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Deep in thought.

© Peter W. Marks

Deep in thought.

Uploaded: August 13, 2011

Description

Self portrait

Comments

Anthony L. Mancuso August 13, 2011

You captured yourself very well here Peter...do you recall exactly what you were thinking about, or was this feigned deep thought to get the shot?

I think I would blacken out the vertical line in front of your face and try to tone down the highlights on the right chest and sleeve of your t-shirt a tad. #1400854

Peter W. Marks August 14, 2011

Thanks Tony. I made this image about 18 months ago on a winter's day looking out of the window of our living room at the field across the lane from our house,then bare of crops. It was posed but had been inspired by how I had been sitting thinking just a short while previously that morning and I knew I wanted to capture the moment albeit retrospectively.
Yes, I do know what I had been originally thinking. It was just two days before my 71st birthday and I was thinking about how life had rushed by and how my brother Chris, four years younger than I had died after a short illness earlier that year. So you could say this shot was feigned but even in the re-posing of it I was thinking what I had originally thought. I could step across there right now and repeat this scene by just recalling the melancholy of those moments.
Hope that makes sense Tony.

I probably won't do any adjustments as although I was aware of the line from the glass fronted cabinet and it could be easily removed it will always give me a reminder of 'place' and time, part of the whole. I guess that will make you shake your head but you are probably aware by now that my approach to my images is perhaps not the norm here on BP. Sure, that is sometimes an excuse for not spending time making the image pixel-perfect but mostly not. I want the image to show exactly what I was seeing or had in my mind at the moment of pressing the shutter, good or bad. A sidewalk with weeds growing between the cracks is a metaphore for life as it is actually lived; whereas to photoshop them out is to pretend that life is perfect and that can lead to a few disappointments!
Blessings my friend. as Psalm 118 says,
"This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!"
Amen? #9602610

Carla Capra Anderson August 14, 2011

Love this and as is!
I knew this was you, Peter, and immediately felt a powerful emotion viewing it. Congrats.
;) CC #9602933

Michael Kelly level-classic August 14, 2011

Great story, and the photo is very well done. I like the composition and the shot as a whole very much.

I do agree with Tony on the very minor changes which would make this even stronger than it is, but I think I am starting to understand where you come from though I don't agree with the philosophy. The main difference seems to be that you shoot photos for yourself while I believe most of us shoot them for others. #9603370

Peter W. Marks August 14, 2011

Thank you so very much Carla; you seem to know exactly what I am about in my images and yes Mike, you have exactly nailed it too; they are intended for for me but I hope others may at least ponder my intention in shooting them.

#9603501

Anthony L. Mancuso August 14, 2011

Thanks for that heartfelt explanation Pete. The expression is definitely not feigned considering you were pondering something so deeply personal.

Like Mike, I can understand your philosophy regarding the editing, but I also think that some technical changes to the image won't necessarily change the meaining.

I partially agree with Mike's other statement about shooting for other people. Although we all share our images with each other, and some of us post them on facebook, we as the photographer typically won't make a change to one of our images that is suggested by somebody else if we don't think it will improve it. Therefore I think we do actually shoot for ourselves. #9603617

Debbie E. Payne August 14, 2011

I agree that in the end, we shoot for ourselves. But the beauty of this group is that we can weigh the suggestions and go with any one or more of them or not as we please.

It's a very nicely done self-portrait, Peter. #9603783

Jeff E Jensen August 14, 2011

One way or the other, it's a very poignant self portrait. Nice work my friend. #9604103

Rita K. Connell level-classic August 14, 2011

all I can say is awesome, very nicely done, and I have had many moments where I could have mirrored this image. great shot, love the black and white #9604124

Dale Hardin August 15, 2011

I like this a lot Peter and thank you for the story.

Very interesting discussion (that we've had before) about being "pure" with an image. I think Tony's ideas would indeed help the image while at the same time have no effect on your remembrance of the scene. I'm sure you did not envision having blown highlights etc when taking this shot.

I see no more reason not to correct small technical issues than you do to putting on a clean shirt instead of a dirty one before having your portrait taken. Both sides of the argument can go too far in correcting or not correcting "nature". :o)

#9605866

Aimee C. Eisaman August 15, 2011

Wow...what a deep meaning to this self portrait! I really like it and you sharing with us what was on your mind makes it even more powerful. :~) Very nice use of natural light! #9605867

Peter W. Marks August 15, 2011

Thank you my friends. As a small group we seem to have had more than our share of sorrows but as it always does, the sun will come up tomorrow. Well, thats unless you live in the UK or the Pacific Northwest USA where it will probably rain!
Let me make it clear that I don't disagree in the least with those seeking perfection in any endevour they engage in although the wise old geezer that muttered something about 'going too far in correcting or not correcting' has got it about right. Fortunately for me he can't read type font this size so he won't get swollen headed. :0)
Not too long ago I was having a conversation with a drawing professor from the local university while we were at the opening night of a juried art exhibition. I was asking him how the latest intake of freshman students was shaping up and he was very positive about them except that he said there were always two or three in a class that "never know when to put their darned pencils or erasers down".
"So you are saying that sometimes 'less is more'' to use that well-worn cliche, I replied.
"You had better believe it!" was his response "..and usually it is the ones that are the least creative in their work"!
Now before anyone thinks I am taking a pop at their work let me say "NO!" But what I think we have covered quite well here is that an artist should decide for whom his work is created. You guys have correctly understood that 'Deep in thought' was for me and of course for my family. I will date the print and maybe write in the circumstance of its making or alternatively a great-grandchild might be left to draw its own conclusion and question his/her parent as to why great grand-dad looks so sad.

#9606060

Dale Hardin August 15, 2011

Point taken Peter and I didn't even need my magnifying glass (much) to read it. :O) #9606080

Beth Spencer August 15, 2011

Thanks for the story. It does look like your are deep in thought about something and not very happy. You have captured the moment very well.
I think it would be awesome to print it and then what you were thinking about for your family. It will make it more appreciated to someone at some point! #9606592

Stephen Shoff August 18, 2011

The high contrast, highly sharpened rendering is unusual for portraits. I think it worked well here.

Well done, Peter. #9613666


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