Waterdrop

Does *anybody* dislike the large dark area in the top-right? In shots like these where there is no particular decisive moment and everything is under your total control, there is absolutely no excuse for any errors. Not that the dark area is necessarily an error; it just looks distracting to me.

 

Otherwise an intriguing shot. The arch of the colours on the plate was a brainwave. It is very successful in this photograph, and although it is immediately recognizable as a plate, I dont think that detracts from it. I think I liked it even more before the man was pointed out to me (now its glaringly obvious, to the point of possessing an eye, nose, mouth, ear and hair). The glass man makes the photograph a little disturbing because of its improbable likeness to a real glass man, and the feeling of disquiet that results is a little at odds with the cool calmness instilled by the smooth colours. But the more I look at it, the more I think the contrast works...

 

Good show, Malcolm.

I agree with you, Samuel, about the dark area to the right. However, I do like what the reflection of that dark area does to the stream of water.

 

Steve

Kyle.

 

I rate photos all over the place, not necessarily by stumbling on to a folder, hence I obviously missed this:

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo.tcl?photo_id=214533

 

Vuk.

I used to have teachers who would never give A to anyone. It was an ego trip I guess.

 

These are the recent POW ratings. I guess he sees something that I noboy else can see.

 

1 3 July 16, 2001 Vuk Vuksanovic

1 4 July 09, 2001 Vuk Vuksanovic

5 3 June 18, 2001 Vuk Vuksanovic

4 5 June 04, 2001 Vuk Vuksanovic

 

Petar.

 

It really seems you're the one with an axe to grind. Yes, I have not been very pleased with the POW selection recently, so what? Are you implying this is some kind of measure of one's credibility? I can assure you that I leave plenty of favourable ratings. Why don't you go around digging for the positive stuff. Very easy if you follow the links from my comments (in profile). Finally, how about turning the tables and thinking about the incongruity in our judgment as a reflection of the inadequate way you assess photos? Should I berate you for promoting kitsch?

I'm brand new to the forums here, so I have a couple questions. What do you mean by POW? (Never mind, just realized, Pic of the Week, duh) And what is a +4 closeup lens?

 

I'd love to be able to take a shot like that. Thanks for the inspiration, terrific shot!

I'm ambivalent about this image.

 

For: I like the shape, the reflection and sparkle (on-camera flash doesn't normally look this good) and the idea.

 

Against: I don't like the mix of colours on the plate. They clash, and the distinctions between them are too obvious. A less obvious change between two more harmonious tones would be better IMHO. As Samuel pointed out, the dark area to the top right is bothersome.On the subject of ratings, Vuk is entitled to his opinion just like the rest of us. I find this image much more arresting and interesting than the one he highlighted (here) as deserving 10 and 10. The latter is IMHO a formulaic shot which has been done to death a million times over, a cliched advertising shot - albeit a well executed one.

 

Opinion always varies, learn to live with it. If you don't like it then don't put images up for critique/comment. The good thing about disagreeing with someone about an image is that it should make you question why your opinions differ. People foolishly believe everything they read in photography magazines, but like these comments, they are written by individuals with their own tastes and preferences. No-one has a monopoly on these things, least of all magazine writers. Just my opinion...

I agree with the majority of comments on this photo. I give it 10/10 for originality as I think its very creative and technically top notch...however I only gave it 5/10 for aesthetics (about average) as in my subjective opinion and at the end of the day it is a great photo of water...ie. to me it does not make a statement and is not as interesting as say a person, animal, or scene.

 

It is however a good choice for POW...something different, creative and technically brilliant.

Great shot and very sharp. Gave an 8 for creativity. I too, saw the "Oscar" type vision in it. I just wish the arc at the top wasn't cropped. Other than that it's very well done

This shot is very original. I love the colors and the shape of the water. To me the water resembles a person holding something.

Really a picture you can learn from. The only thing I dislike is the dark area to the right. But the picture is still excellent.

Bill A.

Your compelling image deserves photo of the week.. The background

colors bring it to life. There are several water

drop photos in my folder.

8 Asth.

While being stunningly bright and sharp the image is short of perfect (still strong though).

7 Orig.

Use everyday kitchenware and make it to POW... Thats original all right.

I'd experiment with displaying the photo on its side. A gravity-orientated presentation detracts from the abstract, IMHO.

Thanks for sharing this photo!

Malcolm:

 

Your picture takes us where our own eyes have never been. Thank you.

 

 

Heheheh. If I was a teacher I'd give this photo an A+. Originality and execution are both top notch. Dark area to the right helps to balance out the photo but I do think it would make the picture just a bit stronger if you were to see if there is any color detail left in the area and bring that up. Still, keep it darker in that area.

 

The thing that amazes me is that you say you used the built-in flash. I just got my G-1 but every time I use the built-in flash closer than 4 feet it washes out (and I pretty much keep it set on -2/3 for the flash). Did you use some ND for the flash?

 

Really now, how many tries did it take to get this excellent shot?

 

Bob

this is a fun photo! i draw things like this and have been experimenting with "super close-ups" of dropletsusing the camera...i think it would be pretty awesome to capture a small droplet that is almost perfectly round. nicely done!

May I be the first person not to post an overwhelmingly positive comment?

 

I don't get it. I may just be repeating something an instructor said but I think of the waterdrop shot as something of a cliche (I've done a bunch myself), like the milk drops, balloon pop and bullet through the apple, its been done before and done better before because it's all about technique. Cool to look at but where's the creativity? You have your microphone tripped strobe, fast shutter speed, whatever, I don't particularly see anything creative in this shot, and not to dis but as for technique he didn't even get all the water in frame.

 

Though I do suppose it's somewhat of an achievement for doing it with a digital... but you shoot enough of them an one is bound to look cool. I do admit it's a neat shot, Congrats on the POW, just my objective critique. (btw I side with Vuk)

This picture contains all the qualities that a picture should contain. The colors are amazing. The F-stop was ajusted to the perfect setting to blur out the background and bring out the fore-ground. This is an amazing picture. To the person who took this picture keep doing what you are doing because you have great potential.

The elements are marvelous, particularly the water forms, lighting, and background. The way they are put together is a little confusing, though. The stream and droplets on the left compete with the sinuous flow on the right. Further, the black background on the far right is a further distraction.

 

For me, isolating the main stream of water from the drops and dark blob with a vertical crop transforms the photo from cool to really mindblowing....

Malcolm,

 

that's a beautiful photograph. thank you for sharing it.

To me, the "easily recognized" object at first glance sparked mental images of the rings of Saturn from the old Voyager program.

 

An excellent addition to POW.

 

As you know Malcom, I loved this back a few weeks ago when I saw it and I enjoy much of your work... Congratulations on the POW!! You deserved it..

Wow, there really are a lot of conflicting opinions on this. Personally I like the photo. The sparkles are great. The colours are lovely and do not clash in my eyes. I really like the curves and didn't realise it was a plate behind there until it was pointed out. But even though it is a plate, surely the "art" of photography is seeing beauty in things that others miss, even mundane household objects. The dark patch in the corner doesn't bother me, however, I think that if the patch wasn't there, the picture would look "too perfect". It seems to me that many photographers strive for the "perfect" photograph, but most of the things I find beautiful are somewhat imperfect. Perhaps it is a matter of balance.

 

Oh, that was philosophical, I think I must be hungry.

 

Helen

If you removed the dark area to the right the water would not have the necessary reflective depth to make it the interesting shot that it is. IMHO, the dark area is the most important part of this picture, though it does present a "small minus" with regards to the overall picture asthetics. Without this it would be a failry bland picture with no depth. Imagine removing the dark reflections from the water and droplets .... pretty bland eh?

Fantastic shot!

Best Regards,
Chris Grady
http://grady.org
My Photo.net Gallery

My exact thoughts Chris and I would go even further to point out that it would be relatively difficult to create such a dark area intentionally given the proximity of the uncontrolled flash to the object.

More of the same.