Had our final critique in Contemporary Photography today.  I presented my series on "The Blessing".

This is the last image in the series of eight photographs

The Blessing

This series of images is focused on an intimate experience of family and friends supporting someone going through chemotherapy.

First, the tiny orange cords were blessed by Ven. Boupha Thanyavong. He took one of the cords and waved it across the man's palm as he chanted a prayer and tied the cord in a knot around the man's  wrist. 

Everyone participated, first by offering support with their open hands, then, by tying more cords around the man's wrist. Finally, each of us tied one of the tiny cords around another person's wrist.  

In many cultures the act of knotting a cord or cloth is significant.  To knot is to bind together, to strengthen and hold.  We all left with a little reminder that we can be a support to each other and that we each have an important part to play in the lives of the people we love.  

Sell the Sizzle

The final grade on Sell the Sizzle was a bit disappointing :(  The one comment that stands out was "this is not a very exciting image".   I thought it was pretty exciting - but decided to try again.  Contacted  GLIMMER a business duo that spends their summer afternoons face painting.  They agreed to help me with the assignment by painting their own faces and allowing me to photograph an "exciting" photo.
Not sure I got the excitement part right - but they were both very pretty women with gorgeous eyes - and the face painting was spectacular...  look them up on Facebook if you want to include a little face painting at your next event.

I added the eyelashes on the second image.  I thought they looked pretty realistic. But now that I look really closely, there is a hair sticking into the white on her right eye - Cliff won't miss that mistake.   Eye lashes may need to be a bit shorter (Sending a big thank you to Tashia R. Peterman Mission Viejo - my PPA Super Monday instructor,  who taught me how and gave me the eyelash brushes).