Gig

Nicely done Suzanne. Please take the following comments and suggestions as constructive:Was your intent to emphasize the blemishes to draw attention to the aging process? To my mind the dark kearatotic lesions needlessly subtract from the composition's well conceptualized emphasis on the eyes and the "Solomonic" expression.I would love to see the same image printed without sepia toning, and perhaps printed on prosaic silver paper that would not exphasize the dark discoloration of th aging skin.Elliot

Wonderful photo. He looks like a happy man.

Eliot, thank you for your thoughtful comment. I've been making these tightly composed portraits lately because I'm interested in seeing how faces can become more abstract in pictures, and the way in which it allows me to explore how light falls across the planes of the face, the texture of skin contrasted with the smooth and reflective eyes, and I can really study the face without the rudeness of staring in person! At any rate, I've been experimenting a little with how I'd like to print these, and figured, I'd give the sepia a go, just to see how I like it. I like the warmth in the highlights and in the skin tone from the sepia, but as you say, it also emphasizes blemishes and flaws, especially with older sitters, so perhaps I'll try printing these in some other way. By the way, he hit his 90th birthday about a week after I made this picture.. a refugee from Europe who became a U.S. soldier and fought on his home turf during WWII, then worked for years as an art dealer. He's had an interesting life. Thank you, ~Suzanne

Wonderful textures. Very nice, S.

Thanks!