Menacing? When you're here this weekend, I'll show you the difference, but it won't be directed at you! And does a self portrait have to be taken by yourself? I plan on shooting you, King and Jarrett this weekend. For King I'll decide if I'll be using a camera...

I hope you're going to post more smoking shots! They're illegal to view here in San Francisco, so it's fun to see them. Drop what you're doing this weekend and join the boys for some breakfast. We're BBQing King Saturday night!

mark, my learjet is completely disassembled for maintenance....

:-))

I thought you sold the GS2?! What about the new jet, you don't have that one apart as well do you? You could be like King and take those common commercial flights. And can't you borrow Annie Leibovitz's jet anyway?

And with that it got a little gold star. Well done, Mark.

Congrats on the feature, a terrific image. And some comic relief as well ;-)

Congrats Mark! I'm looking forward to the weekend, menacing look and all :-)

Well, for pity's sake. Can't a guy get a good night's sleep without something slipping through?
Congratulations, Mark, and well done. It's good to see a straightforward portrait once in a while. Questions below.

@Montage..."half-lit". That would be correct. :>)

@Mark...picture the acolyte sitting at the feet of the master, full of questions. Why is no one talking about that out-of-focus hand thrust toward the viewer--as if it isn't there? Does the gesture mean something? Did you intend for the hand to be out of focus? Why?

Why crop through your hair and weight the image to the left, with all that detail-less space on the right? Did you position yourself or a reflect just so in order to provide just a touch of shadow detail? or is that a characteristic of the digital light sensor vis-a-vis film?

Congrats Mark. King is still stuck on the "what's the story" theme I see.

@Tracy...inquiring minds want to know. I'd rather know why a photographer made a decision rather than criticize a decision with which I may not agree. Who knows? I might learn something.

I was just teasing you King and forgot to put my wink ;-)

pursang...I didn't notice any teasing.

pursang...because you were teasing me means you are not going to answer my questions?

King, as you know almost all of my images are of strangers in public places, so when I get to 'set up' a shot I try to consider most of the elements.

This shot was taken last night as a result of personal turmoil I was experiencing. At that time it was the only way for me to express what I was feeling. Yes, the out of focus hand is intentional. It is outstretched, hoping someone would extend theirs back to me. It is out of focus intentionally, symbolizing that although my hand is being extended, the person cannot reach for it. The dark empty space to my left symbolizes the emptiness of a possible embrace.

I find that as I look through my 'set up' shots, they are almost all exclusively for emotional events in my life. This week I got a Noteworthy over at Photo Friday for Sentimental. The image is one I took because I was going through a time when I missed my growing kids. Another is when I used my hand and a feather as I let me daughter go to grow in college, away from home.

I notice that I use my hand on an emotional shot and this was certainly one.

Mark,
Your explanation adds a lot to this self-portrait, in my opinion. Thanks very much.

The first time I wrote my questions above, I stated my wonderment that no one had mentioned your hand, stretched forward and out of focus. That could *not* have been an accident. As you know, hands contribute so much when they are used well in a portrait.

Your response also tells me something that I have long suspected; that you are a thoughtful photographer who considers all of the elements in the photograph, not just the obvious ones.

I'll see you in the morning.

Oh, to be a coffee cup at that breakfast table.....

Mark,

can this be learnt? Or if you don't have it in your genes you're hopeless? You stand there, that's OK. You have that expression on your face, that's nice. Then you make that gesture with your hand and the picture explodes.

Words fail me. And I mean it.

Thanks bio. The hand was the main part of this image even though it seems like it's secondary. The gesture is toward the person I'm thinking about. Here is one of the people I study that has uncommon depth of vision in portraiture:

http://www.gormanphotography.com/gorman.html

and of course I study Cobb, Leibovitz and Avedon, all masters of the lens.

@bioLarzen...what a *great* compliment.

King,

... and how well deserved, right?

... or did you mean my compliment doesn't count a lot?

Sadly I have to agree :(

Powerful words Mark! I agree fully with Bio, it really adds to the understanding of the image as many of us here do not know much about you on a personal level. Thanks for being brave and sharing.

Bio...the compliment that you paid pursang seemed so heartfelt and sincere that my eyes watered up. I just wanted to tell you that your words, meant for Mark, even had an effect on me, because I had a similar reaction to Mark's self portrait and his description of what he was hoping to accomplish.

I was totally sincere in my appreciation of your words.

bslomovic, bio, King and everyone else. Thanks for the feedback. This image was and still is an emotional image for me. But that's only fair as I make my imagery of strangers whose genuine expressions I always seek. So it's only fair that I offer one of myself in as geniune a moment as I can offer taken by my own hand.

King,

now I see. Thanx for throwing some light on that.