Boy With Basketball, 1994

Some interesting work here... you've captured a great gesture, and expression. He seems a little pissed off, and his body language gives an air of confidence. I love his big hands, he clearly has some growing to do. Somehow you've made it work despite cutting off the feet just above the ankle. Something we are all taught not to do!! Haha!! That said, his feet may have been as expressive as his hands... do you have any frames with them?? My only real criticism with these images, and this may be more a scanning issue, but the printing looks a little flat. I'd love to see the backgrounds brought down a bit, give a more ominous feel, so that the foregournd figures get emphasized. Or perhaps, just tweak the contrast some.

All in all, a very satisfying series of images.

Thank you for your input, Suzanne. I, too, would like to have seen the feet. This was shot when the camera was new and I had not gotten used to the framing. Being a former 35 shooter, the rangefinder format, not being WYSIWYG, is different. I am better now at not cutting things off. With respect to the tonal values. Perhaps I will reprint at some point and follow your notion about bumping up the contrast or burning down the background.

Well we've travelled a similar path! i used to shoot 35slr, this past year I've been shooting with a Mamiya 7, and a really old Leica. I've cut off more than a few feet too! Takes some getting used to. Who needs feet, when you 've got great negs?