Charles Walker  


Artist by Nature by Charles Walker

December 2020 - Artist by Nature

December 2020 - Charles Walker

Original

About the Image(s)

While in Zion, early November in 2018, I saw Michelle Condrat painting a scene I had photographed the day before. I introduced myself and asked her permission to photograph her while she was painting. I liked the idea of documenting the confluence of painting and photography. I felt a bit of kinship with her. She asked for copies of the photos, which I developed trying to include touches of her style as a painter, see https://www.michellecondrat.com/Artist-Info/ To render this photograph more like her paintings, I added highlights, enriched the yellows and made the sky a crayon blue. I lightened the shadow on her canvas and face. Camera data: Nikon D750, f/9, 1/250, 16 mm, ISO = 125


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




Trey Foerster   Trey Foerster
I did use the link to Michelle Conradt's website and her paintings are abstract, which this is not. You did a good job lightening her face and painting area. The golden glow certainly warms up the image. I think more intimacy in the image might be to use a square crop (see below) so she isn't fighting with the scenery for attention and it creates a more obvious circular eye movement from her, to the river, to the mountain, down the mountain to the dark tree limbs and trunks and back to the artist. It must have been a very cool experience to chat with her!   Posted: 12/04/2020 10:10:17
Comment Image
Charles Walker   Charles Walker
I really like your crop suggestion. Human beings deserve more attention than rocks. To draw even more attention to the artist, perhaps lightening her canvass a bit more and bring up the luminosity in colors in her paint tray might be appropriate? It was fun talking with her. Photography is a medium of communication, after all.   Posted: 12/04/2020 20:03:10



 
The same color tone image looks attractive to me, it looks like a painting instead of photo. I wonder whether the mountain in front is very high, if you can capture it together to the image ? If so, the composition may more interesting.   Posted: 12/05/2020 04:35:54



R Gary Butler   R Gary Butler
(Group 4)
Charles, I really like the inclusion of the artist in the image. If you remember about a year ago Scott Messner had a similar image except that the artist was missing from the image. It looked "lacking" in my opinion. This looks much more complete to me from a composition standpoint.

To my eye your capture has created a pleasing depth of field and sharpness to help hold my eye. I believe that the highlights are "spot on." From my experience, I might suggest opening up the shadows a bit to get some detail on the artist's jacket and pants. I also feel that Trey's suggestion is a good one . To me I would have preferred to see the artist higher in the foreground - at a 1/3 point - but unless you have cropped something at the bottom I think Trey's suggestion may be the next best alternative. Thanks for sharing. Good job!   Posted: 12/05/2020 07:36:18



 
I really like the capture! I do believe the cropping improves the composition. I am sure about cropping so close to her is the best, but some needs to be cropped. I love the colors and the lines in the photo, leading you to the back of the photo. With the sun coming from the right side, I think you have to be careful with what is lite on her and her gear. I think highlighting Michelle, from the direction of the light rays, would lighten up the foreground, bring attention to her as a focal point. Really like the photo, captures a beautiful time of nature and the artist.   Posted: 12/06/2020 20:46:49



 
I really like the capture! I do believe the cropping improves the composition. I am sure about cropping so close to her is the best, but some needs to be cropped. I love the colors and the lines in the photo, leading you to the back of the photo. With the sun coming from the right side, I think you have to be careful with what is lite on her and her gear. I think highlighting Michelle, from the direction of the light rays, would lighten up the foreground, bring attention to her as a focal point. Really like the photo, captures a beautiful time of nature and the artist.   Posted: 12/06/2020 20:46:51
Charles Walker   Charles Walker
I agree Gary about lightening up her face, paints and gear. I made some slight adjustments, that seem to help. I wish I had composed it with more room in the foreground.   Posted: 12/06/2020 20:59:38



 
I was thinking of the foreground, but sometimes it doesn't happen, so draw attention to something else to make it not
noticeable.   Posted: 12/06/2020 22:36:45



 
I was thinking of the foreground, but sometimes it doesn't happen, so draw attention to something else to make it not
noticeable.   Posted: 12/06/2020 22:36:46



 
I was thinking of the foreground, but sometimes it doesn't happen, so draw attention to something else to make it not
noticeable.   Posted: 12/06/2020 22:36:56



Quang Phan   Quang Phan
Hi Charles, I love the color of your image, it is very unique fall color on entire image even the water reflected entire yellow color of the leaves. It is a difficult to clean this image because lot of scattering shading. You did a very decent on post processing. I agreed the suggestion of cropping with others. I feel like image is mixing of fine art picture the lady was painting. Nice capture.   Posted: 12/10/2020 20:11:53