hugo tuffen

This is one of the very best of your roadkill series. Chilling, horrible and compelling. Thanks for not driving on by, Hugo

Those clouds don't belong there!

Ah, thanks man, I think I am starting to get it

Thanks Don, I respect your point of view and I'm sure that your love of Nature runs deep.

A response to Bill - apologies to Don for posting this here but I feel the need to respond!

If you think that artistic merit in photography is indicated by the top rated photos on PN you are sadly deluded. Whereas I know little about the philosophy of art, what is clear is that art is far more complex than the kind of visual hyperbole, empty flattery and use of cheap gimmickry that one can encounter on PN.

Look at the work of one of the leading young photographers in the world, Wolfgang Tillmanns, who won the prestigious Turner Prize in the UK (do a google search). Would his images leap to the top of the PN rankings? If not, why not?

PN represents a tiny subset of the world's photographers and artists and certainly not those with the "best" taste and most "artistic" vision, whatever those empty words mean. There are hundreds of other shared photography spaces where other types of photography are valued above the types rated highest on PN. We do not have a monopoly on taste or talent here - well, at least, I certainly don't!

Impressive wide angle shot and great low viewpoint. How would you feel about an off-centre composition?

Hi Brad, This is a pretty enigmatic image - where is it coming from and what are you representing? I feel there's not quite enough to get stuck into without some guidance! Cheers Hugo

this is a beautiful image - let the flowers speak for themselves!

I appreciate that you're experimenting and it's definitely an unusual image, but surely the exquisite geometry of ferns don't need to be "enhanced" by strange vertical structures that give the effect of cheap-ish wallpaper? Or am I missing the point entirely and there's some deeper reason for combining natural and artificial geometries? best wishes, hugo

This is one of the few IR shots on PN that I really appreciate. The tones are just wonderful. Your photos are way beyond gimmickry and the type of tasteless manipulation that insults Nature!

This is a very interesting discussion starting off now, and it's great to see both sides of the debate! I must say that whilst I greatly admire many aspects of Don's work, I do tend to agree with Lance, which will probably be at odds with most of the photographers on this site.

For me, one somehow completely loses the "soul" of a photograph by adding fake skies, using agressive grad filters and tweaking colours to achieve incredibly spectacular palettes. Look at the scene above - the majestic might of Mt Rainier, its almost mystical power, the golden sunlight picking out teetering precipices on the flanks of the volcano; the delicate autumnal leaves in the foreground contrasting with the evergreen trees in the mid-distance. These scales, these colours, these forms, the transience of the seasons, the passing of time, the creative and destructive forces of the volcano...these all combine to remind us of our insignificance and uplift us with a sense of wonder.

Yet, how can this not be enough beauty for us? What does it tell us about our relationship with Nature if we have lost the sense of awe and wonder, if we instead need to adapt such scene to our own image, to fulfil our own conventions, to try to outdo each other? Surely we are simply belittling ourselves?

Hugo

fractal food....all comments and opinions most welcome! thanks, hugo

A stunning composition. Here is the purist speaking - I'm not sure if I like the extent of tweaking in photoshop - is it really necessary for such a landscape as this?

I echo James's comments - it's a almost a lovely image that doesn't quite gel. You have beautifully captured the magical autumnal light of the Lakes, though. I'm not so sure aboutt the use of the branches in the top right - in my opinion they are somewhat overused in Lake District landscapes! Keen to see other crops/versions..best wishes, Hugo

great perspective and fresh grass colours. you didn't need to add the birds!

very effective and great tones....I like this very much! The angles of the hands and wrists match the geometry of the ashtray in an interesting internal dialogue....

Hi David, I really like this one. There's a great sense of narrative, a story unfolding, but not too much is revealed to the imagination....I also appreciate the panoramic format, the figure placed to one side acts as a bridge between the viewer and the forest, leading us in with her. The tones are excellent and all in all it's a very impressive shot - definitely my favourite in your collection to date. Best wishes, Hugh

Hi, I really like the movement, the beautiful autumn colours and the way it's so simple. Very original! My only small criticism is what's happened at the top right of the image - looks a little bit strange! Best wishes, Hugo

I love the composition and the colours here. Really nice!

I hope you don't mind - I wondered what the photo might look like in black and white and with some more contrast....what do you think?? The original is great as well....ciao, Hugo

this is amazing! hypnotic forms and great colours. i feel sorry you're not getting more comments and better ratings on this...

gravestones can be beautiful as well as sad.

why so few comments? very nice indeed....great forms tones and textures. best wishes, hugo

very beautiful landscape and light. if i have to be critical then maybe it's a pity you've cut some leaves off the left side of the tree. otherwise great!

I find this a very expressive image, very honest. You've shown that one doesn't need conventional compositions or to stick to overused rules to achieve an emotional impact.

minimal and mysterious. the format is very effective.