markboyle

What are all these people on?

The composition of this image is way too loose to hold any real interest and I would love to hear from some of these people giving this image 6 and 7 for originality as to why they think it so original.

For me it is mundane at best and makes me very suspicious of the way some are using the rating system.

This is an excellent POW discussion, very interesting.

As a new member it is good to see that discussions can extend beyond the 'wow' and 'great' comments that dominate most photo responses.

For my two cents I feel that with the beginning of the 'coming of age' of digital capture and manipulation we are at a point where the 'art' of photography will begin to diversify even more and the lines between photography and other mediums will become even more blurred.

I think this is a very good thing as it gives picture makers greater scope to technically and aesthetically achieve their vision. Of course the down side of this is the greater scope for poorly thought out and poorly executed pictures, but that's life I suppose.

A good analogy is motion pictures. Over the last decade in particular the technology available to movie makers has become incredibly powerful and sophisticated enabling the most amazing visual experiences to be made. However, visual splendour alone does not a good movie make and there are many examples of this. Story, character and execution are still paramount, the technology just makes it possible for the vision to be achieved quicker, easier and more accurately.

Finally to come back to the POW image in question and it's relevance to photography in relation to the history of the medium as an art form it reminds me very much in style and context to the work of Joel Peter-Witkin minus the exterme subject matter. He was taking pictures in the late 1970's and 80's and probably 90's exploring themes such as mortality, religion, sex and death etc. with at times very confronting imagery.

Apart from the visual similarities in terms of image manipulation and format is the similarity in the sense of atmosphere, mystery and foreboding created by the photographer. I do envy people (in a positive way), like Dariusz, who have the ability to so beautifully bring to visual life a concept or idea or theme.

what i like about this image is the lines created by the pandanus

trunks and the cool, green of the fronds.

Hi Mark

Thank you for taking the time to comment.

One thing I never ever do is add things to an image, all of my images are single exposures on Velvia slide film. I am not averse to doing some work on them in photoshop after scanning but I draw the line at adding or combining things.

regards

Mark Boyle

I like it...

Bold composition, good use of sloping horizon to add a sense of movement.

As I have said before, I love the square format.

regards

Mark Boyle

A very determined tree...

I find the light in this image very appealing.

Nice composition Paul...

Looks a bit like someone has dived into the brick wall and just their legs and bum are sticking out.

The last light of day illuminates the sand lines with a golden yellow

glow...

Excellent image Marcus.

Beautiful composition, colour and light.

The mood is also perfectly captured, well done...

regards

Mark Boyle

Hi Nadia

Nice work, well done...

I do have some feedback regarding the composition which you may find helpful. For me the subject of this image is the church and the building next to it so I would crop it a bit tighter just to the right of the trees, removing about half of the long building on the right of the frame. Doing that would also reduce the amount of blank space, (most of the foreground and some of the sky), around the subject matter and make for a tighter, more interesting image.

I hope this is of some help to you.

regards

Mark Boyle

Hi Anthony

Very nice composition, well done...

One technical question, I notice fine white halos around the black posts. Is that intentional on your part or a result of some post-processing?

regards

Mark Boyle

Looking up towards a waterfall deep inside Hancock Gorge. No direct

sunlight down here...

This is the sign of the pink roadhouse in a place called Oodnadatta,

Australia.

I like the counterplay between the bright, sunny field of snow and the dark, brooding sky. The tree breaks the horizon line very nicely as well.

There is something about the square format that is very appealing to me, particularly with black and white images.

One question, is it a single image or a composite?

regards

Mark Boyle