Uploaded: October 27, 2007 12:16:14
A Tibetan refugee standing in the doorway of his home in Darjeeling, India. Resubmitted after some fine tuning.
Anna M. Halasz October 27, 2007
Absolutely beautiful portrait.Beautiful lighting and contrast.Love it ! Anna #772158Crystal L. Craig October 27, 2007
Steve, this is fabulous! Wonderful details, great lighting, incredible capture of character :) #4991807Steve M. Harrington October 27, 2007
Thanks very much, Anna and Crystal. This is my fourth submission of this guy. I think I'll keep at it until he is banned from BP. :)Dianna Hauf October 27, 2007
I am TELLING YOU, I will request a brain scan on BP if they pass this wonderful (and a favorite of mine) image up!!!! Glad you are NOT giving up!!!! "Good on you!" #4992036Steve M. Harrington October 27, 2007
Thank you for supporting my stubborness, Dianna. :)Daniella Puente October 27, 2007
Strong portrait Steve, like saturation and excellent details on the man... #4992115Steve M. Harrington October 27, 2007
Thank you, Daniella.JO ANN CLEVELAND October 28, 2007
This is awesome! His will and character show through your wonderful capture!jo ann c. #4996072
Steve M. Harrington October 28, 2007
Thanks a lot, Jo Ann. I'm glad you like this.Dianna Hauf October 29, 2007
HA! GREAT! He was chosen again! EFP! COME ON!! He is on his way yet again! ;) We're pulling for you!!!!!! #4999982Steve M. Harrington October 29, 2007
Thank you for the heads up, Dianna. I'm almost ready to sign a new cheerleading contract with you. I'll send it over shortly. :))Marta J. Baldwin October 30, 2007
You better send me one too Steve...This is really an awesome capture and presentation of this wonderfully wise old man. I bet he could tell you a thing or two! Congratulations on this well deserved EFP! #5002774Steve M. Harrington October 30, 2007
Thank you, Marta. I'm really pleased you like this image. I met this man over three different years and, although we didn't share a common language, he taught me a great deal.Aggie Villanueva November 01, 2007
What a fabulous capture. ANd the work you did on the photo to make the most of this man's unique qualities is superb. Well done. And congratulations on the pick. You deserve it. #5014390Steve M. Harrington November 01, 2007
Thank you, Aggie. I'm working hard to get this guy right! :)Peter R. Hammer November 01, 2007
Great portrait Steve but it has a very strong magenta cast. Try duplicating the layer and then do a filter->distort->average to the layer. Hit ctrl I to invert the colour and set the blending mode to color and adjust the opacity slider to about 29% to remove the cast. Another way is to use a curves layer or levels layer and adjust the green slider to add the opposite of magenta. #5015685Steve M. Harrington November 01, 2007
Thanks for that interesting suggestion, Peter. I tried the first technique and found his face looked a bit washed out at 29%. Here it is at 20%.Peter R. Hammer November 01, 2007
Pretty well Steve. What you are doing is taking an average of all the colours so it can get distorted if say there is a lot of bright red and you have a cyan cast. Always worth a first try and you can always use the eye dropper to change the layer colour. Another technique which can be useful is to use a curves layer and the white eye dropper to set the white point. That doesn't work here as the white parts are already burnt out and you don't want to add to the burnt out areas. #5015909Steve M. Harrington November 01, 2007
This technique is fascinating and valuable. Three questions: Is the opacity % always going to be in that 20% range, regardless of the color of the cast? If using the eye dropper, do I choose the most prominent shade of the suspected cast before starting the technique? Is a standard curves adjustment often needed after the cast is eliminated?Peter R. Hammer November 01, 2007
No the opacity can change but it will always be fairly low. It depends a bit on how strong the cast is and what you want to achieve.NO!!! When you use the white eyedropper you are setting the point in the image which will be a pure white (255,255,255). The black eyedropper sets the black point (0,0,0). You have to choose what should be pure white but that won't work if the whites are burnt out as they are already set to pure white. The eyedropper works best if there isn't anything blown. Use the info panel and the eyedropper in the toolbox to see what an particular pixel is in RGB.
A standard curves adjustment can be made after using the eyedropper but that is a completely separate operation. You can also use the eyedroppers in the levels adjustment layer to do the same thing.
#5016060
Steve M. Harrington November 01, 2007
Thanks for the clarifications, Peter. I'm aware that the curves adjustment is totally seperate. I was wondering if it was commonly necessary. In other words, does this technique commonly wash out an image somewhat? #5016087Peter R. Hammer November 01, 2007
It shouldn't as you are blending in color mode. #5016179Steve M. Harrington November 01, 2007
Great! I think I now understand the concepts and can start playing with it. Thanks again, Peter. #5016198Shahn Torontow November 01, 2007
Hey Steve , both are awesome, sure wish I could see them side by side. He looks very wise, many years of living close to mother earth. Great.Steve M. Harrington November 01, 2007
It's tough to compare in this situation. There was a color cast in the first, but since it was already entered in the contest, I'll let it ride for now. I'll just consider the cast creative license. :) Thanks for you comment.Dianna Hauf November 26, 2007
IT IS ABOUT DAMN TIME!!!! Congratulations dear Professor!!! Well deserved! #5128032Steve M. Harrington November 26, 2007
Thank you, Dianna. I have struggled to get this guy right as you know. I am pleased. :)Lisa J. Boulden November 26, 2007
This is FABULOUS work, Steve!Cassie L. Woodlee November 26, 2007
You took the words right out of my mouth Dianna!!! WTG Steve well deserved my friend. A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!! #5128283Kay E. Mahoney November 26, 2007
Congratulations on your finalist, Steve. #5128295Peter R. Hammer November 26, 2007
Congratulations for making the finals Steve. #5128569Steve M. Harrington November 26, 2007
Thanks so much, Lisa, Cassie, Kay and Peter.Philippe Vieux-Jeanton November 26, 2007
Congratulations Steve!! #5129010David Pratt November 26, 2007
Way to go Steve! Awesome work! #5129490Steve M. Harrington November 26, 2007
Thank you, Philippe and Dave. I appreciate it!Donna La Mattino Pagakis November 26, 2007
Excellent finalist Steve!! Congratulations!! #5130276Tammy Espino November 26, 2007
Congrats~ #5130335Crystal L. Craig November 26, 2007
Wahoo Steve! Congratulations on making finalist! Soooo glad to see this get attention :) #5130696Steve M. Harrington November 26, 2007
Thanks so much, Donna, Tammy and Crystal.Ellen Powell November 26, 2007
AWRIGHT, Steve!! WTG on this! Well deserved!! (Even though there's no purple in there....) #5132073Steve M. Harrington November 26, 2007
Thanks, Ellen. Actually, if you look closely, there is a hint of it or magenta on his collar that I should have gotten rid of. :)Ellen Powell November 26, 2007
Haha! Warrior magenta. #5132372Phil Stith November 27, 2007
A most worthy finalist, Steve...best of luck in the next round!!! #5134640Emile Abbott November 27, 2007
Excellent finalist and well deserved, Steve. #5134687Marta J. Baldwin November 27, 2007
A huge congratulations on this wonderful finalist Steve!!! You deserve a win with this one!!! #5134695Gail Vitikacs November 27, 2007
This is amazing!!! WOW! Congratulations! #5134804Kimi A. Phillips November 27, 2007
Yippee! Finally some recognition for my favorite guy (no Steve, not you, silly...Mr. Wisdom!!!! JK!). Congrats! #5135535Steve M. Harrington November 27, 2007
Thank you all for your wonderful wishes! I really do appreciate them!Kimi A. Phillips November 27, 2007
No, just men with wisdom. #5136891Steve M. Harrington November 27, 2007
That does narrow the field considerably. :) #5137029Jeff Robinson November 27, 2007
Great job Steve; congrats on your Finalist! Jeff #5137659Steve M. Harrington November 27, 2007
Thanks a lot, Jeff.Mitch Spence November 27, 2007
Steve, this is a great portrait of a memorable time and place and, especially, the individual. I'm so pleased to see it with its finalist button. #5139210Elizabeth A. Marker November 27, 2007
Yeah Steve!!!!!!!!!!!!!Steve M. Harrington November 27, 2007
I really appreciate you good wishes, Mitch and Liz. Thank you.David Pratt November 29, 2007
Steve, this one really should be a winner! Its a winner in my book! #5149324Crystal L. Craig November 29, 2007
Mine too! #5149334Steve M. Harrington November 29, 2007
Thanks, Dave. I really appreciate that. I can't even buy an EP right now. :) #5149348Steve M. Harrington November 29, 2007
Just missed you, Crystal. Thank you. You guys are the ones who really count with me.David Pratt November 29, 2007
I'm with you on that one Steve.. #5149417Crystal L. Craig November 29, 2007
Oh, me too! do you think we've angered the ... you know. #5149423Steve M. Harrington November 29, 2007
Thuuppp! to the you knows! :) #5149434Crystal L. Craig November 29, 2007
LOL! I knew you'd know who the you knows were, ya know? #5149445Steve M. Harrington November 29, 2007
Yeah, I knew that you'd know that I knew that you'd know that I knew who you know is, you know! :) #5149472David Pratt November 29, 2007
You can give the you knows a thuuuppp, a pfffft and any other sound you would like. #5149474Steve M. Harrington November 29, 2007
You knew too! We're kindred spirits. We could send a THWAP, I think. I'm still not certain what it means, but it sounds right. :) #5149489Crystal L. Craig November 29, 2007
I soooo knew you were going to say you knew that I knew that you'd know ...Dave! How about "Thhhwap"?
Okay, I think I need some sleep. Mwwa! Goodnight guys :) #5149491
Crystal L. Craig November 29, 2007
LOL! You beat me! #5149492Crystal L. Craig November 29, 2007
Wow, I must really need sleep. I'm actually thinking like you! *flail!* #5149500David Pratt November 29, 2007
The Thwappp, a Mwwawwwawwahahahah, a growl or two and maybe a gesture as well.... #5149509Steve M. Harrington November 29, 2007
Thinking like a man! That's very good! :) #5149510Kimi A. Phillips November 30, 2007
The you knows DON"T KNOW!!!!!! #5152039Steve M. Harrington November 30, 2007
I know! :) Thanks, Kimi. #5152231Susan Jane Allen June 14, 2009
Great capture and work! You might try entering the re-re-re-edited one and see what happens! #7628606Steve M. Harrington June 14, 2009
I just might have another go at this image; it's one of my favorites. Thank you, Susan.Dick Jenkins March 11, 2010
Can you imagine what experiences this man has to share with us? I just love it Steve. It has taken me a long time to ask permission to photograph a stranger. You seem to have been in many places around this world. Thanks for your comments on my work. Too bad we could get together. I've spent time in the Far East and some of Europe while being involved in nuclear power plant construction but photography was not a prime interest then.Your work is excellent! #8448246
Steve M. Harrington March 11, 2010
Thank you, Dick. I am pleased you chose this image to comment on. It is one of the most memorable photographic experiences of my life. No words were exchanged because of the language barrier. We simply looked into each other's eyes and had a "long" conversation in a brief moment.Sign up for an interactive online photography course to get critiques on your photos.
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