Photograph of the Week

...

Eye-catching shapes and textures. Interesting lack of scale - this could be a huge glacial canyon or a tiny dry rock pool at the beach!

Caffeine, I wish you had givin us some idea of what we are looking at, but with abstract, I guess that's half the fun. Wondering. I am assuming we are looking at erosional features along a rock coastline. I like the diagonal composition, in fact this has a second diagonal making an X, and adding the rounded feature following the rule of thirds all add up to an eye-catching image.

 

I see a redish tinge to some of the rock shadow surfaces. This is more apparent in the image in your portfolio than this copy. Is that all in my head? (You have a most impressive portfolio, by the way.)

 

I can see no way of cropping this that would improve its square shape, so I guess my work is done.

 

Willie the Cropper

This is excellent. One of the few images posted to this site that's true to the visual grid.

Must be the mark left on the rock by your coffee cup...:-)) Well, this is such a beautiful composition on a great finding. Wonderful lines. Great work, not as easy as it seems, and my favorite POW for a few weeks. Congrats. My advice: keep drinking the same coffee. :-)

It is an improvement over a good number of photos Ive seen , since its untitled is it a fair question to ask what is it ?

It is very difficult to fault the photo on any technical grounds, since it is technically very nearly perfect. Even so, it leaves me a bit cold, in the same way that photos of certain geometric forms can be virtually perfect, but nonetheless sterile or boring.

 

I do appreciate the eye that caught it and found the right framing, not to mention the most excellent post-processing treatment.

 

--Lannie

At first I didn't like this picture. It could be because of my inexperienced eye, or just because it would never move me. But then I kept looking, deeper into it.

 

Yes, this picture is simple, but that's is where most of the beauty lays. One line is thick and light that cutting diagonally across the frame. The other line cuts the opposite way, making an X, and this line is thin and dark, but it passes through a large light toned circle which is wider than the thicker line. Beautiful contrast.

 

I think there could be a little more contrast, but maybe the low contrast is what you were going for.

I'm not saying this applies to this photograph, but Chad's closing comment makes me think: What if "what you were going for" is a poor concept, or one with aesthetic shortcomings? What if the resultant image succeeded in accomplishing all of the photographer's aesthetic and technical goals, but was still a lackluster image?

 

Assuming, for the sake of argument, that Caffeine was indeed going for a low contrast effect. Would that make this photograph a success in spite of any flaws it may otherwise possess? I guess this refers to what Ansel Adams' called a sharp photo of a fuzzy concept?

I think in a place of learning, which I consider PN to be, accomplishing one's goal is a fine

achievement. In a gallery, museum, or showplace, it could be another matter. Whenever I

look at photos on PN, I try to determine what the photographer is after if I can, and look at

individual images in light of the photographer's body of work and how well it seems to

advance goals and

vision. Actually, I do that with successful artists as well, but it's often a different

experience.

When I look at Caffeine's body of work, a few things happen. I can tell that there is much

intentionality overall in the portfolio, as there is in this shot. There is a clear sense of

design and a lot of play with a variety of contrast relationships. For me, it clearly achieves

what I

think is being reached for in this part of the portfolio. And it does become a better work in

context. I think much art benefits from context, which is why curatorial eyes are so

important in the exposition of art.

"I guess this refers to what Ansel Adams' called a sharp photo of a fuzzy concept?" --Doug Burgess

I have giving some thought of late to the corner of my computer desk, not the nice 1920s rolltop in another room where I do my serious post-processing, but the very desk upon which I am viewing my monitor at this instant.

What is particularly appealing to me is the confluence of the black border on the side of the particle board which makes up the top of the desk, the faux wood pattern which covers the top of the very same surface, and, finally and most important, the curved black metal vertical supports which hold up the entire structure. I think that several thousand studies of this particular juncture might succeed in giving me an approximation to the kind of aesthetic effect which I am trying to convey. I will title the folder, "Walmart Art" or something like that.

In other words, I am really going to be going after the Photo of the Week.

--Lannie

well seen and captured; only the thin black frame around the picture is quite distracting for me, I would let there just plain white background; otherwise very nice

Like a photographic Rorschach inkblot test - it can be what you want it to be

I'm glad you didn't go for high contrast (which I am not a big fan of) and I don't think it takes much to observe that I bet this web verison does sabsolutely no justice to a full size print. I can't help wondering what the natural colours are ..... but I really love the composition, shapes and texture. This photo lends an element of satisfaction to me ... a real 'ah' factor as it just shows how perfect natural elements can be. It gives me a wonderful sense of 'wholeness'.

I'm sorry, but this picture does not ring any bells whatsoever in my photographic point of view!

I admire the quality.. but I disapprove with the poor content and the lack of story behind it!

Andrei, how could this shot have more content? I mean, what does it need to have more story? Are you talking about an addition of something? A leaf, for example? A foot? a bottle cap? How much could be added before it loses its contemplative nature? As is, I see it as a study, but your point is well taken. Is Caffeine asking too much of the viewer to find a story within its borders?

Now, this is something different! I like minimalist art. I wonder what is the concept about? What kind of message lies behind? What is the philosophy of that interesting work of art? So many questions arose by looking at the photo.

The simple geometrical lines, anthracite tones of the structure, which are all playing in harmonic rhythm at the surface. It is beautiful pattern found in nature, captured from the air. The way how the photographer perceived is another story, and that I'm finding interesting.

I think it's possible that there is not story (no narrative), no particular concept or message

and no real philosophy. Can a photograph just be visually stimulating?

exposed riverbed. I suppose the grand canyon started like this. Nature has such power. grinding a single rock round (maybe a few) trapped in place until the moving water grinds and etches a home for itself. I see the power of this image in the knowing that such formations occur. The handling of this image is ordinary (seems unrealistically sharpened) but the discovery of natures art is nothing short of spectacular and mysterious.
Can a photograph just be visually stimulating? - it sure can be.

Is this shot from the air? I can't tell how near or far we are from the subject. The water definitely looks like it's shot from far above. Very deceiving!

Dear all,on the respect of overall ideas, let me say that the picture is a little bit flat, may be too dark? Regards Sergio

First of all,thanks for all of your disscussions and advises.

I'd like to have a simple explanation of this photo.

It was taken in Lau-Mei, a Northern coastline of Taiwan.

The circular hole and the dike are from the degrading rocks of the sea.

Nature creats it's own unique lines and curves that attracted me to capture.

If there is any story behind this photo,

that should be a story about geology.

I really appreciate all comments from everyone.

 

Best Regards,

 

Caffeine

I think this entry is definately a matter of taste, there are many more photos on this site which are more striking. This is a simple composition that was seen by the photographer. The lack of details on equipment and format of capture are interesting, this could have been captured with a simple point and shoot disposable camera. It is nature at its simplest, unmanipulated and honest. Do I like the capture, no but as I said it is a matter of taste, it is definately uncontroversial and unemotional.

I like the creativity in finding the point of focus. The lines captured are pleasing but to me just a touch plain. Nice photo though, and I appreciate this type of photography.

A simple yet effective geometry going on. I respect the keen eye required to spot and isolate this design. The post processing however ruins this one for me. If muddy tones, underexposure and over sharpening are part of the artistic statement, I am left unimpressed with the result.