i like this best so far of your recent portraits. the pale skin is a great contrast to the foliage in the background, which the grey background highlights. you've caught a nice expression from the subject - unlike the last two shots his eyes aren't focused on the camera lens and the image gains greatly from this

I see what you mean, it is a completely different view of him than either of Johns shots, it could almost be a different person. Thats what makes photography so interesting for me is that many people can photograph the exact same thing and still come away with totally different interpretations and perspectives on the subject.

You're right - it is fascinating to compare your image, with the much more aggressive "poses" caught by John (shotsphotography). Your shot seems to find sweetness and reflection - something that can fortunately be found in most people.
I really like direct, informal portraits (such as your latest three images). I can take this kind of shot during positive public events, where people might expect photographers to be "at work" - but simply approaching people cold seems so much more challenging (I'm assuming you simply chatted to this man and asked if you could take his picture). It gives me the courage to do more of that kind of portraiture myself.
I also like the quote from Marx - which has at least as much depth and meaning as much better known quotes.
I have been a lurker at your site for a while - but this image has brought me out of the shadows...
Thanks
Tone

Incredible, i'd never have guessed they were both of the same guy unless you had said so.

Interesting contrast with John's shots. I like your passages that go with the shots recently...

The contrast between how he looks in John's shot is remarkable. For me, as the observer, I think John's image captures exactly who this guy is out in the world, while your's reveals a side that is rarely, if ever, on display. It's great to compare both images, you would hardly know they were of the same subject, which of course makes for interesting discussion and thought.

John's shots seemed to me more like the obvious choice, the easy way to show this guy the way most people probably encounter him. You seem to have taken the time to look for the person behind the beer bottle, and the result is just a great photo. Kudos.

Very different views, yours show a very different man. It follows on what I have already tried to comment on last week.

Wow. What a difference. My question is, which shot came first? Was he happy at the beginning of your visit or near the end?

I wrote a comment that, on re-reading, I realised said pretty much the same as your introduction. So instead, I give you this quote from Another Way of Telling by John Berger and Jean Mohr (1982): "A photograph quotes from appearances but, in quoting, simplifies them. This simplification can increase their legibility. Everything depends upon the quality of the quotation chosen."
The issues raised by comparing your picture with John's are fundamental to photojournalism and documentary photography.

interesting how differently you captured this guy, and certainly a lesson in the truth of the camera, it's only the truth of a fraction of a second.

Fascinating character study - 3 very different men rolled into one body. Definitely throws light onto the potential slant in images - you've got the nice guy next door, and John has his bad side.
I feel that I must raise the point that serious documentary photography isn't a total crap shoot. Spending significant time with a subject, enough to get at what makes him tick, will smooth out the discrepancies. Were you to follow him for a week, you might still see an array of moods, but you would have a much better idea of which ones accurately reflect his personality and character and which are a superficial or merely an unphotogenic moment.
But even still, the decision will remain, out of the authentic shots, which to present. You've chosen, with your portrait, to portray him in a very flattering, yet still intriguing light. Though he's smiling sheepishly, there is something suspicious about the manner of his grin and the lack of a shirt. John's beer and bird shot, though a different slant, are not a complete suprise.

Paul: you may be right, perhaps we captured the public and the private side of this guy. Or maybe we took what we expected to see and the guy lives out his life somewhere between the two.

kristin: to me, it seemed as though he was ok about it.

fraxinus: yes, I agree, but I hadn't thought about this in reference to photojournalism where this becomes much more salient.

David: I'm not a great fan of the idea that we have some hidden essence, some real, true self, that lurks behind the scenes and can be deduced and hence photographed.

maybe i'm the only one, but i think there's something creepy about his grin and posture. also his lack of shirt. to me, his portrait smacks something of delirium.

jen:

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society (Mark Twain)

... which, I guess, is one of the things I was trying to say, that we read the world through our own expectations.

It's all been said, but I like the humanity you have found in him, as opposed to John's two shots. Without prior knowledge of the man's social circumstances there is not a great deal to be gleaned form the photograph alone, although I'm sure many would like to think so. He does however seem to have a slightly inebriated grin about him. Irregardless, as a 'pure' out of context portrait, I quite like it. In context, I thought the best comments I have read where that you captured a private side, whereas John wonderfully illustrated his typical "social face". Good work.

I love your thinking behind this photo. I also love the photo.

The opening text by Dave is so right.

We have discussed the fact that it is near on impossible to accuratly portray a persons true character in such a few photos, and what's more, my experience, beliefs, and dare I say it predjucises have influenced my interpretation of him.

So it stands that Dave has indeed captured true moments of him and so have I.

John [shots]

J'apprecie votre travail, bravo !

- Jetez un coup d'oeil sur le mien si le coeur vous en dit:http://jcmenu.free.fr/abcgalerie/pages/jc01pag.html

I have a quick question. Recently you have been using "fill flash". Now, is that a technique, I'm thinking, longish exposure with a burst of flash, or is this a separate flash attachment. I ask as you get good results from it, vibrant, y'know.

Cheers Dave.

Pickingup on Jens comment, I feel that this guy is a little lost to the common world. I am trying to phrase this tactfully. In other words, it looks like the lights are on but there is no bulb with which to light the room.

He is rather unnerving. The word "touched" springs to mind.

Very good portrait. The fact he's not looking at the lens makes it more interesting IMHO.

it's a great thing to have the opportunity to compare your photo with John's. Great portaits.

Putting both styles together would give a nice series.

really like this one. Pink Floyd springs to mind: "the lunatics are on the grass" The more you look at it, the more different interpretations leap out.

i like the shot itself but i like the set even more along with the great commentary.

Hey lovew your website.

Do you mind me asking whate software you used to create your website? I have bought my own domain name and am keep get some of my shots on the net but don't know where to start. Your website has really inspired me

This shot, if he wasn't smiling, would remind me of Wahlberg in The Sixth Sense.

the emotions on his face are actually speaking in this shot.

I was reminded of an old saying when I saw your's and John's snaps -
"Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder"

For some reason, your photograph chooses to see the 'real' person, whereas John's photos seems to reflect the person's society

abhijit.

I like that last comment a lot

Thanks everyone.

When I saw this pic yesterday I immediately recognised it as the same person John had posted the day before. It is very interesting to see how different your interpretations of the same subject has been.

Good portrait - you have captured a tender side to this man I think. He has a lot of smile lines so can't be all bad :-)