WHEEL OF MISFORTUNE

Found on the road to New Idria, California.

I like the compo...juxtaposition of detail and landscape...a kind of portrait in situation for this retired mecanism...

Thanks for your kind comment. Glad to see you have visited my portfolio. I know I have really enjoyed many of your individual photos and your portfolio in general. Regards.

Dave, I like the framing a lot. The distant hills are blurred just right, and the photo gives a good sense of depth - distance from the machine to the hills. The exposure is right on. Why do you call it "wheel of misfortune"? Maybe it helped its owners make lots of money, so maybe it should be called "wheel of fortune". On a slightly different note, looking at your photos I realize how we have different outlooks.

Some of your photos are obviously funny. Some of them, though, you probably took with a serious intent, yet I find them humorous. I'm discerning this from your comments and the comments of some of the viewers and your replies to them. Of course, this is OK. I'm just expressing my realization how differently we might see the same "material". By the way, my comment about shooting hummingbirds was just a good-natured fun from my side, no hidden or double meaning there. Cheers, Micheal

The title is a play on the title of a very popular and long running television show called, "Wheel of Fortune." You stated that you do not watch television, so you are not likely to get that reference.

 

I think you are on the mark in saying we look at things differently. In art, that is great. Different people arriving at different conclusions when considering a work of art is a good thing IMHO. (For purposes of argument, I am including my photos in the category "works of art" so bear with me on that.) It appears to me that you tend to take a more positive outlook on things. I admire that and know that sometimes I should be more like that. I have rather a dark outlook on life in general and people in specific. I do try and find humor wherever and whenever I can. Sometimes it borders on ridicule. Can't help it.

 

Thanks for your comments. I enjoy these interchanges with you.

Thanks, Dave, for the explanation. I am aware of the TV game Wheel of Fortune (yes, there was a time when "the old Micheal" was a TV junkie - though not for sports). The thing with naming photos is, that strangers have no idea about the photographer's intent, so I think it's good to include more comments to pro-actively clarify a possible misunderstanding. What we, as the "parents" of our "art" take for granted, others might wonder about. Cheers, Micheal

 

Glad to clarify. I don't know if it is always wise to give away too much information. The viewer can get lazy and miss some of the experience of interacting if all of the answers are given. Not only that, but you can predjudice them into thinking one way, when they might have come up with a new and more interesting interpretation on their own. So I respond yea and nay. Thanks for your cogent commentary.

Yeah, you're right, Dave - good point.

in a way I keep going to this photo when I look at your portfolio. To my taste this is the second best photo of your portfolio. When I look at a photo, I look at especially elegance. There can be even elegance in photos of broken and falling appart things. The main reason for that (I looking for elegance) is, that I came to understand that everything that's in harmony with Existence is elegant, or some aspect of it is elegant. If it (whatever "it" is) has no elegance, it is not in tune with the universe. This photo is really good. It has elegance. It also shows very well the man-nature thing. All the textbook parts of the photo come together very well here. Anyway, since you haven't posted anything new in a few days, and I felt again attracted to this photo, almost brought to tears by it, I felt like commenting on it...again. Sniffing away (tears of joy, of course), Micheal

 

That's about the most reaction I've ever gotten from anyone. Thanks. Now I'm really curious. If this is my second best, which is my best IYHO?

I knew I'd get a firm hold of the chain with my comment about the second best photo, ha ha ha. Now I'm just trying to decide if to bake, broil, or simmer...:-) Well, OK, I'll tell you: the first one is your Pretty Picture "Near June Lake". You know, it's not easy to take a really nice photo even in a nice place. I remember one guy who shot many pictures in Rocky Mountains and they were crap, because the guy didn't know about composition, light, etc. (Though I do agree with you that it's easier than in not-so-nice locations.) BTW, don't take the tears in my previous comment litteraly...I know you don't...you also drink V8 and you're the Grand Master of all nutometers. Cheers, Micheal

 

That's kind of interesting, because it didn't do all that well in the ratings (but, then again, what one of my photos does? ha ha). It had several 3/3 and a bunch of 4/4s. Just average say they. But it is a nice photo. My only problem is that it does not push any boundaries. I'm happiest on the edges. As I said, I think I'm headed to Montana in a couple of days. I will probably HAVE to shoot some pretties. Stay tuned.

I don't think too much of the ratings. I've seen some amazing photos being given 5s or even less and some weird photos being given 6s and more. I wonder how many people take the time to view the image large (your June Lake one needs to be viewed large), pause and reflect. Well, if you have to take a pretty picture and want to push some boundary, do something really crazy while you're taking the shot (like drinking a large bottle of V8 while standing on one leg). I think that your June Lake photo is in a way unique in the framing. It starts with the road corner to corner and then it goes in and curves. I've seen many mountain photos, and can't recall such a composition. Looking forward to your Montana photo. Cheers, Micheal

 

I may be around a bit tonight, but I will be out of contact for a couple of days as I am leaving early in the morning. I will be seeing the wildman of Montana, otherwise known as Dr. De Santa Anna. I'm sure he will make me do pretty pics, and maybe even a dog.