving the man is a reflection of the judges who come to my camera club's competitions. They do not like people, animals, objects that are moving toward an edge of the photo to be too close to the edge. They generally want the subject to have room to move. The same applies to birds too high in the frame. This may be why I feel your man is too close to the edge.   Posted: 03/03/2019 16:45:22



 
A fabulous picture - so desolate, so sad, quite wrenched my heart. Is he leaving for ever taking all his belongings? One can't help but wonder what is making him so sad? So effective.
I hate to add anything but I have a slight crit - should there not be a little shadow from the tip of the tree?   Posted: 03/03/2019 12:48:11
Alan Kaplan   Alan Kaplan
Betty, Thank you for your feedback. I wrestled with the idea of placing some sort of tree shadow, but I felt it would either fall on the man or would distract from the man as it would be too close.   Posted: 03/03/2019 16:40:07



Brad Becker   Brad Becker
Alan, What a wonderful thought provoking image. I like how you've handled all the elements. I like your placement of the elements.

The only thing that caught my attention on first viewing was the drop shadow for the man. It somehow seemed a little more noticeable, relative to the lack of other shadows in the other elements. I'd either consider adding more drop shadows of the tree and bird or tone that one down just a touch.   Posted: 03/04/2019 22:58:21
Alan Kaplan   Alan Kaplan
Thank you for your feedback. Please see my response to Betty about other shadows. As for the intensity of the man's shadow, I agree. It could be toned down just a touch.   Posted: 03/04/2019 23:21:11
Brad Becker   Brad Becker
Sorry I didn't see that. The beauty of art is you have the final say in how you create the image. I would acknowledge your groups preferences but not let them limit you with their rules. Art is more about breaking rules than following them.   Posted: 03/05/2019 09:45:10
Alan Kaplan   Alan Kaplan
Brad, As an art history minor in college (a century ago), I took part in a lot of discussions trying to define what art is. For me, there are no rules in art unless one is painting by numbers. I joined the Digital Dialogue so I could see what others see that I missed. Most of my composites go through several incarnations, so I'm often too close to them. I appreciate all feedback that I get and grow as an artist as a result.   Posted: 03/06/2019 16:42:17
Peggy Nugent   Peggy Nugent
I have a favorite personal illustration of your point, Brad. The original (street photography) image was a landscape, with a second figure on the right, and a bit of sidewalk beyond. I brought it to a workshop for critique by Lorne Resnick (a photographer/compositor I admire very much). He suggested this square crop with the man literally walking out of the frame. At first I disagreed, especially because the original conformed to the rule of thirds so well, but after consideration liked it so much that I now have it displayed on my kitchen doorway, as seen in the attached.   Posted: 03/11/2019 12:26:07
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Aavo Koort   Aavo Koort
Wonderful image that tells a story. The plot of the story is left to the imagination of the viewer.
The missing tree shadow can be avoided by shortening the man's shadow by making the sun more overhead. Thereby the tree shadow is not in the picture.   Posted: 03/05/2019 13:46:53
Alan Kaplan   Alan Kaplan
Aavo, Your solution would be more in keeping with the man's hat which shows the sun more overhead. I'll be mindful of this in future iterations. Thank you.   Posted: 03/05/2019 14:29:34



Peggy Nugent   Peggy Nugent
Alan, I applaud your openness to feedback and diverse opinions. That is what makes this group so helpful - and fun.   Posted: 03/11/2019 12:29:10