<<< o >>>can we go home now? 23 comments + add yours
chromasia.com

A month ago I made the decision to try and post and image a day, and this is the 31st since then, so I don’t suppose I’m doing all that badly. When I made the decision I expected that the difficult part would be finding the time to i) take the shots, ii) process them, and iii) write the accompanying blurb. But that hasn’t been too hard. What has been difficult is maintaining some sort of integrity in terms of the quality of the images I post.

And I don’t mean that I think that some of the stuff I’ve put up is rubbish, rather that some of them lack something … and it’s taken me a while to work out what. Some of the shots I’ve put up – yesterday’s for example – lack what I can only think of as engagement; i.e. I don’t feel much of a sense of being instrumentally involved in creating something that says something about either me, or the world as I see it … if that makes sense.

Today’s effort, on the other hand, I really like. I took it earlier today as we were waiting at the checkout of one of our local supermarkets – and our daughter had had enough. She’d drifted off into a world of her own and was just waiting until it was all over. And when I look at this image it seems meaningful in a way that yesterday’s shot doesn’t; that is, it says something about how I see things, and what they mean to me. Anyway, it’s late … so I’ll stop rambling ;-)

camera
capture date
aperture
shutter speed
shooting mode
exposure bias
metering mode
ISO
focal length
image quality
white balance
optical filter
 
Canon G5
12.54pm on 3/3/04
f2.0
1/20
aperture priority
+0.0
evaluative
50
7.2mm
RAW
auto
B+W UV 010
 
 
children + no print
comment by Bobby Smith at 01:51 AM (GMT) on 4 March, 2004

Very nice image -- very striking... I'm wondering if you did much post processing in PS.... The image grabbed me immediately... I have 3 daughters of my own -- I know that far-away look anywhere!

Bob

comment by spunwithtears at 03:21 AM (GMT) on 4 March, 2004

you have really captured your daughters mood. the picture itself seems dream-like and surreal.

comment by cayla at 04:07 AM (GMT) on 4 March, 2004

I just stumbled upon your site. I love this photo. She looks like a baby rock star!

comment by myla at 06:11 AM (GMT) on 4 March, 2004

She's gorgeous.

If I didn't know better, I'd say she had just finished a makeup session.

And those eyes . . .just beautiful.

I used to have a coat like that, but mine was navy blue. :)

comment by bjorke at 08:14 AM (GMT) on 4 March, 2004

Looking through the archives this is perhaps the most magical photo on the site. The flat face tones mixed with the detail of the hair and coat, the color -- truly dreamlike and iconic. Shazam.

comment by Daniel at 10:25 AM (GMT) on 4 March, 2004

I like the surrealistic look of the picture. You can actually imagine her dreamworld.

Did you blur the background in Photoshop or is it from the camera?

comment by doglord at 04:00 PM (GMT) on 4 March, 2004

Another captivating photo!

I normaly hate it when photographers resort to images of their own kids! Yet, this portrait has real merit, as you have caught a moment where her face & eyes really reflect just how far away she is.

As for your comments about the strains of posting a shot a day, you have my sympathy (and gratitude).

As a visitor to the site, I don't demand that every photo be indicative of your "engagement" or be unique encapsulations of a viewpoint.

What brings me back time and again is the certainty that I will witness the efforts of someone to take a few moments out of a day to look at ordinary objects from an artistic and reflective perspective.

Keep up the good work. I for one appreciate it and am constantly amazed at the standards you achieve, especially given the demanding brief you've set yourself.

comment by kane at 05:16 PM (GMT) on 4 March, 2004

No one can look at this shot and see more meaning than you can. Still, I love this photograph. She is so very beautiful! You are blessed.

comment by Frank at 06:11 PM (GMT) on 4 March, 2004

I'll second what doglord stated above as I am still pretty much speechless after this photo...

comment by Chris at 08:51 PM (GMT) on 4 March, 2004

What an amazing capture! Love the intensity of her eyes and the wonderful color of her coat. Wow...

comment by Tom Brandt at 09:33 PM (GMT) on 4 March, 2004

Another fantastic photo! Shot's like this are what motivate me to continue growing my picture making skills as well as they keep bringing me back to your site. Wonderful.

comment by Sailesh at 10:08 PM (GMT) on 4 March, 2004

dito. a fab capture, super atmosphere, and what a model.

comment by hannah at 09:37 AM (GMT) on 5 March, 2004

she looks like a fairy. i noticed that in many other pictures of her too. well done image. you see instantly that she drifted into her own little world.

comment by james m at 11:44 AM (GMT) on 5 March, 2004

I have looked at this several times now and keep thinking the same thing .... WOW

comment by Deceptive at 12:44 PM (GMT) on 5 March, 2004

Great shot Dave; a very surreal/dreamlike quality.

comment by djn1 at 01:00 PM (GMT) on 5 March, 2004

Wow - thanks. Personally, I really like this shot, as it perfectly captures an aspect of our daughter's personality, but I didn't imagine it would generate quite so much interest. So thanks again :-)

comment by Kim at 09:21 PM (GMT) on 7 March, 2004

Stunning photograph.. Those eyes, beautiful.

comment by lara at 12:30 AM (GMT) on 10 March, 2004

wow, is this an unbelievable photograph. i can barely look away from the color of that coat. your daughter is beautiful, too. such eyes!

comment by d at 01:10 AM (GMT) on 11 March, 2004

an absolutely wonderful image. the soft focus, the intensity in the coat and the eyes! mesmerising image. you could use this for pro stuff, easily.

comment by djn1 at 01:25 AM (GMT) on 11 March, 2004

Kim, lara and d: thanks. Incidentally, while this image got some great comments here (i.e. on this site), it did get a rather less charitable response over at dpchallenge. Well, some were decidedly less charitable than others ;-)

comment by gizmo at 10:24 PM (GMT) on 13 March, 2004

I love this type of shot. Very Sci-Fi DOF, adequate washed out whites and a good crazy composition. Gives me the feeling of supension in time and space. Check my tomorrow's picture and let me know if you get what i mean.

comment by Andreas at 04:00 PM (GMT) on 13 April, 2005

Yeah David, she beautiful!
Really!

comment by Haruko at 08:54 PM (GMT) on 11 June, 2005

What a beautiful red coat.