Water abstract

Thanks very much for your comments and thanks to photo.net for selecting this image to photography of the week.

 

For Robert McColloch and all the other that are wondering what this is, please take a look at the rest of the folder. There are more images from this spot that may help to understand what this is.

 

Thanks again for your sugestions and comments!

I like this abstract once I enlarged it from the thumbnail. I first thought what a boring piece of corrugated pipe interior, but upon seeing it larger it's mesmerizing; unusually strong for an abstract and looks like pastels made the water. I also love art that makes you think, that you can not figure out the first split second you see it. I'm not sure everyone could appreciate this, especially those who might be new to 'art'. Appreciating an abstract is an acquired taste- my wife is usually not impressed and could take them or leave them.

 

Dennis Barnett states "...There's not quite enough of the metal exposed for the kind of balance that I like..."

 

Dennis makes a good point here as that was all that I saw wrong too. The background/contrast is fine. But the simple answer is, if there is not enough, create it. Cropping (I know, a four letter word to some) the upper area gives it the balance/proportion needed. And before some of you say, "but you shoot square format" let me tell you, for a long time I did not, and I'm not adverse to cropping it to real narrow, square or triangular for all that matters. I'm more concerned with the end result, keeping the eye in longer, meaning a more successfull image in the long run.

 

Congrats Tiago on POW.

Blessings MS

The point of view... camera position, angle and framing really work for me. Although it does seem that more of the metal tubes should be in frame, this would make the whole thing more obvious, so as an abstract it works great as is. I also first saw what appeared to be painting or etching, but then realizing it was moving water creating this made it no less interesting (actually I liked it more because I am totally fascinated by photgraphing water in all it's aspects) I try to do similar type shots of natural water patterns, but mostly get stuck in traditional landscape mentality. This inspires me to try different compositions, especially abstracts. Thank you for "twisting" my brain and reminding me that the camera need not always be level.

Tiago, I have not seen your other work yet, but will as soon as I am done commenting on this. Your image is very compelling and speaks well of those that chose the photo of the week. I am looking very forward to seeing more of your work. Congratulations! Fine Regards, Todd

The (almost) square crop is an improvement in my mind. I am not sure that it goes far enough. Looking at the rest of the folder (from the same location) makes me wonder how people arrive at their cropping decisions to begin with. Every photo in the folder seems to be cropped to a different size. Is this an artistic decision or just random chopping? Our brains appear to approve of repetition and patterns (up to a point) because they seem to give a sense of order and understanding to all things including abstracts.

 

The punchy color helps this photo attract the eye but color is not a prerequisite for a successful abstract. Although simplicity is the cornerstone of most good design I am guessing that it is the eye of the viewer that makes a successful abstract. It appears that only like minded people can determine the meaning of greatness (or goodness or godliness). Everyone else must get out of the way or be trampled under the feet of the true artists and their patrons.

I am a fan of "found" abstracts, so this is very appealing to me. Like others, I couldn't tell what this was initially. That makes it even more appealing - when you look closely and all of a sudden, something else becomes apparent. It's a bonus! I like the strong lines of this, with the water giving a bit of softness to the image and providing a good contrast to the pipes.

Excellent composition and concept. This a superb example of abstract photography.

Let me speak for Tiago's original composition.

 

I prefer the original over the square. Why? Because the top, while it continues the theme of the bottom, varies it some, with a bit more space between the water, a bit broader sprays, and I find the variation interesting. Also, I think the balance in the original directs us to the water, where in the square composition I find my eye having more of a fight between the water and the tubes.

 

This is a great abstract, and I think in part because it is, after a fashion, a recognizable one (at least we recognize the water and the tubes, not that we understand what they're doing arranged like this). It gives me a different perspective, focusing on form, color and line, on a real life object.

Simplicity is a key to beauty, beauty is the key to good abstraction. This one could be a good abstract photograph, but it fails to be a great one in my eyes. Good abstract is the one you could look at for a long time and in any mood in any time and nothing bothers you in the picture.The repetitive lines are bothering me a little, so I wouldn't hang it on my wall.

Tiago has another one in his portfolio named Patterns, that is more succesfull in my eyes. Regards,

"Do you find the composition and the subject of this photograph monotonous?"

 

Quite honestly, yes. I am open to abstract art/photography and find examples here and there that are compelling. This seems bland and not conducive to contemplation, perhaps because it is so minimalistic. Sorry for the blunt response.

I like the overall composition but am one also who feels I am missing something..an off balance feeling maybe?I think the colors are great and my first impression(as others)was a painting due to the lack of any third dimension in the image.In my opinion an abstract does not have to be unrecognizable at first glance to qualify as one but should contain an element of distorted reality...whether that element is impressionistic or more visually true is irrelevant.

The definition of'good abstract'cannot be defined by a minimilistic set of rules nor by the amount of sophisticated details captured within an image.This image works in my opinion in it's simplistic form but the compositional flaw(IMO)keeps it from being great.Balance,in any form of the arts,is of high priority and I think even more so in abstract genres as evidenced by early masters dealing with oils.More than not minimilism was showcased but it was the overall balance that set the images apart.Congrats Tiago on a well desreved POW...

Most intriguing to me is that i saw this completely differently after I read the title given the photo. Initially it looked like maybe an abstract of a corrugated steel ceiling that was modified to look something like a painting. I suppose that's a sign of a good abstract-that it opens the way to free imagination.

There are any number of compositions that are possible with the warm colors and straight lines of the tubes, the texture and curved lines of the water and the simple blue background of the sky. How much of each you include depends on what you want to emphasize. Tiago's approach emphasizes the rhythmic progression of the nearly solid wall of water lower left, moving to the upper right where the alternating bands of blue sky become more and more dominant.

 

It's more difficult to shoot someone else's design, especially when it's purpose is primarily artistic rather than utilitarian, and show us your own view of it, rather than the original designer's, but I think Tiago has succeeded. Well done.

This is a great abstract. At first glance I thought it was grooves on a stainless steel plate attached to a copper plate. It was only when I read the title did the photo come into focus. It works.

I really like this image, and much better in the original form rather than the cropped example.

 

The repetitive image really works for me - there is a great texture an pattern to it.

 

As for the crop, I think that the top of the original provides the balance of range of brightness across the frame. The crop loses the bright part of the frame, and you are left with an overly unbalanced image.

you state: "As for the crop, I think that the top of the original provides the balance of range of brightness across the frame. The crop loses the bright part of the frame, and you are left with an overly unbalanced image."

 

What are you talking about? What brightness? It's even across the board, I don't see any 'bright part of the frame'. And it surely does not get unbalanced, but more balanced. I think the feel for balance take a while to gain, although some people get it fairly quickly, I've seen some after decades they still don't have the ability. Balance is not usually 50-50, as in many of your images, but 1/3rd to 2/3rds or there abouts, depending on many factors actually.

Wow...great capture. Showing motion in still.

It's a question of visual weight. The tubes actually take up only about 15% of the picture space, not 1/3 or 2/3, yet most of the previous commenters are not concerned about the balance of the composition. In this image, I prefer the term I learned from Freeman Patterson's visual design book - "proportional placement" - rather than "balanced."

This is a cleverly constructed image that has a strong graphic impact. I also enjoyed the 'moment of confusion' I felt when first looking at it until I figured out what I was looking at.

 

But that's really all there is. It's a fun visual exercise, but it doesn't aspire to tell me anything more. There is no reason to linger and ponder.

Hi Tiago

I'm a nubie to this ,but seeing your photo has shown me anything can be a picture if you choose the right angle..

Excellent

For me, the original version contains more top right to bottom left implied motion than the cropped version. It is that element, I beleive, that gave many, myself included, a 'inside a galvanized pipe' first expirience of the abstract.

 

Best Regards,

 

Steve

COOL!

I wonder how this might be changed or even improved by flipping it 180 degrees?

Rotate and crop.

It looks best UNROTATED and UNCROPPED! Good Lawd almighty, what a bad taste in my mouth is left by unsolicited "improvements" upon the original. That's how Gus Van Sant ruined "Psycho."

 

Incidentally, I loved it, even when I thought from the thumbnail that it was corrugated pipe.

 

Ti salud!!!