Tunnel

A photo of a knocked over road cone. Don't post until you've got something ok?

If Jim had a point I might agree with him. However, I do think it was good of him to make is ignorance clear. In truth, I don't really like this. However, the thumbnail, attracted me and so I clicked. What I DO like, is the fact that you took it. I also admire the effort you put into taking it. You have obviously positioned yourself to get the most original composition. Keep shooting and keep posting.

My only criticism is that I think I would try and hide the manhole and the white sorrounding it, by simply moving the cone. I see it as the only clashing element (personal opinion of course) in an otherwise very good image, and idea. I find the barely visible car wheels adding a useful element of realism to a mostly graphical image, thus making for a deep, complex impact.

Roberto

Jim, David, and Roberto:

Thanks to all of you for viewing and sharing your impressions.

Jim- most of my work is pretty unconventional and I do not expect everyone to see what I see and always like what I do. I do appreciate you sharing your honest impressions.

David-I often shoot things that "call" out to me to be photographed and often I don't know why until later in the editing process.

Roberto- your comment about the manhole got me looking at this piece in a different way, though I do think I like it there. (I think in much the way of the cars up top the manhole keeps the photo from being too centered and graphic).

Abstractly speaking, I think this one speaks to the fear/acceptance of aging femininity and, when seen in that respect, I definitely do NOT want to lose the manhole.

Thanks again to all for your input.

Amy

Well, it is vintage Amy, alright, and one is left wondering about the symbolism of it all.  I know that nothing is included or excluded in your photos by accident, and so I am glad that you have chosen (yes, chosen) to leave the manhole cover and the cars at top.  Which/whose body parts are relevant here is good for speculation.  Let the mind roll on on this one.

--Lannie

It's interesting to me that although I know the cone tapers away from the viewer, at first it appeared flat to me, and then it inverted and I saw the center closer to me.  The cone can indeed look like various body parts depending on which way the cone goes.  It resembles what one might see through an endoscope.  The man hole is a nice counterpoint, and I like the cobwebby thing hanging from the top of the base.

Lannie and Mark, Thanks for your imput. 

I keep squinching my eyes trying to see it as flat and/or pointing toward me but I can't make it work yet. It's been a fun exercise, though. The cobwebby thing is what initially grabbed my attention I think.

I did not even notice the "cobwebby thing."  I have to rethink this, especially in light of Mark's. . . speculations.  Amy, you are being quite insistent that it is a tunnel, a canal of sorts, at least from your way of seeing it.  Let me think. . . .

--Lannie

Amy, I can see how the cone could be similar to a body's various inny and outty bits, or internal passageways, and also how the interior grunge and the cobweb could suggest the inactivity of a once-useful organ.  After going back to your comment about the fear/acceptance of aging femininity, I thought about the symbolism of the cone being tipped over.  On the one hand, it is no longer a bright, perky cone.  But on the other hand, it has actually lost little of its function, and despite being tipped over, it is still resilient, and its square base gives it stability and it prevents it from blowing away.  It has gained a patina that gives it uniqueness and character.  After the initial fear passes into acceptance, I hope the cone embraces its aging.

Apart from the various questions about symbolism, I like the top of the picture, which is surely not left in by accident.  I also like the wet pavement: even Hollywood knows that the only pavement worth shooting is wet pavement, especially at night when it appears black and even shinier.  Of course, the inclusion of the manhole was deliberate.

I am not sure how the top part works into the composition, but it seems to serve some compositional function, one that is not easily defined by the traditional rules.

All in all, it is a much more interesting photo than it appears at first glance.  It is also, I think, memorable.  It seems plain and boring at first, but I doubt that I will ever forget it.

--Lannie

I agree that the wet pavement is a plus in this instance, as it adds contrast and allows reflections.  To my eye, the cars and their reflections along the top serve to darken the edge, almost vignette-like, rather than contribute an important formal part to the composition.  Whether the tires are needed here can be questioned - I think it works if they are there or not.  I may have tried a shot that looked down more on the cone which would have eliminated the tires, but then of course the geometry of the cone and the placement of the cobweb would have changed.  To get the cone to look right, her choices may have been limited and the tires may have been an unimportant but acceptable part of the composition.  Which brings up another question about how much alteration to a found scene does one feel comfortable with.  Certainly the cone could have been moved to another place to adjust the composition (maybe it was).  If the cone needed a nudge toward better placement, I would not have any qualms about doing it, but there is always the risk of destroying what originally caught the eye in the first place.

As Lannie said, it is an interesting and memorable shot, and I'm glad I took some time with it.  Thank you, Amy.

Thanks Lannie and Mark for the discussion.

"...how much alteration to a scene does one feel comfortable with"

Mark, that is a question I have thought about a few times. I've used both approaches in the past. I generally like to leave things as I find them, however, some of the shots that I have "tweaked" or set up a bit have received some of the better responses.

There's something about the  intentional changing of a scene that seems dishonest to me. I guess it depends on if I'm looking to be creative or if I'm in "discovery" mode. And, really, it's no different than boosting saturation or any other post processing that we do. I rarely even think about changing a scene like this, but now that you bring it up, maybe I'll consider it more as just another tool that's available to me.

Amy

I just realized that that isn't technically a manhole on the left.  It is simply a drain.

--Lannie

Good point, Lannie. Now I'm gonna need to rethink my interpretation. 

Amy

Hi Amy

You have great vision and the ability to turn the ordinary into the inspired!

I love looking at your work.