miscelleanous demain sur nos tombeaux...

I love the muted colors on this one. The subtlety of this treatment is what makes it work, in my opinion. Nothing is overstated or garish. Nothing is overly sharp. All of that works for me on this one. I also do not mind the horizon being at the center of the picture. This is truly excellent work.

 

--Lannie

I would like to have seen this photo in the original format (Here I am assuming it was landscape). I am not convinced that a square is the best for this subject. After looking at the photo for a while I get the impression that the movement implied in the grass (wheat?) is cut off too soon which leaves me feeing a bit frustrated and boxed in. I tried cropping the top and bottom to obtain a more horizontal photo but much of the interest in those areas is lost, not good.

I am not saying it is the wrong format; I would just like to compare and become convinced either way.

 

I have to say I agree with Philippe in that the sky could be a little less blue, a little more subtle and a bit more mysterious. In keeping with the poetic line with the ear (of corn, wheat??) reaching toward the unknown afterlife. Just a thought.

Philippe, congratulations for your photo of the week. It's simple but elegant. I don't agree with rendering it into b/w, I think it's the colour here that makes the difference. Well done! Andreas

I really like the tactile blend of elements Philippe. The sharpness of the grain flowing to the very fine ends merging into the equally soft edges of bellowing clouds. This is such a pleasant transition. This soft transition accentuates the sharpness you retained in the grain. A beautiful image whose simplicity makes it even more appealing. Definitely an image which leverages the power of color. A deserving POW recognition.

Very simple but good concept.

Good sharpness.

 

Rather Weak composition. (too heavy in the bottom half....more details, more intense color etc....the result is an imbalance composition.)

 

 

Cheers

 

Wolf189

Very nice movement portrayed in the maize (?). Have seen plenty of shots like this where the maize is blurred by slow shutter, but this one still shows movement even though it is a razor sharp quick exposure.

 

However the composition, crop and sky doesn't do anything for me. Pretty boreing in fact. I guess it's an image of 2 halves !

 

5/5

Sorry, forgot to say that that sensor dust top right needs air brushing out !!!

I drive by scenes like that frequently (when in a green region and season) and I keep thinking that there's a way to make an image...but I've never really done it. This shot does it. Very fine.

I like the foreground which shows good colours and a good sense of movement but the sky looks too pale and washed out lacking clarity and detail. I also think the composition could be improved on to make the whole shot worth looking at. Possibly position the camera further back with a stronger dof but i would need to be there.

One thing that draws me to this photo is the contrast of the dynamic subject, all in movement and yet contained in a rectangle with the most static aspect ratio... square. The palette (as noted above) is pale and sublime, again creating contrast with the dynamic of movement. Also the presence of a subject that has no specific object yet conveys and encourages a meditative state of mind... a dreaminess that is reinforced visually by the gentle palette and tonal range.

I only recommend that the artist get himself a Hasselblad or Bronica SQ-something, or a Rollie SL66 (Yeah! with that killer 80mm 2.8 Planar and the tilting lens stage! Yeah!) for his Square Series and print them about 30x30 inches. The D70 will only give the detail this image requires at about 15"... if that. But that might be enough.

Whatever... it's a great image and a really nice collection of images. Merci!... t

LACK of sharpness of the ears of the barlie and LESS BLUE in the sky are this photo's strengths. The wind rustling through the ears made them moving and the result is un sharp and unsteady. and the needles like things are like brushes and are like soothing because of less sharpness only and the green is not tick and light against the very light sky. nothing is dominating in the frame. The entire frame bears a movement or something of shifting and unclear is its strength.I think what PHILIPPE called the Growth of Ears on Our Graves. This picture reminds me of the great philosophist TAO and his Quotes: Beef and Hay Converts Each other. Thank U

Split mid-frame. The sky is sort of pale. Some saturation with those great clouds would have been nice. There's really nothing to focus on

Indeed a good Shot. But the picc is divided in to half and looks monotonous. It leads my eyes nowhere and I was looking here and there. Long lense magnificatrion looks good butt the movement does not appel verymuch.

In this case the photo, leaves me with no focus, and a very split feeling as stated above. The grey sky adds to this feeling to duality and lack of focus...the photo reminds me 'seperation' in that extend it works. However if I was rating it, out of the context of photo of the week it would be more 5/5, 5/6.

It's just simply a good picture!

Sharp, Nice saturation, Good comp

 

Charles Hunter

While you might discover and enjoy certain sensibilities in the contrast between motion and still, differences between saturations and focus, it all comes to the viewer's past experiences, memories, life back ground, how they felt the first time they saw it etc. and how they understand, evaluate and appreciate an image.

 

So if an artist (for example) choose to create a new drastic aesthetic, it doesn't mean that majority who doesn't appreciate it, is wrong nor a minority who appreciates it, actually "gets it". It's just a choice, that a good artist/photographer would/could make (hopefully consciously) usually...pushing the envelope or going for a sure shot or simply experimenting.

 

The above shot has a weak composition in my opinion since the lower half is stronger in color, it has motion and more details compare to the top. To offset the compositional weight (dramatic value) in a regular image we would've needed more negative space on top the least to say.

 

Now we can make a series with similar compositional concept...heavier on one side (breaking the typical rules) to make a statement and then maybe I would be joining the group to appreciate this conscious choice of breaking the rules too...but as of now the repeated statements makes more sense in this single image with an imbalance composition....again just my opinion.

 

Cheers

 

Wolf189

Now were talking! Looked at this again and think the square format really helps this idea of 'split'.

 

http://www.moma.org/collection/provenance/items/510.64.html

How can something be restless and peacefull at the same time? I have not a clue but this photo sure does. I think I would also have liked to see it with a lower horizon line but I think it would detract from what seems like quite a paradox to me. IMHO the color suits,I like it, well done.

I really like the subdued yet not-boring colors. Very nice.

The "Black and White" version is not b & w, but Grey and grey. It has robbed the picture of every ounce of character and is downright ugly.

The original picture is well divided (half and half) the greens are beautiful and the motion in the sharply outlined grain is patently observable. The clouds in the sky could stand a bit more personality.They are a bit washed out. All in all: Very Good.

Nice details in the lower part ,but colorwise, it does not connect to the sky . The two halfs does not work together compostionwise as well.

 

Sorry, but Could not find interest in this one.

Hello everyone!

I'm just back after a few days off, and I discover late that this picture has been chosen as POW. I'm very happy for that, and very gratefull for all your comments. I'm rather busy (and late!) tonight, and I hope you'll forgive me to delay a better answer untill tomorrow.

Frendly yours.

This photo pulls you in to the moment. You are there. Great work!

Congratulations for the POW!!! Sublime indeed. I think the title and Philipp's first comment above should be read. The picture conveys his thoughts succinctly, traditional composition rules and blah-blah-blah can take a back seat.

Sorry again for this very late answer!

It's not so easy for me to comment on this picture. Many of you probably know this feeling: there are pictures you work on, pictures you plan, and other pictures that... simply happen. I was out to take pictures of poppies (there wasn't any!), and I was deeply moved by the sky and the wind through the ears. I shot very few pictures, did almost no post processing (except for the square crop), no color or tone correction, and was surprised and very happy to find that my picture expressed exactly, for me, my initial feeling, and I was even more surprised that this feeling could be shared by other viewers. The picture doesn't show what I saw, it expresses what I felt.

I could explain further what were my feeling, and I already gave some clues in the first comments, but I'm afraid it would kill the discussion, and I would be much more interested to read what this picture evokes to you. I could write later on that.

As you understand, as it is a question of feeling , it's difficult to argue on ??technical choices??. Let only say that I wanted it as simple (minimal?) as possible. And all your critics are pertinent: colors are pale, light is flat, composition is basic. But then?

I fully understand of course that some people don't feel anything here, and it's probably a real question: should a ??good?? picture touch everyone?