Just a quick comment, Frank ... I was using the new version of PS here, and fiddling with a new tool, the Highlight/Shadows tool. It was the first using it and I hadn't a clue as to what I was doing. Too damned technical for me to pick right up on it. And then, after I posted the pic, I discovered that all the adjustments were made on a monitor that was way out of calibration - it had been set to 1/2 the contrast ratio of the normal calibration. Well, it's up, and I'm zonked - been up all night - too much coffee, too interested in the new PS, yadayadayada - and I'm not gonna change it now.
I love this pic, too .... and maybe you can tell from some of the others I've posted, that I loved those kids and the neighborhood as well. One of the things that makes these pics work is an old and oft repeated but frequently ignored aspect of photography: know your subject. Here I lived with these kids, we shared the 'hood, saw each other every day. Much different than hitting the streets to "see what you can find." I like this one for the reasons you like it ... all the elements clearly describe where this kid is from, where he lives, and, to an extent, how he lives. The clothes lines did it for me, too, as did the pants hanging on a line over his shoulder. Thanks for your kind and effusive comments. Shel Belinkoff > [Original Message] > From: frank theriault <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: 5/15/2004 5:57:15 AM > Subject: RE: PAW - That Darn Ball! > > Shel, > > Stop it, you're killing me! <g> > > Where to start? Well, first off (and I know I've mentioned this at least > once in relation to others in this series), it's so timeless! Wearing jeans > and a sweatshirt, this kid could be from any era in the last 50 or 60 years! > There are no other time cues in this photo that tell us when it was taken. > It's a photo of Youth. Kids are kids, and they never change their > essence. > > Well, maybe one thing's changed: these days, do kids still go out and play > with balls? I guess they do, but unfortunately they're more likely to be > seen in front of a screen playing the latest Jet Li computer game, making > blood spurt all over the inside of a computer, but I digress... > > What else? Well this is probably because you're always on me about details > and about exposure, but I notice how well the exposure works here. When it > was loading, I was thinking, "wow, that background is way overblown". But, > once it was all loaded, and the details emerged, I could see some texture to > the clouds, the nice sharp clotheslines, and thought, "well, it's bright to > be sure, but it's what it ~should be~. Great job of exposure!! > > Framing is remarkable! The angle of the buildings (tenements?) on the > right, the shape of the pavement playground (how inner city is that?) the > fence in the background, the clothesline (there's that clothesline again!), > they all draw us into the child, yet they tell us the story about where he > is, and what environment he's from. > > Two more things (because I have to stop sometime): > > The expression is priceless. Sort of shy, but with a hint of anticipation, > it's as if he's asking someone, "will you catch my ball, huh, will you?" > It's so childlike (in a good way, of course). > > Second (again), I love that clothesline! I don't know why, but it evokes > something in me. As I said before, it frames beautifully, but it also says > "inner city" so well. I mean, I know folks have clotheslines in the > country, but the lines going from building to building like that are so > typical of crowded inner cities. They're almost a link from apartment to > apartment. Makes me recall my mother, hanging off our balcony, hanging the > clothes, while the neighbour did the same thing, all the while chatting > (more like yelling, gossiping very loudly <g>) between themselves, and then > ending up going to the other's kitchen for a coffee afterwards. A type of > socializing that seems not to happen so much when people live in single > family homes on huge lots in the 'burbs. > > Sorry to have gone on so, but it's a great photo, and it really touched an > emotional nerve with me (which is what great photos are supposed to do). > > cheers, > frank > > "The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist > fears it is true." -J. Robert Oppenheimer > > > > > >From: "Shel Belinkoff" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Subject: PAW - That Darn Ball! > >Date: Sat, 15 May 2004 04:32:27 -0700 > > > >It's that ball again ... it's appeared in so many photos of the kids from > >the old neighborhood in San Francisco. > > > >http://home.earthlink.net/~scbelinkoff/paw/boy_with_ball.html > > > >As always, comments, criticisms, and the tossing of tomatoes are welcome. > > > >Shel Belinkoff > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-ca&page=byoa/prem&xAPID=1994&DI=1034&SU=htt p://hotmail.com/enca&HL=Market_MSNIS_Taglines
