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Kees Terberg | all galleries >> Portraits: everyone is beautiful >> Havana, Cuba: Where Time Stood Still >> Cuban Character Studies > The joys of a good cigar
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The joys of a good cigar

Version III... see comments below, or both previous uploads for the changes which were suggested. ;¬)


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Richard Callan13-Oct-2009 11:38
I don't why I haven't commented before, but this is a fantastic image. Definitely a character
Guest 11-Oct-2007 19:23
Wow, what an image!
Carole Stevens03-Jul-2007 12:00
Voted btw!
Carole Stevens03-Jul-2007 12:00
Incredible portrait Kees, your absolutely right she is a photographers dream!
And you've nailed her perfectly!
Elena Kalis09-Jun-2007 18:45
Fantastic portrait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EMangl02-Apr-2007 16:55
look like her :-)
EMangl02-Apr-2007 16:55
big vote - a screaming friend sitting nearby, wants to look her later
:-)
Paradoxal Studio Classic23-Feb-2007 22:52
Superbe ! Tout simplement.
:o)
Guest 23-Dec-2006 16:57
What a superb image, tells such a story.
Guest 23-Nov-2006 16:36
Another one! Fantastic!
Tom Mears12-Nov-2006 02:03
She looks a bit like comedian Geroge Burns (in drag) with the black round glass puffing on a cigar. These are truly great shots.
olivier bruning11-Nov-2006 10:29
so who told you that smoking was bad for your health...?!
olivier bruning06-Nov-2006 20:58
this really famoso, big vote!
Guest 02-Nov-2006 20:53
so many amazing images! fresh and delightful!
this one works perfect in BW! My vote!
Reflections by Ruth08-Apr-2006 15:47
Excellent work. didnt I see this win POTM on PP?
Guest 04-Apr-2006 19:22
And another one:

http://drugoi.livejournal.com/1714857.html

M
Guest 04-Apr-2006 19:13
Hello my friend, I did a bit of internet searching and found a very similar image by you:

http://hasic.livejournal.com/146899.html

Where is that one posted?
M
Kees Terberg25-Mar-2006 13:03
Hey Aida and Duncan, thanks to both of you. Duncan, you dont know ho wglad I am to hear that from you as I felt the same way after looking at the shot for a while. This one really shows how old she is, whereas the other oen is more how she is in reality. BINGO!

Aida! Fabulous to see you here!
...duncan25-Mar-2006 01:51
To be honest I liked the other one a bit better. They are both good but in comparison to the other it seems that the higher contrast makes her lightness in character diminish and gives hardness. The laugh lines turn in to weariness of age. It all depends on what look you are going for.
Guest 21-Mar-2006 00:08
Hello Kees, I just read your fantastic journal.

"The first person I noticed was an elderly lady with Harry Potter glasses. A hideous yellow and red rose hair band and puffing on a cigar while seated with one leg up against the door still and one on the road. I asked her if I could take her photo and she replied “1 peso”. I had just run into the probably most photographed character in Havana. Her strategic residential location and lack of electricity forcing her out on the porch, made her one of a few typical characters who had established a business posing for happy snappers like me, believing to have stumbled upon a gold mine… But she sat there every day and complained to me that business was slow after Hurricane Dennis paid Havana a visit and forced tourists to remain in their hotels till well after all the clean up operations had been completed. She was 82 years old and enjoyed the chat with people from all over the world. Her name was Graciela. Over the weeks I snapped a few shots of her. The pose is always the same. Only the outfit is different- except for the hair band and the Harry Potter glasses. Nevertheless, she proved to be quite a character."

You really portrayed her well. I have seen her before but in conjunction with your journal you have really shed a beautiful light on her.

Lots of love, Aida
david procter19-Mar-2006 16:54
What a character! what a portrait! what a cheroot! Do you add smoke by cloning smoke? how do you do it?
Guenter Eh18-Mar-2006 20:35
This is sooooo great Kees!
Guest 18-Mar-2006 14:23
excellent! masterpiece! V!
Kees Terberg18-Mar-2006 11:54
Hello friends, I have uploaded a larger resolution version here, the largest that I could upload. The original size should be good enough to print off. Enjoy!
jude18-Mar-2006 01:51
I can't even tell you what your portraits make me feel. They are truth and real .. surreal and exaggeration.. they are perfect
Jim Ross18-Mar-2006 00:49
Awesome shot Kees...!!! Voted... Nice B&W shot...
Kees Terberg18-Mar-2006 00:32
Heya Steve, thanks for the earlier suggestions. As you can see, I followed them up! Thanks buddy!
Guest 18-Mar-2006 00:26
This is glorious Kees..
There is so much to see even just in a "portrait".Its so busy!.
The smoke,the magnification from the glasses,the skin,the dof,the massive cigar,the wisdom of age,the contrasts..i could but wont go on.. actually one last thing..she still has that look of smoking behind the bike sheds at school even at her age.:).!
Personally this is the best..v
Kees Terberg17-Mar-2006 23:58
OK, so this is version 3. The original cropped version can be found in this gallery on the first page. Version 2 was posted in the mono portrait section. Yeah, I cheated and added smoke. In this version I increased the contrast, darkened the highlights in her shirt and flipped the image horizontally. It really is amazing what a bit of Photoshopping can do to an image. This is an enhanced and altered shot but if it is the final result which counts, my personal preference would go to this version. Thanks for all the great suggestions. I have learned another set of valuable lessons.