Beach Scene

Critique welcome, thank you.

I made a comment recently on M. Jaussi's latest series of beach pictures that also fits here to some extent, though not in quite the same way. I noticed that the beach lets you isolate a subject in ways that city shooting with it's kaleidoscopic jumble of competing forms seldon does. Here the steep angle places the woman and her dog against the sand, a background that a painter might accomplish using a knife to layer the paint on thickly and achieve a textured, neutral background against which to place his subjects. Anyway, the effect here is somewhat painterly.and the angle gives us a fresh approach. I do think the background sand could be darkened just a hair to give a bit more contrast, especially to the dog.

Thanks for your insightful comments and for taking the time. Did you receive my mail? I didn't have your adress in my new PC and now Pnet doesn't give other members' mail adress, so I sent it via Pnet.

 

I don't know where I'm going right now, and I hadn't shot any photographs for quite a while except during holidays, so here's a meagre attempt at not repeating myself. I took a few quick shots last weekend during a promenade, nothing really convincing. As you suggest, I thought about more contrast to give it more impact, but I finally left it as it was, with almost no corrections at all except for slight desaturation to make it look a little more like film, that is to my mind. This is one of those in-between shots while waiting for better days, I guess.

I like the direction here as they seems concentrated on what's going on right....the huge dog shadow (well huge compared to the size of both the lady and the dog) add an extra touch that I find humourous for some reason...

 

Well I feel a bit like you Laurent....at the moment I have practically zero time to shoot so I try to review my 2006-2007 images to put some order and/or find some forgotten interesting ones (not a lot on my side I am afraid)....

Laurent, thanks. It's nice reading old friends. Well, I must admit that I not only lack time, but I also feel a little discouraged at times. I don't know about other Pnetters, but I'd often like to be more consistent in my appreciation and comments on the works of all the people we like here, but time flies and it seems we never have enough of it to do all that we want to do.

Yeah, got your e-mail and will get back to you in the next day or two. You guys with real lives must be hard pressed to find the time and energy to switch into your Creative Superhero guises; neither of you post near enough to satisfy me. The level of photography in each case is remarkably high given your many family and work obligations. I don't know what to use for my excuse because I have a lot more time at my disposal than either of you guys.

jack, you're right. To be honest, unlike Laurent who really is too busy I still could find some time to shoot. It's just that I feel empty at the time, my photos seem to lead me nowhere and I find my own photographic standard to be quite low at the moment. The lack of time is more when it comes to comment on Pnet, which really is time-consuming if one would really want to write sincere and in-depth comments on all of their favourite photographers. I feel it's not fair not to say hello and comment on everybody's work, quite frustrating not being able to do so. Well, enough for complaining now, I'll have to make an effort.

Laurent, I like the composition and play of light & shade. Strangely the shadow of the dog appears to me like that of a cat:-)

Laurent, probably the only way to go around such periods is to assign yourself a little photographic project...something in your neighborhood your never tackled...but not totally open either so that you have both to focus on a theme and be creative at the same time....I know I know it's more easy to say than to do...as always....

Jack, thanks for your answer to my mail, I look forward to reading you in a few days as I'll be away till Sunday. Amal, speaking of favourite photographers and friends, it's a pleasure reading you. Laurent, I've had a lot of projects lately but what I would like now is do something out of them.

Like most little dogs, this little one casts a large shadow. I wonder what they're looking at, waiting for, thinking about, longing for.... No answers here.

 

 

I can identify with your plight. There's never enough time to balance work, family, and home responsibilities with those restorative activities such as photography. I like to leave thoughtful comments on others' photos out of respect, admiration, and appreciation for them doing so on mine. But there's never enough time to be everything to everybody.

 

 

I'm in the same boat. A couple rows back. Can you see me waving?

Laurent, one of the things i have always loved about your work, is that you have a way of looking at the world through your own "lens". this is just one example of your unique way of seeing. i think all artists go through periods where it is hard to find inspiration or motivation. when i used to paint, i found it especially challenging. now that i have chosen photography as my preferred form of expression, i find i don't have as many "dry" periods, but there are still often times when i find my "art" tedious, boring, unimportant, pretentious, etc. i like Laurent J's suggestion of a project. sometimes, i find the opposite approach works to get me going again. sometimes i go out with my camera to shoot nothing, and the project sort of finds me.

Laurent, it is a very touching human photo.The solitude is strongly present looking at her perofil and the little doggy, as the only other soul besides herself. both looking to the same direction, but it is unknown to us what is it about, so what is rest are both and the shadow on the sand.

 

I think as well that it needs a bit more comtrast, but still a very strong human

" profile".

 

whichever way you look at this, it's a very good photo

Jeff, thank you so much for the kind words. It seems I've found the time to answer all the comments I had left behind at last. Sorry about the delay.

 

Linda, thank you. I can identify with all you've said here, definitely.

 

Pnina, thank you very much for the insightful comment. I often wonders how my monitor goes, but here I think it definitely needs more contrast. It's been a pleasure reading you.

 

 

Ton, thanks for dropping by and for your incisive comments, always appreciated.