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Canon DSLR Challenge | all galleries >> Challenge 78 : Creative Self Portraits (Host: sergio rojkes) >> Eligible > Composition
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08-OCT-2006 Victor Engel

Composition

Austin, TX

Canon EOS 10D ,Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
1/10s f/7.1 at 85.0mm iso800 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time08-Oct-2006 14:48:56
MakeCanon
ModelEOS 10D
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length85 mm
Exposure Time1/10 sec
Aperturef/7.1
ISO Equivalent800
Exposure Bias
White Balance
Metering Modematrix (5)
JPEG Quality
Exposure Programprogram (1)
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Guest 17-Oct-2006 15:49
Great concept and execution! -Cat
Canon DSLR Challenge16-Oct-2006 00:11
Cool idea, very sci-fi. ---Melanie (mlynn)
Shu10-Oct-2006 01:37
I am aways amazed by the imagination of our challengers and this is one of the most unique ideas I've seen. BTW, nice "composition", Victor! shu
Canon DSLR Challenge10-Oct-2006 00:10
Victor - I took some very similar pix of my own eye and was thinking of how to present one, when I saw your entry. Your idea is terrific and way cooler than anything I would have thought of, anyway. Oh, well, on the the next idea ":^) Warm fuzzies, -mikey
Canon DSLR Challenge09-Oct-2006 02:34
i Camera

neat idea and well executed.

theFly
Canon DSLR Challenge09-Oct-2006 01:26
To be honest, this has turned out quite a bit differently than my conception of the picture. For one thing, the camera is smaller than intended. However, the size was dictated by the distance from my eyebrow to my pupil as you implied by your comment, CJ (I also purposely used my smallest lens for a best match). I've experimented with various ways to blend the camera into my face. The overall composition was set up with the asymmetry of the camera in mind (extra space on the left of the picture because there is more camera there, for example). I could fade out that part of the camera mostly completely, giving it symmetry with the other side, and as you say, that might have a certain bionic look to it, but that was not my intent.

My original idea was to include the whole camera, the picture representing my view of a scene with a picture in mind. Whether it is my eye or the camera doing the viewing is purposely ambiguous. That is actually the point. It's an effort to portray myself as a photogrpaher, not a bionic man. That part of the camera extends to my hairline. I'm mostly happy with the coincidence of their placements relative to each other.

I thought the most challenging portion of this picture was going to be positioning my hands/face in such a way that the shallow depth of field captured the right part of the subject sharply, all the while, keeping the framing of my hands relative to the image frame right, and keeping my eye relative to my hands right. Furthermore, I had to ensure I wasn't blocking light on my face with my hands. I'm realizing, though, that the hardest part is deciding how to merge the two images.

By the way, the EXIF data corresponds to the picture of my face. The camera was taken in a mirror and so obviously was reversed.

Another thing I'm not entirely satisifed with is the aspect ratio of the space between my hands. But when I look at it, everything seems to fit compositionally. It just doesn't match my original vision.

So it's possible there will be further revisions, but I have another idea I really want to work on. -- Victor
Canon DSLR Challenge09-Oct-2006 01:02
Whew - I need to take lessons from you on PS! I think what bothers me is not the word "Canon" cuz that's like an eyebrow, but the body part with the EOS 10D. I think without that body, you'd look more like the bionic man with an eye sharp as a Canon! I really like how your eye looks on the lens. :-) CJ
Canon DSLR Challenge09-Oct-2006 00:12
I don't like the way it looks with just the lens. However, I've just updated the picture with more of the lens and less of my eye. In fact, most of the effect is done by using the camera lens and then adding a layer that is essentially my eye run through a highpass filter with radius 2 pixels, I believe. Blend mode set to linear light. I also added a layer with a catch light and change the blend mode until I liked it. Better? -- Victor
jnconradie08-Oct-2006 23:33
Well conceived and executed, Victor. Your PS skills exceed mine. I had somehow anticipated that your beard would feature again?! :-) Regards ~jnconradie
Canon DSLR Challenge08-Oct-2006 23:22
I like the idea here Victor and the composition and b/w conversion. It might look good with just the lens for your eye, without the camera body, but this looks good too. CJ
Canon DSLR Challenge08-Oct-2006 23:03
Great image and very nice composition. - CameraShy09
Canon DSLR Challenge08-Oct-2006 22:48
Very nice Victor. Great composition and great idea. Really good B&W conversion.
Alastair