Presences

[Antonio Correia]

Many months ago - last year - I started a theme involving volunteers of a local community of artists in my home town.
The members were invited to be photographed by me in the place they usually work. Unfortunately, only eight people volunteered.
The goal was to make an exposition with the photographs side by side with their own work.
The exposition is scheduled for the 18th January 2013 at last !
Here is a sheet with each of the images.

EDIT - Sorry but I erased the image

[Rob C]

Well, the loss is theirs!

Nice work - hope it has legs.

Rob C

[WalterEG]

Excellent environmental portraiture.  You skill has captured personality and individuality — something far too rare in may portraits.

[Antonio Correia]

Thank you Rob and Walter

The images are printed and in preparation to be framed.
I printed them on Hahnemuhle Fine Rag Baryta 215gr with my R3000 printer.
Excellent paper but rather expensive.
The prints are a bit smaller than A4 (11.7 x 8.3 in) because a little margin is necessary for the canvas which is 10 cm large (about 4 in).
The hole is sustained by a frame.
Later, the opening is on the 18th this month I will be able to post some images.
I hope everybody likes the images. Only two people of the eight have seen the photographs.
I intend to act like in a theatre at the opening because all frames will be wrapped in a common paper and I will be taking it away !

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

It might have been even more effective had it not been so obviously posed, some of which like a toothpaste commercial.

[BobDavid]

It is a beautiful set of eight photographs. Kudos!

[Antonio Correia]

@ Slobodan

Good point Slobodan ! You are absolutely right ! 

I have never thought about this work on this perspective.

Well, anyway that may give me a chance of selling the images to tooth paste brand 

Have a nice and Healthy 2013 ! 

[Antonio Correia]

It might have been even more effective had it not been so obviously posed, some of which like a toothpaste commercial.

Slobodan, only 4 of the 8 images are good for your idea !
The last one is great for that !

Do you have any client ?

Can you establish the contact for this ? Are you selling or producing toothpaste ?

PM me if you wish.

[WalterEG]

Antonio,

You described the motivation and purpose for these pictures quite thoroughly and, while they may be seen as posed and 'toothpaste-ish' from one perspective, I feel that they present an approachable and inviting interface with the intended patrons.  Not every 'art-buyer' is necessarily a dour academic or pedant.  In the market place there are many who would relate well to being confronted by pictures of artists seemingly happy and easy to relate to.

The purpose is invariably a defining factor in any photograph, in my opinion.

Cheers,

Walter

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... artists seemingly happy...

Happy artists!? Hmmm... that only means one thing: clients are overpaying them

[Antonio Correia]

Antonio,
You described the motivation and purpose for these pictures quite thoroughly and, while they may be seen as posed and 'toothpaste-ish' from one perspective, I feel that they present an approachable and inviting interface with the intended patrons.  Not every 'art-buyer' is necessarily a dour academic or pedant.  In the market place there are many who would relate well to being confronted by pictures of artists seemingly happy and easy to relate to.
The purpose is invariably a defining factor in any photograph, in my opinion.
Cheers, Walter

@ Walker
Thank you walter for expressing your opinion. Much appreciated

These days, with the World in crisis, it is very hard to sell Art (if you can call Art my images) except at hight levels when one has already a name on the market.

I know I will not sell theses images but to the artists themselves. Not bad. I get my money back and a couple of Euros as extra, a lot of pleasure added to the one I've had  already and I grow in Photography preparing myself to higher "flights"

Cheers Walter

@ Slobodan
The lines above give you an idea of the market in which I move and from which I want to get out !

Thank you Slobodan for your words

[Rob C]

Toni, your link won't work with my computer.

Rob C

[Antonio Correia]

Toni, your link won't work with my computer. Rob C

Sorry Rob I do not know how to embed the links. But it works this way

Thank you

[Rob C]

Toni,

I can now link to your website; some very nice stuff in there.

There is something about the black/white shots on the Home Page - the two images side-by-side and reversed, that made me think, instantly: cubist!

I particularly like the shot of the woman in the sari carrying her child; that's not to say that it's better than the other pictures, it's just that I think you caught something very special there.

If I may return to the 'toothpaste' remark: there is perhaps too much eye-contact in your shots of people working; not smiles, but direct eye-contact. This isn't to say that in individual shots it's wrong - and who is to judge? - it's just that when a large percentage of images in a collection has similar facial attitudes, it starts to look 'systemized' - at least, to me. But that could be my problem: I once had a director of a fashion store walk into the office where I was delivering photographs to the ad. manager. This director looked at one shot and said: "that's not a good fashion picture - the model isn't looking at the camera." Ad. manager and I looked at one another; neither of us said a word. God help us all.

Ciao -

Rob C

[Antonio Correia]

Thank you Rob for your kind words

The images running now on the slide show are under the theme Urban Decay. Empty degraded spaces in urban areas. The dam crisis affecting the majority of the World.
About the woman with the baby. It is one of those photographs you can take not so often ! Did I made it on purpose ? Well... yes and no.
I was nearby (70-200) when she came across. Like I do so many times, I clicked. And I got her ! It was just a glimp. I was lucky !! LOL
Luck is also an important part of photography but this is something else to talk about.

We can't please everybody can we ?
My wife kept telling me that the doesn't like when people are looking at us in the photographs. Others may have and are entitled to their own opinion which I respect.
The toothpaste business ? I have never thought of it before ! But it is a good point.

Not bad for advertising hein ? No, it is not bad. It is disgusting LOL LOL

[Rob C]

All joking aside, that treatment could be the next great thing: aren't we all sick of looking at the perfect face with perfect teeth that grew out of a mould?

Cute idea!

Rob C

[Antonio Correia]

All joking aside, that treatment could be the next great thing: aren't we all sick of looking at the perfect face with perfect teeth that grew out of a mould? Cute idea! Rob C

 

[Antonio Correia]

The first day of the exhibition has been yesterday.
Some friends of mines and some people I had never seen...

Here is two among the eight.

[Rob C]

Good luck!

I really like the light in those pictures, too.

Rob C

[Antonio Correia]

Good luck!

I really like the light in those pictures, too.

Rob C

Thank you Rob