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Conversation at Cafe Sperl - Jerome Belthrop
| Camera: | Contax G2 |
| Lens: | Carl Zeiss Planar 35mm f/2 |
| Film: | Ilford XP2 |
| Exposure: | Unrecorded |
| Flash: | |
| Support: | |
| Filter: | None |
| Adjustment: | sharpening, cropping, levels, curves, auto-color correction. |
| Posted: | 26-Jan-2004 |
Rating: 8.22 (9 ratings)
Comments
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Jerome, I am expecting some more fine scenic Alpine shots while you exercise away all that sachertorte ;-). Actually I have quite an uncomfortable feeling with this image that somehow we are listening to a very private conversation. I think it is because the lady's face is turned away and half hidden by her hat. The darkness on the right hand side also contributes: we must look carefully to discern the details so we are drawn in closer to the people. Maybe all that is just my fancy, but I find this image surprisingly provocative.
Pete 26-Jan-2004 at 07:46Do I have to explain
a 9?
George Shadoan 26-Jan-2004 at 15:30intriguing conversation between two very different people
the older lady with the hat and coat has this great contrast to the young smiling man. Yet they are in conversation at the bar which provides the mind with so many intersting scenarios to imagine. And everything in the background just reinforces the intrigue. This photograph is just full of "meat" and no fluff.
Bob Michaels 26-Jan-2004 at 16:01Depth of Field Quandry. . .
Peter, I, experienced similar disquieting feelings when I sought a title for this image. They had embraced, first; I did not photograph that instance, unfortunatly, I too was overcome by the richness and variety of details; DOF questions always give rise to the question of what I want to capture, most. I suspect the conversation was friendly; did you notice Peter that her right hand is missing? Yes, in June I will go back to Switzerland and explore a different valley, by then I hope to have whittled back the 3 kilos of "winter jubilee" that I am sporting.
Jerome Belthrop 27-Jan-2004 at 00:40Viewer Delights . . .
George and Bob, I appreciate that you two appreciate my rather contrast filled and darkish snap shot of the Cafe Sperl. The strong contrast between the left and right sides of the image made me hesitant to share this image--however, the abundance of light and the lack of light across the scene make the image lively.
Jerome Belthrop 27-Jan-2004 at 00:45Dino . . Flash Reflections . . .
I am pleased you enjoy this image; your comment has merit; the application of flash or reflected ambient light would have made this image "brilliant" and "brilliant." You understand the difference and the pun I am sure. I thank you for the comment. Aside: I used a flash unit while photographing scenes in similar locations & situations in Stuttgart this entire winter; none of the images exhibited a comfort zone--everyone looked shocked, restless and hard-ish. I am finding that using a flash is not as effective in creating a moody 'street' image as just going with ambient and natural lighting. Of course as soon as I land a job working for some expose magazine that will all change, right? They appreciate folks with that[ "deer caught in the headlights|http://www.mirror.co.uk/ "] look. Ahem!
Jerome Belthrop 27-Jan-2004 at 01:01-
Jerome, I hadn't realised that her hand was missing. I assumed that it was hidden in her sleeve. I hope that you didn't take my remarks as criticism: I like this image and I meant "provocative" in the best possible sense, but perhaps I should have written "thought-provoking" instead to be clearer. I'm glad that you didn't use any flash. The interaction between the people is strong enough to pull the eye in, and the lighter left hand side shows context rather than distraction.
Pete 27-Jan-2004 at 02:13-
I'm afraid the quality of this image is lost on me. I find it quite unbalanced and lacking on composition overall. It appears a quickly grabbed snap and that's about it to me. I guess the guy on the right is blurred from moving into the frame but his softness just makes him look blurry not moving, the chair coming up from the middle bottom makes it look cluttered too. It also looks slighty tilted too. Sorry Jerome but I've seen SO much better from you.
Richard Sintchak 27-Jan-2004 at 07:33Richard S. . . . . .
your observations are good; you have a fine talent for scanning a composition and "illuminating" the odd elements. These observations are imperative for my continued development and assessment of not just my images--but those of fellow site members. This is a "grab-snap." "Conversation at Cafe Sperl" is one of hundreds I've made in the last years with varying bits of substance and success. Ha! Richard, I never consider any image a total failure; from each image posted or not--I do learn more about the "art and technique" of what is needed to create an emotive, illustrative, decorative, and most of all eye-appealing image. Thanks for your positive comment(s), Richard.
Jerome Belthrop 30-Jan-2004 at 02:36Jerome,
Notwithstanding other comments, I consider this a very effective image. It is heartening to see you develop your own style. Sorry that I was not around when you initially posted. Bravo! Linc
Linc 18-Feb-2004 at 18:55