Clean and simple. Love the black background. Great job as always mate.

is the black background the result of processing? (btw, your website has inspired me to forego this notion of "pure" unprocessed photography).

Love your pictures. Whenever you do so, what software do you use for altering photos? Thanks!!

Mike: as with yesterday's shot the background was pretty much all dark anyway – I just deepened it a little. As for processing: I know what you mean, but I don't think there's really any such thing as 'unprocessed photography'; for example, choosing Fuji Velvia is no different from using Hue/Saturation. At least that's my take on the whole purist versus post-processing argument.

I think its wonderful. I appreicate the raw images you take so well. They are all sui generis, lovely photos. Keep it up -- and keep them coming.

Awesome!

Nice shoot, great picture...

Really nice, i think its my favourite of your portraits so far, it just looks so good with the black background and the black theme too. Fantastic stuff.

I really like this one. Wonderful gray tones. Sharp. The photo makes me think this person is the best at whatever it is he does. Focus. Determination. Intelligence. Serious. A nice "don't mess with me" portrait.

I have been a visitor to your site for many months and have been delighted and amazed by many of your images. This one is easily in my top 3 favourites and may even be a contender for the number one spot. I absolutely love it!

I'm not a photographer (well I have a camera and I take pictures but not to the standard that I would want others passing public critique on them), i'm not able to look at your images and think why didn't you do a,b,c or why have you done x,y,z.......I just look at them with an open eye and mind and get blown away 90% of the time.

The detail in this image is excellent. I would love to see more images of this guy, he has one of those faces that seems to tell many stories....is he sombre, is he cool, is he a mafia hitman on a day off (hence not wearing all black), does he play the sax (he looks like he should to me), so many possibilities.

Fantastic work.

I like the slight tinting of the b/w shot. Good work.

I am liking this image. I love the varying blacks on this. The backdrop makes him seem so much more vivid. I love his crows feet but especially the black of the shirt and the glasses against that backdrop.

A portrait I really do appreciate.

I am with Spencer: very characteristic person! And a very good picture too. Yesterday you didn't promise too much when you said that you prefer the coming shots (well I have only seen the first - but I am already impressed and looking forward to tomorrow :- )

Truly wonderful shot - my favorite that I've seen here for quite some time. The tones, angle, expression, composition are all outstanding. The creases by the eye, the glasses and the hairstyle tell a story of their own.

Nice shot, DJ ... nice toning... great focus...

Just perfect! Powerful, simple, well balanced, very Dave :)
Congratulations!

I have personally been really enjoying your portraits. I think this is my fave so far - I particularly like the contrast and the side-on composition. Again, like yesterdays image - the black background really makes the subject stand out and it looks like a studio shot rather than an environmental portrait!

The drumroll continues! The incredible quality of this portrait makes me almost giddy awaiting tomorrow's post. The composition and tone are spot-on.

I know from all your previous work that you grabbed this shot from 'real life,' yet it could not have been better if it had been posed in a studio. My comments on the subject would reflect the comments already made by others so I won't repeat them, but I can't help but believe he would be very pleased with your results (unless he was somewhere he wasn't supposed to be).

I am blown away by the tones in this shot. What a fantastic portrait!!!

Damn I like this picture. It has the somewhat savage sharpness that I’ve been reaching for & haven’t really been able to grab in the pictures I take. The vivid textured quality of the skin with gray/white spikes of stubble & the eye catching delta of deep crow’s feet that seem to take you into the dark well behind the sunglasses. Compelling, & I agree with comments of several that it seems to spark an impulse imagine who/what this guy is (which is fun…)

One of the things that I’m pretty consistently jealous of in your photography is the wealth of wonderful model you, literally, have running around. But this recent set of great shots from the Festival remind me that it’s more about getting off my butt & taking more pictures.

When I'm older that's the beard and moustache I'm going to have. Beautiful detail in the shot.

Super Cool
:-)

I think this is pretty weak. Just kidding. It's superb.
S

hi david, i just found you website (mentioned in the german macup) and spent my time. i like it very much. could you tell me how you realize the bw-pictures. do you use a special software? thanks.

I really like the portraits you've been making. I think this one is the best of the lot so far. Definitely a contender for a Noteworthy.

Nice use of negative space.

Awesome. Fantastic subject - he is oodling character, making your job a lot easier. But you did a sterling job anyway, with a great perspective, and wonderful post processing work as usual. Top shot - the best of your recent portriats by far I'd say.

Why flip horizontal? I'm curious...

Great, clean portrait. Excellent detail on the skin, great tones.

brilliant ... strong

i love it, its amazing. very striking photo

Djn1, after getting the 350D I began to understand your post processing philosophy :-)

Grat pic, Dave. Absolutely lovely.

Great shot- reminds me of the Matrix! Could almost see a smoking gun appearing from the bottom of the shot!
http://thefisheseye.blogspot.com

Hi Dave. Sorry for my previous stupid clerical error. Obviously 'grat' should be read as 'great'. Many compliments again.

I like shots like this - clean, simple, dramatic.

I agree with the Photoshop processing issue - there's a difference between 'technical' and 'non-technical' adjustments. I dont like excessive ie. non-technical work, but basic manipulation doesn't conflict with the 'purist' aesthetic.

Incidentally, who was this guy?!
- reminds me of the film Leon.

he has a sean connery look, ... maybe tom cruise in 20 years.
was he a random person and was he posing for you?

very nice

Now it's looking like your shots: very expressive. I like this portrait, it's the first one I really like.
Great job!
:D

This is beautiful!

there are some off black patches you missed.

45 degress from the top of his head. also your other protraits have off black patches as well.

Thanks everyone, I was pleased with this one too.

As for this guy: I have no idea who he was. He was standing watching the stage and I took this shot at a range of about 20, maybe 25 feet.

It's the best I've recently seen here. Grat

Very powerful shot, beautiful caputre. Going to vote for it right now.

Just a great sepia shot! Beautiful!!!

Hand held??? If this is hand held, I'm impressed with your steadiness. I love everything about this portrait. He's got his eye's squinted a bit, eyebrows furled. Like Martin said, "Savage sharpness", that I never seem to be able to achieve.

Loved the contrast, etc. ...However (yes, "however"): Knowing how perfectionist you are, and considering this was shot in the RAW format... Don't I see a bit of pixelation, or rather, presence of artefacts, adjacent to the nose and chin? ...Notice how it changes from the pure black it should be to a slightly lighter shade of a very dark gray? (but definitely not black) ....This is also true, a tiny bit, on the back of the head. .......same "problem" on the previous photo. ;) (Other than that, always a pleasure to watch your photos) LP

I believe simplicity goes a long way in photos. Never have I seen a profile shot as interesting as this...it's got a very extreme edge to it while keeping the viewer's attention to only one particular spot.

Extremely well done. I'm actually considering purchasing a print (and considering I make very little money, that's saying something!)

Now this is a great portrait. Fantastic job!!

I'm inspired by your work...I need lessons from you...would love to meet you.

Jide
www.alakija.com