out of the box ONCE UPON A TIME

?

I need to give up on landscapes and portraits and get back to abstracts. This is really great and I was not even tempted to rotate it or change it in any way.

The colors, textures, and graphic details are just wonderful! But for perfection, and this is personal, I would have cropped out the light colored edge (looks like a window frame?) and kept the focus on the worn wood and other debris. Much to my liking amigo. I'm getting so tired of seeing those 3/3 ratings on images that don't deserve them.......

Just when I get Shawn to accept one as it is, along comes Susan. LOL! Just kidding. I don't mind at all. I did consider going without the door frame on the right. I have already eliminated it on the left. I just thought if I took out the frame on the right, that it would me too monotonous. But, I will concede that I can see this done without the white door frame.

it took I a while to warm up to the image. I have to say, it's very unique. It's like layers of time. I like your vision. Actually, it would be a good kick if there was a cozy, comfortable, living room behind the door. The strips of the wood in the first layer look like a frozen waterfall of dirty water, or like the long strands of moss hanging from trees in a tropical rain forest.

It would be nice to see a soft light seeping through the cracks and holes in the wood. The next assignment for you is to take a pic of Bill Gates' door. Cheers, Micheal

 

Yeah, I like your concept of having a plush and homey living room behind the door, but the truth of the matter is it was a john that had a rather malodorous scent within, and was demolished by vandals (and time plus weather).

 

I don't get the Bill Gates thing. Has he got fancy doors or something? (Well duh!)

Nice one i like this i will crop white piece of frame :) on the right any haw you get 6/6 from me

:) hehe i post one of my pic and i was getting 3/3 :)) i deleted now i post thisome pic only for critique i bet i will not any note from this 3/3 artist:))

keep god work David :)

David, this is perfect. You seem to have developed not only a great eye for the medium and long shot, but also a keen eye for startlingly good and original abstracts in closeup. Your ability to first see and then capture this mystical talisman of some ancient race is inspiring. The chickenwire imprint adds just the right "hand-of-man" touch and the distribution of tones could not be more harmonious. It's a 7/7 to me (and will so score it when I'm allowed by the ruling dwarfs).

I believe they refer to themselves the "Ruling Elves" but I concur with your description of them because the word "dwarf" means small, and that is certainly how they are using their brains in the matter of which you are speaking.

Your solution for the 3/3 guys is valid. It would be a lot better if folks would take the time to comment. But too often they will not. I try to thicken my armor for the 3/3 onslaught, but I find that they always sting. Of course I think they are wrong and stupid, but I try to allow for the possibility that they are right. I just wish that if they are going to give that rating that I would be able to see their photography and have a better understanding of their vision. That's my major gripe.

 

 

Photonet has so many skilled and talented photographers, that if we use a standard of average for our membership, then some 3/3s would be justified (and maybe lower). There has to be an average, whatever that is. So the question is are we first judging from any real understanding of art, and second are we using all photography as the standard, or are we just using the Pnet base for formulating the standard. Those are issues that seem undresoved and pivital to any comprehension of the ratings system. Peace to you.

Thanks for the high praise. It has been recorded and the Meyer egometer shows a substantial spike. I notice you did not weigh in on the white to the right, so I'll assume that you find it useful to the image.

There's my vote. Reason is that I like abstracts that give me the sense of what they actually are. I often see the real world (in my wanderings around with and without the camera) as a series of abstracts. Sometimes leaves and shadows just become a nice, colorful design, etc. So I think what you have captured in these last two is just that, the abstract view of the real (even the mundane?) world. So why not show what it is and let us experience both ways. I still enjoy this as a vibrant and good abstract and you've given me just a sense of context and what it is. I can only see that adding to my experience here. --Fred

Thanks for weighing in. The feedback is very valuable to me.

David, I agree with our friends here, I think this is a very good picture. Please take no offense, but I tried what you suggested talking to Jack, that is the compo without the white on the right-hand side. You may have tried that too before making up your mind. I think that the image including the white border has more power and personality. It is David's for sure!

 

David, that composition attracted my eye looking at the thumbnail, well I was not mistaken, it is a very interesting abstract even I don't know what is it really. It looks really like "once upon a time"....;-)) I like it better with Laurent's crope, without the white. it is rich without it. You have well caught the composition light and colors, and especially the different textures.

Thank you both very much for the kind comments. Pnina, for your information, it is what we call a hollow core door. Basically two pieces of veneer with cardboard separating them. They are really cheesey doors that are usually used on interior applications. This one had most of the exterior veneer rotted away (except at the top) and most of the cardboard separator has fallen away.

 

Laurent your crop is very good, and I am quite conflicted. I like them both.

I agree with Laurent's crop although the orignal picture is great already. the eye focuses on the texture and good harmony of tones. It's only after seeing Laurent's version that I realised it could be better without the white on the right hand side. :) (welcome back Laurent btw, nice to see you active on PN again :) )

Thanks for the opinion oon this. I thought about this quite a bit before I posted it, and did crop out the door frame on the right side, but in my mind the little bit of frame on the right gave the image a certain credibility. But after seeing Laurent's crop, I too think it is better. When printed, I think it shall be as most of you suggest, with the crop.

If I'm not mistaken, Laurent comes down on the side of the white border as do I for the reason that he states.

at last, i think i can get a comment in! been trying for days. love the texture here. i'm waffling on the crop, but i'm leaning toward keep the white.

Thanks for opinning. A valid case could obvously be made for either way. So many of you who have commented are greatly respected as artists, and there is still room for different viewpoints. Jack, I think you are mistaken in that I took Laurent to mean that he would dump the white.

 

Linda, you're a rare sighting these days. Glad to see you here and hope you will be around more.

 

I'm going to posit a theory here. The white door frame is a jarring departure from the main body of the image. I suggest that those who would lean toward getting rid of it are those who tend to not like disruptive or incongrous elements in their art (or maybe life). There may be a parallel in music, where you have a composer like Stravinsky, who has put out some pretty dissonant stuff, and, say, St. Saens, who follows a pretty standard romantic formula. This is meant respectfully, so please, do not take offense anyone. Especially since I am prone to hairbrained psycho babel theories.

i think you are on to something with your theory...i tend to like the unexpected, it is so much a part of life. life isn't always clean and tidy, and i wouldn't want it to be either. i could go into a litany or a lament of why i haven't been around lately, but i will spare you all of that. nothing bad, just that messiness of life i was just talking about. i am glad to be back.

I just get here 2 time and 1 time i was wrong keep this like it is it is perfect :)) now im going to give you 7/7 David this 3/3 i ignore i think personally photo net server give us 3/3 to get us lol ......and i did notice pic was not yest in the gallery and i already have 3/3 im not subscriber maybe this is some form punishment and getting 7/7 with out name is also annoying now i go to rating my friend this one is 7/7

 

Sorry David if my prose was maybe a little confusing. Jack got it right. I'd rather have you keep the white border because to me, it is part of your signature work. You know, I've noticed this effect of yours in some of your pictures for some time now and find it very effective and a very personal approach, some that make your pictures unmistakebly David's. That's why I was suggesting NOT to dump the white border!

As a music lover and musician, I like your references to music. I love Jazz...Elvis (yes, I do)...and Debussy's chord patterns are the most beautiful I've ever heard. A great picture, David!

 

Once again I'm greatly indebted to you for such thoughtful commentary. And wouldn't you know that that damn Jack was right. Isn't he always?

 

I like your choice in music. St. Saens is one of my favorites, but I think the most beautiful melody that has ever passed through my ears is from the Dvorak New World Symphony. That melody just rattles around in my head constanly.

 

Well, I've wavered back and forth on the white door frame issue, but now I'm going with what you see. Of course, there is no right or wrong.

 

Take care my friend.