Photographer's Comment: Decided to put the Warrior one in my BV and submit this one instead. What lurks beyond the surface of us all, in the dark crevices of our minds. he he, sometimes its kind of interesting.

Tags: gothic vampire fantasy portrait

Viewer Comments:

By smokeydawg (2008-05-02 12:43:53 ): Thanks Bill, these were a lot of fun to do! Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-05-02 12:43:20 ): Thanks John! Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-05-02 12:43:02 ): Thanks Michele! Carl

By EnterVortex (2008-05-02 00:01:15 ): Whoooaaa!! Busy week - so I was going to open the comments on my photo and noticed this masterpiece. I knew it had to be a Smokeydawg original. I am totally impressed and blown away with all the magic you did to do this. I like the light in her (wait - I don't know if this person is a man or woman.) But boy, I like the image.

By johnwillems (2008-05-01 21:59:06 ): Carl, I do like it very much. These is a great take on the excercice. Grandios mood. Friendly from John.

By MicheleMiller (2008-05-01 21:50:51 ): Awesome image...very intersting..well done.

By GuitarGodsWife (2008-05-01 15:15:14 ): Very creative! Nice work with PS. Well thought out.

By smokeydawg (2008-05-01 12:58:38 ): Email would be great, thanks again! :) Carl

By karmal (2008-05-01 12:54:31 ): You don't have to say thanks, my friend. I'm pleased to share what I learn in books or by experimentation. BTW I'll send the list of the darkwave music by e-mail. Is it OK ? Carlos

By smokeydawg (2008-05-01 12:52:56 ): Thanks Jim, always appreciate your feedback. Appreciate the comments on the eye also, as I wasn't sure about it either, still kind of on the border about it. Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-05-01 12:51:21 ): Thanks Tanja! LoL well actually these are the act. :) I wasn't sure about the eye either and was on the border about it. Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-05-01 12:49:34 ): Thank you Gretchen! Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-05-01 12:48:39 ): Thank you Nezel and welcome to PWS! Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-05-01 12:48:02 ): Also meant to say thanks for the Channels trick, I've been playing around with that on this one and the one on the critique board. Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-05-01 12:46:24 ): Thanks Carlos! Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-05-01 12:43:49 ): Thanks Steph! I did several things to this one, my usual stuff, small surface blur and boosted the darks with a curves adj. I then did a variation on Carlos' channel thing, I used Apply image, red chanel, multiply for blending option then clicked mask and used green channel, bw conversion from Kubota Artistic Pak 2 called "blue warm". Lastly A gaus blur of about 20. Each layer had a mask and did some selective "painting back". To speed everything up I have recorded actions for things I intend to use often. Thanks about the eye comment, I wasn't really sure about it when I posted it. Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-05-01 12:39:51 ): Thanks Janith. I did several things to this one, my usual stuff, small surface blur and boosted the darks with a curves adj. I then did a variation on Carlos' channel thing, I used Apply image, red chanel, multiply for blending option then clicked mask and used green channel, bw conversion from Kubota Artistic Pak 2 called "blue warm". Lastly A gaus blur of about 20. Each layer had a mask and did some selective "painting back". Oh and thanks also about the self portrait! It was because of you I found out! grin, Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-05-01 12:29:29 ): Thanks Jan! Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-05-01 12:29:28 ): Thanks Jan! Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-05-01 12:29:12 ): Thanks Linda! Carl

By karmal (2008-05-01 04:28:28 ): La rencontre fatale. Another excellent tale from the grave. I think you don't need darkwave music to inspire you more. Carlos

By nezel (2008-05-01 00:26:24 ): i love the spark in her eye. it's so spooky!!!!!!! it's like , yea sure she's evil but there is goodness in her. wow. you have to see the goosebumps up my arms. no kidding!

By somagni (2008-04-30 23:18:05 ): Hey, Carl, maybe you are really mean and the other part of you is just an act! (love the self portrait!) Awesome shot here. I, personally, would like to see this without the spot in the eye - though I can certainly see the appeal of it. Great light.

By Auryn (2008-04-30 22:39:58 ): VVVERY Nice! Shadows are awesome, colors are great, the mood and tone is really authentic. It's a good example of looking beyond one's appearance which society has a really hard time doing.

By Isachsen (2008-04-30 21:59:43 ): Jim, I think the light in the eye is very effective - giving a touch of that "twilight" mood to the image.

By Jim915 (2008-04-30 19:18:23 ): Carl - This is another excellent image. You're really honing in on a unique style and subject presentation here. The diagonal composition and the face sandwiched between areas of black is stunning. One thing I'd look at is the catch light. To me it is more distracting than effective. Maybe reducing the brightness would work better. There is so much mystery and a touch of the sinister in this that the bright spot just doesn't feel right.

By GuitarGodsWife (2008-04-30 18:40:10 ): I knew this was yours without even checking, Carl! I love the composition here and the little piercing of yellow in the eye. This image is really strong and has a lot of depth and a dark, dreamy quality. What did you do to it? Is that just a filter or a combination?

By janith (2008-04-30 18:19:22 ): Nice swirly flow and comp on this one, Carl. I'm curious how you got the lovely soft texture, wanna share? And congrats on the Self-Portrait Honorable Mention (yah!)

By Isachsen (2008-04-30 17:11:01 ): Very strong. You certainly captured something different here - a feeling - a mood. Bravo!

By LindaJames (2008-04-30 17:10:50 ): Wow Man Ray. I love the edginess of this with the big contrast and the angularity and that spot of light in the eye. Super well done.

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