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View Full Version : Argiope & Web: Dedicated To My Photo Instructor God Bless Him



Charles Wesley
01-12-2010, 09:14 AM
I'm really down right now. Just learned my photo instructor passed away this morning. Had been battling squamous cell ( skin ) cancer on his head for years.

I would have never developed my skills without him. He could be the most harsh film/ slide critic I've ever met but helped me in a strange way. Numerous arguments in photo classes with other students after he retired from the Marine Corp. He did eventually calm down in time. Guess he mellowed as you say. My critiques are very laid back
eventhough I was trained in brutal photo " honesty". Never like that technique.

Became well known in the miltary for proving from his photos the Russians had a double agent i.e. John Walker. Walker gave away naval secrets for only 100 K and when he wasn't of any more value he was given up.
My instructor helped plan the Eagle Claw mission in the late 70's and developed spy camera setups during the 70's and 80's. Youself Karsh tell him his B&W's of Jerry Lewis were awesome. Will miss him dearly.

This image is from my film days while taking classes. Nikon F5, Nikkor 200 mm. macro. It was taken on Fuji Velvia film.

PS/CS 4
FocalBlade
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Charlie Wesley
St. Augustine Beach, FL

Julie Kenward
01-12-2010, 01:48 PM
Charles, I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I'm sure it will leave you with many emotions as I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose the one who brought you to this place as an artist. (In my case, it will be my father so let's not even go there...)

I love the sidelighting in this image...love how it is so deep and velvety in places and then opens up in others. I think the comp is lovely as well. If anything, I'd suggest more DOF or sharpening on the web but I do like it as presented.

Brutally honest critiques, eh? Not sure I could hold up to a marine telling me the brutal truth about my work. God bless you for doing it and God bless your mentor for having the strength and courage to do so as well.

Mike Moats
01-12-2010, 01:49 PM
Hey Charles, sorry to hear about your mentors passing, I just had a good friend pass myself and it is tough to deal with. Like the image with the nice deals and great color. I can see a couple other ways to position the spider and line in the web. One would be to place the spider in the upper corner and run the line in the web on a diagonal to the oposite lower corner. Other option would be to keep the spider in the right third and move it up into the top third as well. So it's in the side and top thirds. Not to say how you have doesn't work just throwing out some other looks.

Jerry van Dijk
01-12-2010, 03:37 PM
Hi Charlie, sorry for your loss. Your teacher did a good job training you, I like this photo very much. The unusual color of the BG (cloth?) really makes this one stand out. I think Mikes suggestion of moving the spider more to the UR corner might make the composition stronger.

Allen Sparks
01-13-2010, 03:00 PM
Charles, sorry to hear of your loss. Lovely image here. love the background with the white web and the spider. I agree with Julie on the sharpening.

Vida van der Walt
01-14-2010, 01:43 AM
Hi Charles. My deepest sympathy for your loss. He must have been a great man to know.
What I like most about this lovely shot is the rich blue of the bg combined with the yellow and black of the spider.:)

Charles Wesley
01-14-2010, 05:16 AM
Thanks everyone for the kind comments. Mike like your compositional suggestions. My photo instructor always said visual impact is the most important issue in photography. Vida I feed this garden spider for two weeks and setup a blue BG to work with the contrasting colors. Unfortunately, the web and orb did not hold up very well.

Decided to start back into taking photos again this weekend. It will help me with my grief and my photo instructor would be proud to hear it. He always said just shoot, shoot, shoot....
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Charlie Wesley
St. Augustine Beach, FL

Arthur Morris
01-20-2010, 09:02 PM
Sorry to hear of your loss. He sounded like an interesting man and a great mentor. Am sending along some love, strength, and energy.

Charles Wesley
01-21-2010, 05:14 AM
Thanks Artie,

He was a great teacher and motivator like you. Appreciate your kind comments. He was so willing to help others just like you.

Thanks for all you do here at BPN....
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Charlie Wesley
St. Augustine Beach, FL