Untitled

At first glance, the other of the pair may seem more impressive. But this composition is the more subtle, I think, and repays continued study. I like how the leaf at top fades into the water, and the reflections balance the composition nicely.

I agree. I find this composition has more to offer. Are you printing these?

Chris, Aaron; your sentiments reflect mine precisely as they were when I captured this image. When I turned the camera to "compose" this after shooting the first one, I thought this was a lot more interesting, a little less straight forward (or cliche), more subtle. After seeing the negatives, though, I was getting doubts in favour of the first one. Now your comments are beginning to reassure me of my initial response. I have not printed these, but just a few days ago I aquired an a3+ (13x19") photoprinter which hopefully will change that. Printing with an inkjet is a new game, altogether. Thanks.

A beautiful image. Interesting - last week's POW had a diagonal formed by the subjects, and it seems that this diagonal (lower right to upper left) is formed by the void between the subjects. The mood is predominated by the circular lilly pads - a mood of repose and relaxation. The whispy cloud reflection adds to the sense of the diagonal. I love the sharpness of the water droplets (Rollei SL66 with Zeiss lens again!) and the water edging up against the lilly pads.

To me, it looks as if the lower leaf has excessive burning in along its top edge and around the top lobe. The middle leaf being mostly underwater makes it look as if a slipper were being held under water.

 

Those were the negative (no pun intended) thoughts I had when looking at this otherwise beautiful black and white photo. As Erik above states, I too, love the sharpness of the water droplets. You have a great many magnificent black and white prints in your portfolio and from the looks of it not too many visitors. Wonder why? If I could only get over the slipper and the impression of burning in you would get my vote for something, but I think many of your other works far surpass this one, that it makes me wonder about the elves a little...

 

Willie the Cropper

beautiful photograph. Clarity of the drops is amazing. I would definetly hang this in my house!

Thank you for your comments, and thanks also to the Elves for choosing this as POW. As far as I can remember, no dodging or burning was required for this photo. However, though the film received more than normal development, the negative is quite flat and I had to crank up the contrast a fair bit in PS, which (along with usm) I guess accounts for the extreme edge-effects.

I appreciate the sharpness here because it gives an intense sense of reality, of "I want to reach my hand through the screen and see if I touch one of those droplets". Also, the contrast emphasizes the transforming difference between the two mediums (water and air), which could only be fully appreciated by an amphibian creature like humans. This is what the leaf half under the water half on top of the water does for me. Once submerged, the leaf changes texture and appearance. The clouds mirrored by the water are a treat to me. You're looking downwards, at the water but you still get a glimpse of what the sky looks like.

The only thing that I wonder about is the upper right corner where the focus is lost a bit and the position of that third leaf is not in tone with the rest of the image (as I see it).

I think that printer properly this image would make you want to touch it to make sure that's not water laying on it. The ultimate feeling it inspires me (technicalities left aside) is of peace, freshness and a desire to be in nature more.

I think the dark bottom works for a couple of reasons: A)It provides great contrast to the pad, and B) the gradient that runs from top to bottom on the water is also the gradient on each and every droplet. Against the brightness of the pad, it's this tonality that provides that tactile feeling. Congrats Bengt!

Very clean image and fine use of b&w. Cropping works well to underline these attributes. Congrats!

A crystal leafs that are so tangible and I wish I can touch them.

The water and droplets looks like a Mercury, so real, but on the other, surrealistic and original. For that I'll mark you with 7/7.

The weak part for my opinion is, maybe, the feeling of emptyness. Like something is missing, like the touch of human; the hand that touches a leaf. Because these lilly pads simply wants to be touched.

I think Kristina is onto something. I've come back to this very beautiful photo several times this week trying to put my finger on what is not working for me (so much technically and visually IS working and it's been highlighted in others' comments). It's the humanity that I don't feel. And that doesn't mean there needs to be evidence of a human being actually in the image itself, just a bit more of a feeling or relationship to the scene than I am getting. It feels only perfect. I am not as able to feel an actual connection between photographer and subject. I think there's a distance in the way this scene is handled, as dazzling and beautiful as it is, that makes it more objective and less personal.

Those are very interesting observations. The image is certainly quite meager, in a sense, possibly to the extent that is fails to communicate anything at all. Perhaps this alternate shot -http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4814631 - is more successful in that regard.

This second image is more beautiful, more harmonious. I also visited your web and everything is in one concept. I like it all. They are very cristal images. I'm photographing with films and I'm getting rather smooth images.

Bengt, I am not on my regular computer as I'm away for a week, so do not have a great monitor for viewing, but I do think I love this second image you've been so kind to post. For me, the reflections in this second image, which mirror so nicely the main subjects, do provide that more personal and intimate touch I was seeking. I know this stuff is all a matter of taste but the second one, for me, reaches to a deeper level. Wonderful work. And thanks so much for sharing it. --Fred