Thanks terrorkitten, there's a story about the way I took this shot and why ... :)

No flash used, ... and the harsh light on my face was done in post processing (in levels). The original shot is quite oridinary and mundane.

I really like this image. I hope you're not as sad as you look here... ;-)

Now that you mentiuon post processing, I looked alot closer at the shot and also noticed sort of a strange "aura" of sharply focused background around your body. Did you add the background blur in post processing as well, or was it a lens setting?

Also, I didn't necessarily assume "sad" when I saw this. The thing that really hits me is "ordinary". IMHO, to have a photo that screams "ordinary" and is still effective is very cool.

I confess, the background blur was done in the processing, I see where I missed a few spots ...

I'm not sad in this picture, I'm feeling somewhat numb, perhaps a tad angry as well, after having received some life altering news ...

Of course at this point, I am certain that we are all very intrigued to learn the circumstances of the shot. So if you are comfortable about disclosing them I hope that you will.

It really isn't MY comfort, but everyone elses possible discomfort ....

This shot was taken July 27th and this was the entry in my journal: http://digitalgladrags.com/journal/?p=10
and the entry in my P-blog: http://digitalgladrags.com/photofocus/index.php?showimage=70

I think what Lynn was trying to communicate by blowing out the highlights here was that was exactly how she felt -- blown out -- having just learned that she only had a few months left on this earth. I can assure you, as one of the many who were close to Lynn, that she made the MOST of those few months. It is a lesson to all of us not to let our dreams sit on a shelf collecting dust.

Thanks for bumping this up.

...

Very sad. Cancer sucks.

"...a lesson to all of us not to let our dreams sit on a shelf collecting dust."

So true, Bob.

Thank you, Lynn.

Good bye Lynn

I must confess to not knowing Lynn really, so I'll avoid a more high profile posting on photoblogs.org and do my thing here instead.

Whilst I didn't know Lynn myself, it's obvious she's touched quite a few people through various means; her images, her words and courage seemingly to the end. It's only a tenuous connection I have with her through this community, but it saddens me still to hear of her passing and the tributes that are popping up are all touching. She sounds like quite a lady.

Not to dwell on the negative here, but I have been giving this picture a lot of thought in the past few days (even considered using it for the Photoblog.org blog notice). I think it raises some questions about how we see other's work and critique it. Many people commented when this shot was first posted that it suffered due to the blown out highlights.

I wonder if we cannot be more understanding when making such critiques and, rather than assuming the photographer just did not see the problem, ask ourselves whether it may have been intentional and then think for a moment about "why" the photographer chose that way of portraying the subject. Of course, in the end, you still may not agree with the choice made, but at least you have taken the time to contemplate the alternative explanations.

I remember this picture well from when it was posted. I knew what was going on in Lynn's life, so I understood some of the personal motivation for the way she portrayed herself. Of course, most people here did not have the benefit of that back story.