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Author Topic: Why does this look odd?  (Read 7414 times)

drmike

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Why does this look odd?
« on: July 27, 2016, 02:59:49 pm »

This photograph by Niall McDiarmid

Young lad

seems a little odd to me. It looks like the young man has been pasted in which won't be the case. I know in part it's because the background is out of focus and possibly muted but he seems to stand above the rest of the image. It's not as if his clothing is vibrant or anything. Is it just as simple as he's sharp and possibly the background has been desaturated, although I thought Niall didn't do that sort of thing?

Mike
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mbaginy

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2016, 03:21:47 pm »

Looks as if negative clarity (LR term) was used on the background.
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graeme

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2016, 03:38:56 pm »

Looks as if negative clarity (LR term) was used on the background.

+1. Maybe reduced contrast, saturation & negative dehaze too?
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Telecaster

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2016, 04:15:16 pm »

Uncanny valley-ish territory. IMO to the experienced eye the processing draws too much attention to itself.

-Dave-
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drmike

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2016, 05:09:17 pm »

I tend to agree but he does it with other shots as well where it works well but is perhaps less pronounced. I quite like most of his work which is a sweeping statement I know. I thought he was a minimal processing guy but now I can't find a reference to that.

Mike
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graeme

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2016, 05:59:24 pm »

Uncanny valley-ish territory. IMO to the experienced eye the processing draws too much attention to itself.

-Dave-

+1
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Zorki5

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2016, 12:27:01 am »

Looks as if negative clarity (LR term) was used on the background.

Or a bit of Gaussian blur, or something like that.

To answer original question as I understood it: "it draws attention because lenses we have had experience with wouldn't produce this effect."
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Rob C

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2016, 09:18:55 am »

I think it's just a boring picture of a typical schoolboy doing not much of anything.

Why would anyone shoot it, never mind spend time playing with it? No matter how it's put through its paces in post it won't ever be, for me, anything more than that. (Not even a good 'tourist' photo. ;-) )

Rob C

drmike

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2016, 01:35:17 pm »

To misquote you :) who gives a shit about the boy? It's the loony in the bus shelter who poses questions. That and I think the composition which seems good.

I doubt that you'd warm to many of his shots  as they all seem quite mundane superficially. I think I'd be pleased if I could capture what he does.

Mike
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drmike

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2016, 01:36:09 pm »

To misquote you :) who gives a shit about the boy? It's the loony in the bus shelter who poses questions. That and I think the composition which seems good.

I doubt that you'd warm to many of his shots  as they all seem quite mundane superficially. I think I'd be pleased if I could capture what he does.

Mike
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Telecaster

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #10 on: July 28, 2016, 04:36:15 pm »

To misquote you :) who gives a shit about the boy? It's the loony in the bus shelter who poses questions.

;D  Processing aside I like the pic too. It has a stillness to it…

-Dave-
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Rob C

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2016, 04:42:31 pm »

To misquote you :) who gives a shit about the boy? It's the loony in the bus shelter who poses questions. That and I think the composition which seems good.

I doubt that you'd warm to many of his shots  as they all seem quite mundane superficially. I think I'd be pleased if I could capture what he does.

Mike


Really? Then a pìty he didn't get his focus right.

;-)

Rob C

Jim Pascoe

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #12 on: July 31, 2016, 01:34:34 am »

I like it - particularly in the context of the project the photographer seems to be undertaking - photographing the characters on the street where he lives.  Many pictures are better seen as part of a set or series - they are not as strong seen in isolation.

To me the effect just comes over a very shallow DOF - the light is very soft which contributes to the muted effect.

Jim
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drmike

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #13 on: July 31, 2016, 02:46:11 am »

I like them as well and as you say work better as a set rather than in isolation.
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drmike

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #14 on: August 31, 2016, 03:40:27 am »

And he gets a bit more exposure - I wonder how he managed that as I don't think he's not top tier

BBC web site which I hope works overseas
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Telecaster

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #15 on: August 31, 2016, 03:38:03 pm »

Looking at these photos and then again at the first one of the young fellow at the bus stop, I now think the cardboard cutout effect we've commented on is due to shallow DOF combined with diffuse light rather than post work. One of the BBC pics has a similar look but (to my eyes) is clearly the result of a fast lens.

I like the photos. Nothing extraordinary but all quite good.

-Dave-
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drmike

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #16 on: August 31, 2016, 04:18:27 pm »

I think he is occasionally masterful in his use of colour and consistently not uninteresting if you take my meaning. As you say not earth shattering but consistently good. He must be a lovely guy to be able to approach such a range of people.
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Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #17 on: August 31, 2016, 04:37:23 pm »

And he gets a bit more exposure - I wonder how he managed that as I don't think he's not top tier...

This phrasing (double negative) got me confused: is he top tier or not, in your opinion?

drmike

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #18 on: September 01, 2016, 02:44:59 pm »

I think the double negative was just brain fade.

What I meant was I don't think he's considered to be top tier by those who are qualified to make these judgements. I'm sure he's not as well thought of as Martin Parr for example. Personally I think he produces some wonderful images from time to time and his body of work is wonderful.

Mike
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BernardLanguillier

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Re: Why does this look odd?
« Reply #19 on: September 02, 2016, 05:10:53 pm »

A very average image in my book. Yes, the guy hiding behind his suitecase in the background adds something to the image, but it seems like random luck.

The subject would perhaps have been interesting 20 years ago, but who doesn't own a phone? Nothing special about the boy either,... There are few people walking on the sidewalks and it feels like a countryside town where not much is happening. It is hard to put a date on the image. Does that make the image interesting?

Technically this is average too IMHO. To me the car behind the boy is a no go to start with. Composition is average, tones are boring, colors aren't feeling natural nor especially attractive. The dof isn't special either, bokeh is neutral, it feels like a MF 80mm lens at f4.

I would have edited this one out at first raw selection pass without thinking twice about it.

Yet, as part of a larger body of work it may have a documentary value, but as an individual image?

Cheers,
Bernard
« Last Edit: September 02, 2016, 05:36:41 pm by BernardLanguillier »
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