Characters and Caricatures

These characters, foreground, are attending the opening of a

prominent caricaturist in Ukraine, whose caracatures of prominent

political and other figures are on the wall behind them. Your

ratings and critiques are invited and most welcome. If you submit a

harsh or very critical evaluation, please attach a helpful and

constructive comment/please share your superior photographic

knowledge to help improve my photography. Thanks! Enjoy! John

Initial ratings placed this photo very high, low raters stepped in, and it skidded.

 

This is not to denigrate raters; each one purportedly comes and rates from a place of honesty.

 

This is more about personal taste and critiquing.

 

There's a special something about certain photographs -- everyone agrees they're 'great photographs', or, conversely, everyone agrees they're stinkers.

 

Raters can't seem to 'agree' on what this one is. There are several 3/3, but the 5s and above (at 11 ratings) equal the number of 3s and 4s given.

 

In other words, raters are individuals and ratings are thus highly individual.

 

People have what they expect to see in a good photograph; some saw it here, and others didn't.

 

That goes with the territory.

 

But I've just been going through the entire issue '2007 Portfolio Contest Awards B&W Special Issue' issued by 'B&W Magazine', and there are a great number of photos in there I'd just delete from my Flash card, if I saw them there; in my mind they're un-understandable.

 

But just as though I were able to look into the mind of a demented person and run from horror, some psychoanalyst might make a special trek there, just to see what was inside and to enjoy the differentness and complexity.

 

The same for the 'portfolio photos' in that special edition of B&W Magazine, which seeks to showcase 'fine art'.

 

Few raters on Photo.net would give many of the photos there above a 3/3, but that's OK, because there are other places to show work that some people find is good (that doesn't mean I think this is great photo OR that I'm leaving here).

 

Some people have the taste of an 'artist' although equipped with a camera while others view themselves as photographic artists whose sole means of expression is through the viewfinder and lens (and a little or a lot of Photoshopping).

 

B&W Magazine appeals to a certain sensibility, which is not shared by the vast number of photographers here on Photo.net.

 

But some of the photos there were so great and so stunning in their unusualness (many are very surreal) that they rate special attention, and I'd advise anyone who thinks they know anything about photography to have a look at BW Magazine's 2007 Portfolio Contest Awards 'Special Issue' usually findable (for a while at least) at well-stocked bookstores including the giant chains (Borders, Barnes & Noble, etc.)

 

Viewers of that magazine are in for an entirely different experience than flipping computer screens from folder to folder or through the critique gallery on PN.

 

A 7/7 here (in B&W of course) might easily be excluded as 'too similar' to other work (ever) to be considered for publication.

 

And some of their displayed and 'meritorous' work would never get past 3/3s here.

 

There was special attention there this year to the abandonned Eastern Pennsylvania State Prison, as well as other abandonned buildings including that perpetual camera magnet, Bodie (Ghost Town), California.

 

It's a larger world out there than the PN fishbowl.

 

That's why I view ratings here with some equanimity.

 

PN is neither the be-all nor the end-all in the photographic world.

 

But it's a very interesting place to find out how ordinary people view one's photographs (as reflected in the ratings)

 

And, of course, this photo has many people divided --- some like it and some like it very much, others think it's very poor.

 

I can stand that.

 

My life is not my photograph (although my life very well may be my photography).

 

John (Crosley)

 

[All honest raters are welcome here; just come from a place of honesty, and I'll take your high or low rating with grace -- at least in most cases ;-)]

 

John (Crosley)

 

Photo copyright 2007, All rights reserved, John Crosley.

Excellent work, John! I love the juxtaposition of the photographic elements you placed in this image. The perspective makes this image even more interesting!

This is not an ambitious photo; just a little trifle.

 

Some caricatures and some characters.

 

And a wall that forms a right angle and a bench that intersects the wall on which people are seated that also forms a right angle (two 'L' shapes).

 

How convenient.

 

Double mirroring.

 

Subject and shape.

 

Couldn't ask for anything simpler or neater than that.

 

I try to look for order among chaos, and this is what I found.

 

Best to you and thanks for an insightful comment.

 

John (Crosley)