Old Man

Janet Petty · #1 02-02-2006, 08:38 PM

This man can speak about days gone by with all the clarity and recall as if it were yesterday. He made music with Gene Autrey and others. He lived with his grandparents growing up and can tell stories about the area he lives in from its very early history. In fact, he still lives on the same land his family has owned since before the Civil War. Today, he just takes care of his cows, who love him, the birds, stray cats, ducks, and a couple of deer. He won't remember tomorrow that I talked with him today...but I will. He possesses a gentle, loving spirit, wouldn't harm a fly, and loves to visit. If you happen to see him on the roadside, wave and say howdy. He will always wave back.

Janet

lkroll · #2 02-02-2006, 10:18 PM

Fantastic capture Janet. Thanks for allow us to play. After Pixel Trash, I used @Wetter2 preset for Paint Engine. I then applied canvas. 3 minute job, but I like the result.

Equally fast, the second one was creating using GIMP's Retinex filter (my Metallic b/w process but kept in color) and then duplicated and ran Harry's Atmospherizer filter set to Value. I then ran a Clothify Script-fu for the background texture.

The final submission is a b/w conversion (my other hobby). I duplicated and ran an Invert Color Script-fu set to screen. Selective color dodge burn to enhance the contrast, and then ran BSSS (Blur Subtract Screen Sharpening) to sharpen the piece.

Steve Conway · #3 02-03-2006, 07:10 AM

An excellent character study! Lot's of possibilities here.

Steve

Steve Conway · #4 02-03-2006, 08:01 AM

Another try at man with hay.

Steve

Steve Conway · #5 02-03-2006, 08:21 AM

Hard working man...deep in thought.

Steve

Steve Conway · #6 02-03-2006, 08:28 AM

Good one for Van Gogh treatment too.

Steve

Steve Conway · #7 02-03-2006, 09:17 AM

Janet, these are great images. I enjoyed working on them.

But I especially liked the story that you posted with them. I hope you write professionally, or at least jot down your thoughts from time to time for others to read as you did here.

Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janet Petty

This man can speak about days gone by with all the clarity and recall as if it were yesterday. He made music with Gene Autrey and others. He lived with his grandparents growing up and can tell stories about the area he lives in from its very early history. In fact, he still lives on the same land his family has owned since before the Civil War. Today, he just takes care of his cows, who love him, the birds, stray cats, ducks, and a couple of deer. He won't remember tomorrow that I talked with him today...but I will. He possesses a gentle, loving spirit, wouldn't harm a fly, and loves to visit. If you happen to see him on the roadside, wave and say howdy. He will always wave back.

Janet

Janet Petty · #8 02-03-2006, 09:33 AM

Thank you Steve. You made my day.

I'm so glad you are having fun with his pictures. I filled nearly an entire 2 gb card with his images and plan to again.

Janet

Steve Conway · #9 02-03-2006, 10:36 AM

I look forward to seeing more. And I can understand your shooting as many as you did....great stuff.

Steve

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janet Petty

Thank you Steve. You made my day.

I'm go glad you are having fun with his pictures. I filled nearly an entire 2 gb card with his images and plan to again.

Janet

Nanls · #10 02-03-2006, 01:58 PM

Fun photo to play with, thank you.
~Nancy~

Kraellin · #11 02-03-2006, 03:16 PM

this one is particularly poignant to me as i have a friend just across the street who has alzheimers(sp?), but who is one of those same, 'salt of the earth type folks.

craig

Janet Petty · #12 02-03-2006, 03:40 PM

I'm pleased Mr. Plumlee's image evokes strong emotion in everyone else as it did me.

Here is my first one.

kiska · #13 02-04-2006, 04:52 AM

Janet, the day you posted this I learned the old caretaker for this property had been hospitalized. His name is Louie and he's a retired Fla. cowboy. Drove himself to the hospital at midnight (about 30 miles), xrays showed inoperable bad things, and proceeded to leave. The nurse told him he should stay in the hospital. Louie's reply, " I just stopped by for an x-ray. Gonna go to Walmart, pick up some dog food and go home."

Luckily the nurse knew his family,called them, and got reinforcements. And how I regret never taking any photos of him.

NancyJ · #14 02-04-2006, 05:49 AM

Not sure if this technically counts as photo-based-art but I wanted to create an image that evoked the same kind of response and your story... not sure I quite got there but this is what I ended up with

Janet Petty · #15 02-04-2006, 06:01 AM

Some people have a different perspective on life and that other part of life we call death than the rest of us. I'd been wanting to take pictures of this man for years and would drive by him and think. But that's all I'd do. Think.

Once I saw him dragging a whole bale of hay across the pasture. The cows were all following in a line behind him. It reminded me of a mother duck with all of her ducklings right behind. I thought then too. Those cows loved him. He's wasn't just the dinner bringer. That was proved the day I stopped. The cows came to the fence and wanted me to scratch foreheads. Now, how many cows in this day and age of raise 'em, sell 'em, butcher 'em will do that?

Kiska, you can still take pictures of him. Don't miss the chance. Take pictures of his work worn hands, close-ups of his weathered face. They will be treasured long after he is gone. The memories stored in minds will be freed and given life when people see those pictures. It isn't too late.

HUGZ
Janet