Diagonals and fabric

Your thoughts on the composition and colours are most welcome. For the

curious, the nature of the object is clarified

href=http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2751743 >here

,

and another abstract shot of the series is

href=http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=2717678 >here

The bit on the right looks like a stain and spoils it, cropping that out does seem to look better, or maybe just half of it.

5/5

Sorry, not as good as the others. That shadow really spoils it. Is this the reverse side of Running? I really like Running, and Through the Sail's o.k., but this... no, not just the stain-like shadow, but the plain lighting, as well. Also, not entirely convinced by the inclusion of the purple. In Running, the colour made sense, there was more context, Through the Sail didn't need colour and this is similar to that. Did you include the curve of the shadow as an alternative to the diagonals?

Oh, and just noticed that its does actually look better as a thumbnail, cleaner somehow.

Thank you all for your comments. A couple of remarks and questions.

 

Pitman, what would you exactly propose as a crop? Suggestions are appreciated

 

Stephen, what you call a shadow is actually not a shadow, as the sail is backlit and there is nothing behind it. Spinnakers, like this sail is, have usually reinforced parts of tissue in the three points where they are attached to the boat through dedicated ropes (sheet and halyards). This reinforcement is simply done by sewing on top of the sail one or more additional layers of fabric, like the one you see to the right of this picture. The fancy shape is supposedly due to the overall cut of the sail in that you put more material along the directions where you expect more forces.

 

By the way this is the "reverse" of "Running" in that you see the other side of the sail. Not since I was from the outside, which is quite a complex thing to do, but simply because we had the wind from the other side of the boat, so the sail was hoisted on the other side of the boat, and being the front point fixed as you see in "Running" the result is that you sort of flip it inside-out.

It just occurred to me that you can see what is the "shadow" in

"Running": the reinforced fabric which gives you the darker backlit area in here is evident toward the point where the sail is roped to the boat.

Yes, that's why I asked if it was the reverse, the curve looked the same. Shadow was prehaps the wrong word to use. It actually seems to be the stitching around the reinforced section that makes it look like a stain. I was wondering what effect a slow shutter speed would have on a sail flapping in the wind, but of course the boat would be moving too, so maybe not.

That is a good idea. If the boat is big enough, and this 10-ton expedition prototype definitly was, and you get a tripod, and you shoot into a sail without getting the horizon in, it should work. Too bad that (1) I had not the idea once there (2) I did not have a tripod for what matters. I will try something similar on the boats I've around here, but I fear they are too small to get the effect out. I think one had definitly to do it with a back-lit spinnaker though. A white mainsail or foresail would not work... even though one could get something cloudy interesting out of a foresail, which can be made flapping like crazy even accomodating a short shutter speed. Thanks for the idea!

Just don't blame me if it doesn't work... take lots and lots of exposures... movement shots are very hit and miss.

Sorry Salvatore, i tried what i suggested and it dosnt seem to make much diffrence.

Thanks anyhow, Pitman. I understand the reinforced structure is not so appealing. I shot almost a roll to our spinnaker and in a few days I will be posting something with purple, white and gray, but no reinforcement. Cheers, s.

To me, this is an excellent picture. I like the geometrical play. The meeting of the scientist with the artist. Congrats !!

It's a good theme, although for my taste all these "sails" shots need some more dramatism... A person to compare size, or a wave to show the viewer that this is in the sea, for example. As it is we only have color and lines. Just MHO.