That "Special Quality" - Please read first post first.

WestEndFoto

Here is an example of an image taken with the Noctilux-M 1:0.95/50 ASPH by a Flickr user named "✻ EdGuY ✻".

https://www.flickr.com/photos/92493660@N05/16407977681/

I believe that this lens has a special quality that this image represents well. It is not the fact that the lens can go to f/0.95 (!!!!!!!), as this image was shot at f/2.4.

There are components of this image that can be shot with any approximately 50mm lens. Composition is an example. Love or hate the composition, model etc., it is the qualities of the lens too which I am referring, not the artist.

So one question and one challenge.

Question:
What is the special quality?

Challenge:
How close can you come? Please post your best image taken in this style.

WestEndFoto

This is the best that I can come up with on my "westendfoto" account:



As much as I like the subject, it does not have the magic of the image above.

Not even close.

Pistnbroke

I find that image very confusing ..the wine glass throws me until I work out what it is and then the age of the subject and working out what sex it is pulls my eye to the chest area for information.....
I personally dont think its anything to do with the lens other than choosing the right focal length ,subject matter being paramount and then PP

kenadams

I find that image very confusing ..the wine glass throws me until I work out what it is and then the age of the subject and working out what sex it is pulls my eye to the chest area for information.....
I personally dont think its anything to do with the lens other than choosing the right focal length ,subject matter being paramount and then PP

That comment ... seems a bit out of line to me... to say the least

sevencrossing

Here is an example of a fabulous image taken with the Noctilux....
............I believe that this lens has a special quality ...................

Question:
What is the special quality? ....../blockquote>

There is no silver bullet to quality

It is always a combination of factors

Subject matter
Composition
Lighting
Point and angle of view
Camera
Lens
Shutter speed
Aperture (dof)
Focus
Timing
Post production
The empathy of the photographer with the model
The mood of the model
The mood of the photographer
The atmospheric conditions


EdGuY has combined these factors to produce something special

People who believe that using a specific ( often very expensive ) lens, is the key the creating that special quality, that they cannot achieve with their existing equipment, are IMHO mistaken

haroldp

I use Leica regularly in addition to Nikon, and the most common 'nonscientific' answer in the Leica community to this phenomenon is that Leica pays a lot of attention to 'microcontrast' in it's designs, and were the first to design for contrast characteristics, even at the cost of resolution.

Leica 50mms are also not retrofocus designs since they do not ave a mirror to clear. SLR lenses (for full frame) up to 58mm are usually retrofocus.

I o not ave a noctilux, but the 50/2.0 summicron has the same 'painting' characteristics and I often prefer it's images t the asph Summilux which is a better lens by any measured standard.

Similarly, my 35/2.0 summicron (series 4 which is a symmetrical double gauss design) produces images (of people) that I prefer to my asph 35/2.0 summicron, even though the asph measures slightly better.

all of course IMHO.

The real reason could be related to the reason that despite great effort and expense by large and capable companies, no-ones engines sound like Ferrari's.

.... H

Msmoto

IMO the "special quality" is the model. My guess is if this were a less attractive female, the image would be nothing. I have a lot of difficulty in the composition, but all this is just personal taste.

Technically, i find the alteration in dynamic range is very consistent with the "mood" and I like this. But, this is probably not all that difficult to do, given the right model.

And, now that I have spouted off I suppose I have to find a model and shoot something similar.....LOL.

Here is a portrait which has received a lot of comments locally, but is primarily because of the subject. Taken in a Starbucks Coffee with available light.

Rx4Photo

I think sevencrossing covered all of the key factors with creating this type of photo and look. Shutter speed was very slow, so that helped creat a cleaner image as opposed to one with more noise. I will admit that I've gotten to where I enjoy cleaning skin then slightly dodging and burning my portraits before posting them online, thus creating a more beautiful image. Considering beauty, as Msmoto said, without the model in that slinky skirt the image might likely be less appealing.
Now, all that said, I will agree that the lens has to have something to do with the smoothness of the final result. I have noticed that the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art does create more pleasing out of focus edges even shot at f/2.8 than my Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 at 50mm. When back at home maybe I'll find something to post.

heartyfisher

That comment ... seems a bit out of line to me... to say the least

I dont think it is .. asking pitchblack to comment on a picture is like asking your doctor whats that rash .. you would expect ..... detailed comments.

kenadams

I may be way off here, but looking at west end's flickr stream, I'm going to venture a guess here and say the boy is his son. Now read the above comment again. To me, it sounds like you post a pic of your wife and someone goes "ugly, no tits, bad nose job, why'd you choose that woman as your model?" Critique the picture, but not the subject.

But maybe that's just me...

spraynpray

You may be being a little sensitive there Ken, I think Pistnbroke is saying that the wine glass is a strange thing to see in the hands of a minor and that skewed his brain so that he had to hunt around for clues as to the age and gender of the subject.

Msmoto

@haroldp

As I remember the "old" days, it was accepted the German glass had better edge contrast, but the Japanese could produce a sharper image.....And, this was apparently due to the source of the materials from which the glass was produced.....

OK, this was only a rumor, from the 1960's.......true or not? Have no idea but its goes along with the idea of micro contrast....

WestEndFoto

I may be way off here, but looking at west end's flickr stream, I'm going to venture a guess here and say the boy is his son. Now read the above comment again. To me, it sounds like you post a pic of your wife and someone goes "ugly, no tits, bad nose job, why'd you choose that woman as your model?" Critique the picture, but not the subject.

But maybe that's just me...

Funny!

I thought Pistnbroke was talking about the image in the first post, which of course I only have a link to for copyright reasons (Mods, is my assumption correct that I can only post the link, not the script that displays the image in these threads like PAD?).

I though, now why would you have to look at the chest to figure out the gender of that!?!?!?!?

Seriously, I can't even see her chest, but there are some other clues that give away the gender:



(Mods, am I offside here).

So I was thinking, "Hmmm......I wonder if his inability to determine sex effects his wedding photography business?"

But now I get it. Pistnbroke merely missed the point in a big way. I have done that on several occasions here.

So Kenadams, I don't take offense, but I appreciate you thinking of me. You have to be truly arrogant/offensive or "incredibly repeatedly" socially clumsy to give me offense or exasperate me. However, I appreciate that some people may under the same circumstances take offense. I apologize to all of those in advance when I fall into that trap.

So let's get back to the topic. I will be googling "edge contrast" when I can find a few moments.

PS:
Yes, the boy is my son. He is 9, though 8 in the picture. His name is Taiki and he is begging me to join Nikon Rumours. He is always reading your guys' posts over my shoulder.