Kirsti Näntö-Salonen

September 2023 - Longing

Original

About the Image(s)

The image is part of a story we staged with our camera group, inspired by the history of an island we visited this summer. In the past, it held a leper colony, and nobody who entered the island was ever allowed to leave again. There is a story about a young woman whose husband got the disease. After a long and laborious search she discovered a herb that could cure it but when she finally came to the island her husband had died. She stayed on, helping the other patients until the church considered her success rate highly suspicious, and it is said that she got burned as a witch for all her trouble. - One of my fellow photographers is posing as the young widow on the shore watching longingly a sail that disappears Into the horizon. We were after a hazy dream-like mood, and somebody suggested to try to shoot through a thin chiffon scarf that we tied on the lens hood with rubber bands. Fuji XT4, 63.8 mm, f/5, 1/2700 s, ISO 200. The B&W is finished with NIK Silver Efex preset ”Classic portrait cool tones" - I don’t know if the chiffon was a good idea at all. I feel that there might be some potential in the color version, but the B&W looks just fuzzy and bland (and this is supposed to be a monochrome project). What do you think? I am very grateful for all comments and improvements.

11 comments posted

Bob Benson

That was a clever idea with the chiffon, but in this digital age, I think it is better (or an option) to shoot normally, and use the special effects post process. I believe that the dreamy affect would have worked better digitally (which was your concern). I tried increasing the contrast in the color original before going to B&W using the converter in PS, to get more detail in the face, and darken the blue for more contrast to the face. I also cropped from the left, so that the person was a third of the image, as I thought there was too much space.
See what you think. Posted: 09/02/2023 15:02:27

Kirsti Näntö-Salonen

Thank you, Bob! I like the result very much. I was surprised that the extra contrast did not take away any of the dreamy feeling. I think that the trick is in the B&W conversion process - thank you for showing me how! - I have some other frames with almost exactly the new composition that I think looks very balanced. My idea with the panorama format was to try to show how awfully far out of her reach the lonely sail was proceeding, but this may not work. Posted: 09/03/2023 00:08:19

Mervyn Hurwitz

I prefer the wide panorama of this scene. I know that the boat is important to you to complete the story, but I find it too bright and indistinct to stand on its own without your explanation. So I would clone it out. Also the bright reed just in front of her face should be toned down or removed. Posted: 09/07/2023 14:50:11

Kirsti Näntö-Salonen

Thank you very much, Mervyn! I noticed the reed myself, too, after I posted the image - I think that it is more conspicuous in the monochrome version. I have to admit that you are right about the boat, too! Posted: 09/08/2023 13:47:40

Tony Au Yeong

You have told a sad story. I like the image post processed by Bob. The details in the sky, and the added contrast make it a more appealing photo. I think the monochromic image conveys a better mood. Posted: 09/07/2023 23:46:49

Kirsti Näntö-Salonen

Thank you, Tony! I think, too, that the monochrome version suits the story better, although the golden hour light was so beautiful. Posted: 09/08/2023 13:51:06

Anges van der Logt

I like the panorama look of this image. Me too, I like the edited version of Bob a bit better. I would tone down the bright reed in front of her face or clone it out. The black and white mood makes this image much better in compare with the original. Posted: 09/11/2023 23:14:25

Kirsti Näntö-Salonen

Thank you Agnes, I like the panorama format, too. I have not totally discarded the idea of the sailing boat she would wactch to disappear in the horizon - I am trying to figure out how to construct it so that it would be recognizable. Posted: 09/11/2023 23:46:57

Anges van der Logt

If the boat was closer and a bit bigger, then it would be more recognizable and not like a dust spot and distraction probably. ;) Posted: 09/11/2023 23:53:03

Jose Cartas

A very nice, well represented, story behind this picture. Since I prefer in-camera rather post-processing manipulation, I like that you produced the dream-like mood with the scarf. It's true that the image is perhaps too wide, but cropping it as suggested by Bob would eliminate the sailboat, which is part of the story. I agree with converting it to B&W. Only comment: as others had said, I would eliminate the bright reed almost in front of her face. Posted: 09/19/2023 17:18:03

Kirsti Näntö-Salonen

Thank you, Jose! I think, too, that there is a subtle difference between what happens in-camera and afterwards. Maybe it is the element of chance, and the imperfections in how everything comes together just at the moment of capture? I think that I will keep experimenting. - The reed is already off in the version I am working on, and I try to figure out what to do with the boat! Posted: 09/20/2023 02:57:04

PID Digital Dialogue

Group 26