Dance of the Sunflower

thanks for viewing! your comments and critiques are most

welcome...john

Super interpretation John. Love the tone.

John, this is a beautiful composition. I love balance of light and shadow, the way the petals emerge from the dark. I like the placement, the crop. This is wonderful.

John, most flowers are orderly in there appearance, here you have chaos amongst the petals which I really like, and the yellows are fantastic run right into orange. Interesting image my friend. Well done !

Well Done!

Paul, glad you like this one. it isn't our standard "beauty"...that's for certain!

 

Linda, i wasn't sure at all what the reaction would be. i wil say that i felt good about all the things you mentioned. in regard to one aspect of composition,(concerning content) a general rule that almost always keeps me on a good path is that when i feel the picture is finished...i look at it and ask myself the simple question, would the picture better express the intended vision if i removed part of it...even if it's a small "part"? for instance, in this shot...i don't feel that even a small portion of any of the petals could be removed without taking away something that is essential. not always, but often...i approach a photograph as a sculptor would approach a block of stone from which a sculpture will emerge. was it michelangelo who spoke something about removing all of the unnessary parts of the stone? (embarassing lack of knowledge in regard to art history). certainly not comparing myself to michelangelo or any great artist...just saying that this is simply the way I approach such decisions. thank you Linda!

 

Roger, this flower is going through botanical puberty...explains the chaos now doesn't it? lol seriously...it's at such a gangly stage of development that it is truly "all over the place"...but still, it retains a bit of youthful grace, e.g., i love the flow of the petals at top right, that prompted the title. it somehow reminds me of the young hippie girls of my youth...dancing in abandon with no inhibitions, no regard for who is looking or what they might think. as to the color...this is funny, but i swear it's true...my colorblindness must be at full force right now, because i see no orange whatsoever in this picture. my concern was that the yellow...might have too much of a green cast ...and that many would cringe at this mustardy yellow color with a dash of putrid green added in for bad taste. but if you say ther'es orange here...i'm certain their is! there is no telling how many pictures i post in which i think things are one color...but actually....

 

anyway...thank you Roger~! i don't shoot flowers regularly enough to actually develop and hone my skills to the degree you have, so it's especially gratifying to here from you ...as i consider you to be my unofficial "flower guru". john

 

 

A very interesting capture and presentation. Nicely done.

Beautiful picture! Congrats!

One of the most beautiful and interesting flower shots I have seen.... The colors are so beautiful and I really like that "low" light that gives the shot a fantastic mood... This is a piece of art that´s for sure... Lovely work...

 

All my best, Jill

Truly beautifully executed photo John. I like the soft light and the transition from highlight to shadow. Very intriguing and interesting composition. Funny you mention puberty, the petals remind me of the disheveled hair of my teenage son ;-) Great capture and outstanding post processing work. Regards - michel

 

 

 

Andrey, thank you kindly sir!

 

 

Jill, i appreciate your most kind words. i have to say, that as far as my own floral shots go...this is near the top of my list. good to have affirmation on a shot you believe in. and my best to you my dear hard rock swedish woman! john

 

 

Michael, you're among my favorite persons to hear from! And...my sympathies for the fact that you have a teenager in the house! I had three at home and in highschool at once...and I feel your pain! As teenagers they think they know it all...as young adults they are thoroughly convinced of the same. By the time they reach 30 or so...they hopefully become pleasant to live with! ;) thanks for the compliments...your friend from Dixie, john

 

 

 

 

Steve...somehow I overlooked your comment for a moment! thank you for coming by and taking the time to offer such kind words. I'll be visiting your portfolio...john

Hi, me again :)

I just have to say that this one went directly to my favorite folder... I forgot to say that ...

 

All my best to you my friend, Jill

More than enough to hold my interest.

 

Really wonderful and unusual capture.

Jill...i'm especially honored to hear that this one is going in your favorites! I generally seem to produce photographs that are ...mostly o.k., but not the type of shots that become "favorites"...so I'm most pleased! thank you Swedish hard rock woman!

Museeb, thank your for visiting and offering your most kind words. i don't like the prospect of shooting pictures that give you the feeling you've seen them countless times...yet, I try to stay away from trying to be different...just to be different. I shot close to twenty different photos of this flower, and only one had enough appeal and potential to devote time to a finished image. i wish i could say that i "saw" this composition and nailed it with one shot...but that's just not the way I see. for me, it's more the "perspiration" approach than about "inspiriation". i do try to be purposeful in each shot I take, as opposed to shooting dozens of random shots...but in the end, I find myself rummaging through all the pictures I've taken in an attempt to find the jewel in the rough that I didn't necessarily recognize through the viewfinder. seldom does the "obvious" shot...become anything more than the "common" shot. anyway...enough of my backwood philosophy!

 

thanks again Museeb...and I'll be visiting your portfolio over the weekend! john

I came back for another look and read your comment on my comment. I think that you have come up with an interesting and effective aproach when making that difficult decision about when any peice of artwork is done, and the best it can be. I often overwork things, more so when I am painting. I don't know if that was Michelangelo or not, but it is a good thought. I also think it's interesting that you see yourself removing what is unnesessay so that the image can emerge (my words) as a sculptor does with a peice of rock. What really struck me about this was the feeling of it emerging from darkness, in a real time living way. It has a depth and character. You method is serving you well. All the best.

a different,beautiful way of showing a flower.great diffuse light.very good work,sir.

John,

 

Yeah, extremely good, all the choices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linda, thanks for coming back to offer your thoughtful and valued comments!

 

Gabriel and Wayne...thanks for your comments and glad you enjoyed the shot! john

 

 

Wow! This is so beautiful! It is all at once soft, natural, romantic, powerful and soulful. This is a very emotional image for me; probably has something to do with where I am in my life but whatever the reason, this is going to my favorites straight away! Very well done! :)

Absolutely stunning John!

Trisha and Tim...a belated thanks for your comments!~  just finding them after all these months.    Regards, John

Very well done photos I like it pretty much!