Hotel room, Grenoble

Good photo. I see that bad hotel decor is universal . . .

 

I think Matt's comment was the funniest critique of POW critiques I've ever read.

I will re, resubmit this comment "Guess I'm not artsy enough." This is a comment and critique of the subject matter and style of this photograph. Why it keeps getting deleted I have no idea.

George Day, out of genuine interest, how would you have framed this? Composed might be a better term, in fact.

Aaah! At last i find a recent POW i like!!Dificult to explain why though,i just do.Don't yet understand how one can get such a clear pic on the tv,but anyhow.nice

It's easy and safe to use those universally applicable expressions like "unique style" or "exceptional photographer" to single someone out for praise. Actually, every tourist photo "tells a story".

 

Regarding the originality, I regret thinking back to editor's words again and again: "Give a photo a high rating for originality if it shows you something unexpected" (http://www.photo.net/gallery/photocritique/standards/). I don't think using a 50mm lens to shoot a hotel room would require a lot of "outside the box" thinking, and this poorly composed snapshot shows me nothing unexpected. In this context, I find Tony's "Oktoberfest, 1975" more inspired although I dont know who would like to hang it on the wall.

a well-taken foto, slightly boring I feel, but like you say, it does convey the boredom of hotel rooms. course, a photo of a boring subject to convey how boring it is might produce a boring photo, and is that good? this looks nicer than most i've stayed in by the way!

This photo does nothing for me. The only reason I've looked at it for more than 2 seconds is that I'm trying to figure-out why it was chosen as photo of the week. If you ask me it is undeserving.

Nice picture. I like the composition and especailly the tonal range that adds so much to the overall composition. I also like the feeling of boredom a hotel room represents. However, I wonder if it is as advertised (a snapshot)? Notice the spectral highlights on the chair and glasses - and the reflection of a square softbox in the upper right. And is the shadow in the upper left from a gobo? Seems like professional lighting. Just curious. Still in all, a picture worth mulling over. Congradulations on POW.

another hotel room

This image doesn't lack interesting elements: the bizarre wall "art" whose subject, or even medium, is difficult to determine; the strongly lit graphic lines of the chairs; the stair-step glasses and champagne bottle, framed by the triangular background shape (plexiglass?); the lighting variations on the blank wall; and of course the woman on the tv screen. But I find the elements don't work together, nor lead to each other in any compelling way. Though some interest is created in elements working against each other, there is nowhere for the eye to rest (by my viewing).

 

I do like the exposure that captured all of the lighting variations with success. I like the tv's placement and her view off the edge of the frame.

 

Overall, I'd say the image has interesting elements but an unsatisfying whole. Which, in turn, reflects the reality of the scene. So, success or failure? Well, I don't really know.

 

It's become cliche to observe that one likes other images in the photographer's portfolio better than the POW, but I'd be remiss if I didn't say that this week.

 

It must also be noted that the tv woman in Jo Voets' alternative, compared to this one - well, perhaps it shouldn't be noted...

 

Enjoy.

good black and white.

Perhaps it's not fair to compare, but after seeing Jo's photo some thoughts on Dominique's POW cristallized. A lot of the previous comments make more sense to me. The POW shows a boring, clinical, tacky hotel room with a TV still amplifying the feeling of boredom. The girl actually seems to be looking away, like she is longing to be someplace else. Just like the photographer no doubt. I actually like the strangness of the art thingy and the picture is slowly growing on me.

 

But Jo's photo, to me, is more successful. With the foot we get Chris Battey's dynamic. It's got more tonality. And because of the light fall-off, we can be certain it's not staged :) The funky angle, a comprehendible piece of art and a TV model -well- at least looking straight into the picture. What else would you do bored to death in a nasty hotel room, but lie in bed? And the Eiffel Tower and window remind you what's outside.

 

So, both pictures are interesting, but the later addition is at the same time clearer, more effective, but also more layered. Because the person watching may be asleep, but we don't know, and there is also mention of the world outside next to the virtual dimension. Perhaps, if we had Dominique's grayish night time, the longing girl and emergency flight plan combined with Jo's room and composition?

 

Anyway, congratulations on POW. Hopefully many will check out your great portfolio!

The 'success' in conveying to me the feeling of loneliness and boredom was what I was referring to. But your right, it's a bit of comparing apples and pears (... well, you get my drift). Perhaps stating I like y better than x would have been more to the point.

 

Eugene, could you please point out the connotative interpretations you found in Jo's work, that are not in Dominique's? And what you exactly mean by it? I'm curious, since I thought both share the same main contrasts - lively tv, boring drab room. However, the difference in atmosphere is apparent. Is it the absence of life in the POW?

 

Hey, you keep editing! Could it be that even the angle works to the dullness? Because the photographer is so bored that he can't even be bothered to move the camera position and has to resort to the tilt to include the tacky interior? A bit stretching it, right?

I've looked at the picture of Jo Voets, and the one things that slips into mind immediately combining bed, eiffel tower and kinda porn picture on tv: it's a miracle the picture turned out sharp :)))) Nice pic!

This feeling is common among women after real-life encounters like that on the TV

 

What is that supposed to mean? Women who end up working in porn - or women who end up having sex like in porn movies? Or both?

Sorry guys but the photo doesn't do anything for me either. It's not art .. and if it's supposed to be telling a story of some sort - well I'm stumped .. :-s

 

Sorry to be just another party pooper here ... :'(

What's with all these nasty Belgians watching (half)-naked women in different poses in boring hotelrooms? Don't you guys have girlfriends?

I like both pictures (and women!), being a nasty almost-Belgian just slightly north of the border friendly dutchman.

 

I found the image intriguing and interesting. The perception of the individual audience is the defining statement as to object as being art (or other). I am moved by the image. I simply cant put basic photography guidelines ahead of the reaction I have when viewing the photo. I see, I like! Thanks

Maybe I don't get it, or I have a different taste than the photographer, but to me this photograph looks uninteresting and ordinary. I don't know if I would look at it twice if I saw it in a magazine. However, I do not dislike it completely. Technically, the lighting is very good. It is a good effort for a candid shot, it just lacks artistic expression. All in all, I find it to be a pleasing yet boring snapshot.

Congratulations on POW Dominique! I am pleased the elves chose your shot, as the comments have made very interesting reading.

 

My only reason for writing is to congratulate you on your good nature to accept cheerfully and politely the criticisms that have been levelled upon your image by many on the site. After all, not every image will ever appeal to all, but it seems many of the posters expect that it will.

 

Your good nature is an example to us all.

one that actually deserves it. excellent photograph, very interesting well composed and exposed. congrats.

For everyone who saw the POW, thanks for looking at it, rating it, liking it, disliking it, loving it, hating it and commenting it. If you would like to rate more of my pictures, don't hesitate to visit my two

folders so far, Selection II and

Selection .

I see that this picture attracted ratings going from 1 / 1 to 10 / 10... Well, Photo.net is still Photo.net, and that says somehow that this was at least an interesting image... :-)

How do I feel about it ? Hmmmm... Mixed feelings... It is competent. The light overall is fine, though I would have prefered not to have this shadow line above the TV... It is sharp, the tones are good... No problem with the big thing top right - still better than a blanc wall and somehow odd enough to add something for me. It also helps balancing the composition, by the way, and contributes n giving this image a feeling of authenticity - which is very important in this picture, I believe.

Artistically ? Well I like the challenge of shooting something boring while trying to make it authentic, YET interesting... And I like the scene on the TV screen.

What strikes me, though, is that this shot could have been graced by far more drama than it has... As a simple example, did we really need 30% of this image area to be a grey wall ?!? I doubt.

As T.Dummett said, when we arrive in an hotel room, often, we just on the TV - well, I never do, but most people anyway... "And what else ?" would be my next question... We get a drink, says Tony... Ok, true enough. But I would have thought that we take out our shoes first, don't we...? Possibly also our shirt, etc.

Basically, we live. And we make our selves "at home"... That's probably a lead to what could have been done to satisfy both Tony and Chris Battey... I agree that something is missing and that this something is a human presence. But, I would find interesting to have this human presence in the room SUGGESTED, rather than actually having somebody looking at the TV - which could be just another kind of cliche...

Having less wall at the top and bringing the camera down, you could have found somebody's shoes, or anything else that would add a meaningful drama and atmosphere level to the picture... That's what could still be improved in my opinion. Regards.