Criticism and feedback on this, please. Portrait

This is the first portrait picture I shot from my Canon S5 IS that I'm proud of.
Post processing: BnW conversion and sharpening on PS CS3. Added vignette using Lightroom 2.

All CC are welcome. Keen learner.

-Reef

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Whenever I see something that has obviously been cropped, I always wonder why and what got cropped. Usually it's not relevant and I wouldn't even mention it - just curious to see the whole frame.

This is a stunning image because there is such high contrast throughout the image.

Usually, I am not lucky enough to get one this good that is also candid and also has the subject looking me right in the eyes. So, that poses some more questions about what is going on here. In this instance it doesn't look like he is meeting your eyes but is looking more down and to his left. So, we don't know what he is looking at and we don't know if this is a grab shot or a candid portrait or what. Most of these aspects simply add to the mystery and interest in the picture.

If it were my picture, I would be trying to get more detail showing in the blacks, if it can be retrieved. Good as this image is, I think the deep shadows are blocked up a little too much. The highlights and mid-tones are just perfect.

The vignetting that you did is not obvious, so that is a plus.

Congratulations on one of the best monochromes seen here in a while.

First of all, thank you very much for dropping by and commenting on the picture. Secondly, thank you for the words of encouragement.

Along with this reply I post the original picture (a little part cropped out from the bottom, and then resized according to forum rules).

I was lucky enough to get this shot, as I feel there is so much meaning and power in the overall pose of the subject. However, I was shooting landscapes, from the top of a moving bus in Nepal (yes, believe it or not!) on the widescreen mode in my S5, when I saw the man in the picture sitting on the side of the road all by himself; was shooting on the Manual mode, and hence didn't get the time to change picture size settings for this shot (hence required the crop; portrait WS, a little embarassing!)

I too agree that I've let loss of too much detail showing in the blacks.

I hope the original picture would relieve your curiosity to some extent.

Final crop on the completed monochrome was done so as to give maximum attention to the subject, and the depth of meaning on his face. I felt the colour version distracts the viewer from the attention the subject deserves.

Subtle vignette added only for my liking.

Many thanks again.

-Reef

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Now that I see the original, I am even more impressed.

What you did with your B& W conversion and the way it is cropped made a masterpiece out of a snapshot. You are to be commended not only on having produced a fascinating image, but also for having the skills to create it from the original work.

Very impressive - congratulations!

Robert_Lay wrote in post #6409856
You are to be commended not only on having produced a fascinating image, but also for having the skills to create it from the original work.

Thank you very much. I still do have a mighty lot to learn!

Many thanks,

-Reef

If Robert felt that way about one of my photos, I'd hang it immediately and submit it to National Geographic.
It's as good as it gets, you might as well quit now.

DAMphyne wrote in post #6411572
If Robert felt that way about one of my photos, I'd hang it immediately and submit it to National Geographic.
It's as good as it gets, you might as well quit now.

Thanks a lot! Hehe, I'm too young to quit (learning, if thats what you meant,)... I'm sure theres a world of stuff I need to learn out there, about photography, post-processing, sincerity to the art of photography, etc...

I am just a starter in this field. More like a hobbyist at the moment.

Since this image is my first post here, and it has got such positive comments, I do feel like I am going to get a lot of negative comments in posts I would be putting up in the future; but that is exactly what I'm here for. Pressure! and to learn from experienced people like yourself, Mr Lay and others.

Priceless encouragement , Thank you. Please do C&C on further posts of mine.

Many thanks again.

-Reef

Wasn't he one of the guides that took Indie down into the tomb?

acchildress wrote in post #6412158
Wasn't he one of the guides that took Indie down into the tomb?

Please focus on the image, and possible improvements. Thank you

Beautiful job you've done with this image!! Congrats!

I love what you did with his eyes

Reign wrote in post #6412987
I love what you did with his eyes

CMOats wrote in post #6412883
Beautiful job you've done with this image!! Congrats!

Thank you very much for the compliments and encouragement.

How did you go about this conversion, i really like it.
Its like the original had pretty flat lighting and the second is such a nice and contrasty image.
good work

I have to agree with Bob in regards to the shadows here...while I do like the high contrast on the black & white and I do think the conversion fits this image, you lost a lot of details in the shadows, particularly around the center of the image on either side of the subject's left arm. In fact when I first looked at the image, I thought it was simply too dark as in under-exposed, but the highlights in the turban look correct. I'd really open up those shadows at least a bit as it's a little distracting.

I do like your choice of crops...goes to show how the impact of an image can change with only a very simple adjustment to the composition.

Just my $.02 worth,
Jim

Reef, you definitely have the eye of a documentary photographer and these images you have posted are wonderful work.