Spathoglottis Plicata B&W

This is a straight B&W of an image I posted in a toned version

previously. I was prepping some prints and am undecided as to which is

stronger. So, I welcome any comments on this image and, particularly,

any comments from those who have seen both versions.

Ian, you are so far beyond me my comments are superfluous. Composition, lighting, focus...all bang on.

 

Almost everyone in the old CG leaves me feeling like a teenage groupie at a rock concert.

 

I think you are Paul, Gordon is Ringo, Fred is George, and ... John? Who is John?

Rachel, don't be so self-deprecating! Your photography is bold and original which is very important and harder to learn than all the technical stuff.

 

Now, if I might trouble you to give me your opinion. This is one of the images I am in the process of printing and mounting to submit for my university's camera club's annual exhibition. My family and friends are, so far, evenly split on whether to submit this as a straight B&W or toned ( http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6542158&size=lg ).

 

I am of a mixed mind myself. I think the toned version is more is more unique (and maybe more expressive) while this B&W has a certain crisp purity that is slightly lacking in the toned version. This is the first time I've ever doubted my choice of whether to tone or not and it is irking me. I've even made test prints and can't quite decide!

 

Since you tend have emotive/gut reactions, and since I usually think you're right about them, give me yours on this. Thanks.

Stunning photograph. This has the obvious visual appeal of being so technically well done and beautiful to look at. The lighting and maintenance of detail is superb, the background (as always with you) interesting but not distracting, adding energy and depth. There is also a story here, rare for this kind of photo. There's life and there's a bit of melancholy in the fallen over stalk. It is a poignant image.

Rachel, There will forever only be the one John!

I just took a look at the toned version and my vote would go for this straight b/w version. I think it has much more class and is more classic in this version. In the toned version, it borders on taking on a gimmicky feel to me. There's a purity in this version that I think gets lost with the toning, which acts as a bit of a screen between the image and the viewer. This one feels so natural, so untouched, so simple, and the toned version makes me more aware of the photographer than I want to be.

I love the B&W. This is wonderful. Don't change it.

 

 

And Ian,thank you, but... This is not fishing for compliments but I just don't see the "bold and original" in what I do. That you think so means a great deal to me. But I have no idea what you're talking about! (Again, please know, this is an honest reaction, not fishing for compliments.)

Rachel, thanks for adding your voice. I'll submit this as a standard B&W, 'Spiral' as a warm-tone and my pitcher plants (my personal favourite) as a cold-tone print.

 

I'll send you an email about the rest.

Ian, this is simply brilliant. A gorgeous flower, beautifully captured. The tonal range is superb, the DOF perfect. Stunning B&W. Very well done!

Thank you Mark Anthony.

Man Ian! Seriously, this has got to be your calling in photography! Your flower shots (particularly the recent ones) are simply brilliant!

out of curiosity, how did you light this?

Thank you very much Younes.

 

All of my photographs (except the small category of Orchid shot at the bottom) are natural, unmodified (i.e. not backcloths, no umbrellas, no go-bos) light. This isn't due to any philosophic reasoning or desire. I simply find these plants out in the wild (or in this case in a botanical garden) and use the available light.

 

In a way I feel these botanicals are very close to the sort of close-in detail oriented 'intimate' landscapes I also enjoy working on. I am personally (as subjects for my own work) much more inspired and motivated by the intimate landscape than by grand vistas. Now, we'll see if I still say that in June when I'm out on the West Coast!

 

As for this subject matter, I do feel particularly attracted to, and connected with, these sort of botanical and garden images and with the plants themselves as subject matter. I'm an avid gardener and, even in the garden, I am drawn to individual plants and their immediate surroundings and not to overall landscaping. I'm a gardener who gardens and not a landscaper who landscapes -- and I can't over emphasize how much I feel that difference to be profound. Which is probably why I find it so hard to find gardening magazines or journals I really enjoy (and miss Alan Titchmarsh being on TV here).

 

I'm also interested in plants on a botanical level and am a member of several societies for the plants I particularly like or for habitats. For example, I'm a member of the International Aroid Society since I really am fascinated by Arisaema (jack in the pulpits and related plants) and I am in touch with a variety of local native plant nurseries and maintain a large patch of native planting on our inner city lot (much to the chagrin of our 'mow my lawn twice a week and use a blower to clean up the clippings' neighbour).

 

 

A splendid work up of a difficult species. The whites have retained their subtle details and the shadows are open and quite revealing. At the same time you have some terrific deep blacks in your background. The downward angle of the spent blossom/developing seed pod balances well with the upward sweep of the inflorescence. I like how you placed that small area of lighter bokeh behind the developing pod to accentuate it against the background.

 

This approach to botanic photographs is developing into a quite distinct style for you. With this shot in particular, you seem to be stepping well outside of the shadow cast by the photographers who originally influenced your development in this direction. I look forward to what you will come up with when the snow melts and the botanical world, for us in the northern hemisphere, comes back to life.

Thank you very much Gordon.

 

I fully intend to continue with images in this style and further develop it as my own and I am looking forward to the coming of spring -- I have plans for some hepatica.

 

However, I am also currently thinking of doing a botanical study that is the absolute reverse of these images. I was thinking of doing a study, in colour, maybe with a set 6x6 aspect ratio, and where the backgrounds were much lighter than the flower/animals/plant parts. I would retain the shallow focus and use of OOF areas.

 

We'll see.

It is always nice to have a few concepts on the go at any one time as well as an open mind to the possibilities which alway arise and present new options and avenues. I have been using the sky and reflections from water to generate backgrounds in some of my botanical shots. Here is one shot last week using the sky.

Oooh a trip out west??? Whereabout? Man you're gonnal loooove it!

If you need tips on place to go, just email me (though I am sure you can find enough info to last you a lifetime :D).

I'm impressed by how much colour you've managed to keep in the sky portion of that image and the sort of straited texture of whites and blues that seems to convey what must have been clouds. Put a variety of intermediate layers between subject and background you have sort of where my mind has been thinking.

Entirely truthfully, my first thoughts down this vein came after seeing your Horsetail Stobilus. Since then I've been noticing a variety of other images in a variety of styles with similar darker subject/brighter background relationships.

Have you seen the portfolio of Marta Cernicka here? What I'm thinking of is really much more muted than much of her stuff, but her work has been sitting in my mind as of late too.

I really think I am going to love it too. In fact since planning to go, I'm finding it hard to keep my mind on the rest of my term at Uni.

 

The plan is some 40+ days (until time or money runs out) on the road. Mostly camping.

 

Brief Itinerary:

 

Straight out I-80 to Teton, north to Glacier/Waterton, into Palouse WA/Moscow ID for some rural scenery, then off to SE Oregon for a few stops based upon time definitely including the Painted Hills, maybe the Alvord too. Then back up to Olympic National park for the Hoh and for the beaches. Afterwards, slowly down the coast and through Oregon. If I have time at that point, maybe out to Crater Lake -- but, I suspect that will get dropped off the itinerary.

 

Then, the original impetus was to get to the North California Redwoods and hopefully still have some Azaleas in bloom. After that, down the coast to SF to recoup for a day or two.

 

From there, homeward with some stops depending on time. I'll probably stop at Mono simply because one full day would be a reasonable length for there. South through Bishop and Owen's Valley. Then, I was thinking of making only two stops in the SW before hitting the interstates. Cathedral Gorge Nevada and Cathedral Valley in Capitol Reef seem to be reasonable stops in late June and don't deviate off a fairly direct route back. I would love to do a LOT more in the SW but the weather and remaining time/funds are against me -- we'll see.

 

 

 

Thanks for the link to Marta's portfolio. Some very inspired work in there. I can see the appeal to you, given your recent work and the photographers you have gotten some of your inspiration from. Marta's work is a bit overstated in relation to your style. I love her use of selective focus to create a sense of depth. This is an aspect of macro work I want to pursue further, after studying the two photographers you pointed out to me last fall. Of the two, Vercampt is my favourite, I keep going back to his work.

 

I do agree the example I offered above from last week efforts lacks depth, as there was nothing between the plant and the sky. I like the effect of blowing out the edges of subjects with a much brighter background. There is certainly plenty of room for experimentation with macro. I did a lot of trials with fungi last fall most of which I have never done the raw conversion on. I finally got a copy of Lightroom just before heading out last week. Once I figure out how to use it I will try some toning and B&W conversions.

 

Whilst I typed this response you posted your tentative itinerary for out West next spring. Wow 40 days... very ambitious, you will be travelling through a number of places that have been on my wish list for quite some time. You will be out their at the right time to see, Cyp. californicum, Cyp. fasiculatum, Cyp. montanum and a host of other very nice orchids.

I don't think you'll ever get back here after seeing all those places! Wow that sounds like a fantastic trip, really phenomenal!

Most anything that comes to my mind about this image has already been well said, so, I'll simply and heartily agree. This is a wonderful piece of work. Oh, and FWIW, I also prefer the original b/w version.

 

Your trip west sounds marvelous. I'm already impatient to see the images you bring back!

Gordon,

 

"Marta's work is a bit overstated in relation to your style. I love her use of selective focus to create a sense of depth."

 

That about sums up my take on her work too. I would add over-saturated too. She seems to do a lot of her work with a 105mm f/2.8 macro almost wide open. I bought a new 150mm f/2.8 macro lens in the fall. I'll have to start some experimentation in the spring.

 

I do love Cyp. montanum from the few photographs I've seen of it. There was a man who posted back-packing photos of his hikes through Oregon in May on Gardenweb a few years ago that made me just about faint. I hope I'm as lucky and get to see some of these in person.

 

 

Younes, David

 

I'm really looking forward to it. I do fear that I might like it too much -- there are a few photographers around whose bios begin with how they made a summer trip to California and then when they got back to NYC (or wherever) they couldn't face the return and picked up and moved west within a year.

Thanks for your comment on my sons portrait.

 

I have to say that I find this capture here quite stunning in clarity & detail for a floral B&W. Excellent bokeh from your lens. The petal texture is well defined.

 

Very well seen.

 

Regards,

 

-Ade

very nice photo Ian. Congratulations on the wins in the photo exhibition. i love the clarity and contrast of this photo.

Ade, thank you for your kind words. I missed your comment until going through my pages today.

 

Mark, thanks! It certainly was a wonderful late winter surprise.