---

Way too dark, this looks to me like it was underexposed.

I find the 3 catchlights in each eye distracting. (It is too dark for my taste as well)

joe

GRAAF I SECOND JDEF AND AS KEROUAC TOLD ROBERT FRANK ' YOU GOT EYES MAN' MORE OR LESS THIS WHAT PHOTOGRAPHY SHOULD BE, IT INSPIRES, ITS GREAT KEEP IT UP, I MEAN DOESN'T THE SAME OLD ROCK (SUGAR HONEY ICE TEA) GET BORING AFTER A WHILE I MEAN ITS ALL BEEN DONE YOUR WORK IS NEW AND DIFFERENT AS THE PEOPLE YOU PHOTOGRAPH, AND ASLO IT'S NOT THE CAMERA MAN IT'S THE EYES, IT'S THE EYES. IMHO

Very intense. I don't think it's too dark, it seems appropriate for this portrait. I keep coming back to it, and it's a very unsettling, but really strong. Very good work.

Personally, I like this portraint very much. I like the dark skin tones and the cigarette adds a lot of tension to the image, especially with the movement. The reflections in the eyes add contrast, without them the eyes would just be too dark and uninteresting. I also like the depth-of-field, just enough for the eyes and to keep the end of the nose in focus, which is important to me. Everything else being blurry makes the man's face the main point of interest, which it should be. You also caught the man with an interesting level of expression, not too much animation such as a big smile or laugh. It's almost at the level of no animaiton, but not completly lacking in interest. It looks as if he is concerned about something (maybe where is he going to get a match for his cigarette.)

I have always had a hard time taking pictures of people, especially pointing cameras right at them. You've done this very well.

My compliments.

-Mike

thank you for comments. best regards, tom