aplumpton

Supriyo, what I was saying is that it is not sure to me what is the subject and therefore the composition did not help me. I think Julie noted as I do that the highly charged and orangeish background requires a large image size to appreciate. There is a lot there that may work well chromatically in contrast with the cold or bluish foreground but I don't really see it clearly enough (its many details) and a large part of it is blocked by the foreground building. The building has interest as a subject but is it the intended subject or is it instead the partly obscured background that is the main subject? If it is both, I think one might better be made the primary subject and the other secondary, perhaps in order to keep our eye on the main subject while appreciating the color or form contrasts it has with the secondary subject. If the building was placed more to the right and the very close and somewhat non-descript roof (immediate foreground) removed, it would allow the balance between the two subjects to be altered with one taking precedence over the other. Maybe by making more of a difference in the luminosity beteen the foreground and background might also be interesting, in this case where everything seems (to me) to be part of an appealing but mixed fruit Christmas pudding. I don't mean this analogy to be negative (I love puddings), but just away of suggesting that quite a lot is going on within the frame


I showed an image in another forum recently whereby the centered subject was important to me, and the surroudings texturally supportive but somewhat secondary, but most of the comments there and prior to that in my portfolio suggested that others would have preferred to see the centered subject off center. Not sure why, except for some pre-established rules of photo composition. There you go, we all see subject matter and composition a bit differently and I am quite happy with that. My feelings here are simply my subjective aesthetic interaction with an interesting image.

It would be interesting to hear Tony speak to his motivation or intended approach in making the photo.

I appreciate what has been said about the color contrasts and their appealing tones. Tony has some very original images in his portfolio, even if I have only had time to look at the initial sample portfolio.

The present image I find a bit disturbing from the compositional viewpoint (others may well find that apparent imbalance a positive asset). The building in the foreground at right fights with what the background shows and with what we might imagine to be there but do not see. I don't mean the tall ships masts that we see only partly to the right above the forground building, but instead the interruption of the interesting curved harbourfront by that building and the slight awkwardness of the relationship between the near and far subjects. It is for me like there are two subjects. Perhaps the buiding and background could be juxtaposed better (different POV or angle of view) or simply that either is an appealing subject in itself (the forms of the building offer much interest, as does the curved shorefront), begging more introspection and development by the photographer. Ultimately, I feel the interesting color contrasts and harmonies (blue-orange) are let down by the composition. But I will gladly return to Tony's other images, particularly his simpler and to my mind particulrly successful ones.

Yes, your third paragraph mirrors my thoughts. I agree also that new photographers may want, and need, the critiques that come with a POW and this should be one of the priorities of the deciders.

I also see many photographers who take the time to not only post images but talk about photography in the many forums and thereby contribute quite a bit to the vitality of the site, yet after 5 or 10 years or more of membership and perfecting their activity may not have not had the chance to have that critique (other than the through the useful critique forum). I presume that those people have a great interest in the activity and are pushing some of its limits, unless it is assumed that they have little else to do with their time. The three-time selection within one year that I refer to is perhaps an indication that the deciders have not much time for exploration or are hung up on particular photographic expressions?

I think it was Landrum who this week provided elsewhere an example of a POW of 2002 that received an enormous amount of interest and comments. Perhaps that is a question of current interest in this site and forum, I don't know? It was before my time here, but perhaps Philip Greenspan had something to do with inciting that apparently former high level of participation.

I was intrigued by the comment of Wayne, "The strong contrasts gives initial hook to look." That is a very important part of photography and one that has I think both good and less good sides. Good, because visual impact or subject relevance is sometimes important, but less good because often powerful but subtler works (that may require digestion) can be ignored if that becomes the "alpha and omega" of what photography should be.

I quickly learned in local and national photo association competitions that "hook to look" was the way to win prizes and for a while I did that very successfully but later stepped away from submitting to those salons because it was making my photography too unidirectional - do I want to attract the judges who have little viewing time or do I want to do something more than that in terms of developing my own progression and improvement of approach? So hook to look is hardly a criteria I place very high now.

After boring you with all that, what the current POW does is to exhibit this approach to still life and perhaps raise the question, would Weston if here today photograph his pepper in a different fashion than he did. Yes, probably somewhat (as an artist never wanting to stay with what is past for him), but I doubt he would want (or need) to use the saturation slider to create an effect. However, before becoming complacent with that thought, yes, he might, as long as the result satisfied his artistic approach.

Fred, sorry for the possibly poor grammar. In the list of icons of Photo.Net it is mentioned that the icon remains with the photographers "byline" for a year, but not after that 12 month period.

Do you read the same thing?

Another flower POW (his amazing 3rd since 2015) by Radu that shows these little everyday beauties of nature "on stilts." I don't mind the heavy saturation as flowers are not my first passion, although a more natural blurry vegetation background might be a good complement here as well.

Does anyone know whether the POW icon expires after one year of the viewing of the highlighted image?

That is my understanding from the Photo.Net icon dictionary. If so, it might give an incentive to those picked to renew that accolade in future and also to seek to submit increasingly unusual, beautiful or controversial images to the forum.

Hi Landrum,

I saw this in a thumbnail while writing a response to one of your posts. You have captured a great feeling and mood of place that centres (oops, centers) on the road. It is true that the bright nearly horizontal line is distracting as it remains as a mystery object or facet without reason, but it would be interesting if you ever re process your image and dull down this part of the image or even remove it and the pole entirely. The overall mood is perfect.

I learn from this photo and I feel the need to attempt more photos at the extremes of lighting conditions (dark or light). Thanks and best wishes for continued good work!

Very well perceived. A fine image and great use of a very wide angle lens or focal length. The lighting contrast is important for this effect but is it possible to provide a bit more detail by raising the luminosity of the walls without destroying the effect of light? The placement of the small incandescent light is perfect and complements the table and chair. Makes one want to visit this part of Italy to sense the spirit of place.

Well composed, Pierre! A social comment on our comfort with the multiplicity of same houses (albeit in this case of interesrting architecture)?

Well framed (real or not), with the sun behin the creature's head. Good colours.

A whimsical, atmospheric image. You could effectively do more of these. I like how the curtain has become an abstract sculpture and we just get a hint of other secondary subjects. Fine composition!

Allen, I don't know about the title, but your photo is very well done with really fine composition, the way the girl is frame or contrasted with the structural elements and the various shadows. Almost reduced to two or three primary tones only, which gives it a striking look; the relaxed position of the girl and her obliviousness to the photographer are good complements to the surroundings. Well done! 

The image definitely draws one into it, to see the man's expression, to sense his pleasure, to feel what he does. The only thing which counters that is my desire to see the same action and emotion wih more of the surroundings, seeing all of the subject (how he is balancing on one leg, while juggling the football) and seeing him isolated in the surrroundings yet absorbed in his pleasure. But that, while I think it might be interesting to see and possibly more powerful, is not to forget the impact of thre image as it is.

I usually don't like to rethink someone else's image and I have some aversion to some past member's of a print club I belonged to briefly (!) who reacted to just about every image they saw by applying two L-shaped cutouts to reframe just about every image that came before them. One should accept what the photographer has presented us and come to terms with that.

There are some not frequent times when reframing can add something rather than just take something away. Further regards at Jim's photo suggested to me that there are some interesting cloud patterns close to the left and right horizons. They are as different from each other as the tree line with no common symmetry on either side of the sun. But both become "buried" in the apparent symmetry of the whole image. By cutting off the lower 1/4 or 1/3rd of the image, the movement apparent in these linear cloud traces becomes more evident (the left side strongly directed to the left, depicting movement, while that on the right remains less dynamic but different), and the majority of the cloud pattern (mostly static and repetitive) becomes less obstrusive and allows the more interesting (in my mind) and somewhat more dynamic image to appear. This does not change my mind much about the oft-seen color eye candy, but adds another possibility.

The best landscapes are like the best portraits, they can convey much more than texture. light and compositional artifacts and so provide a sense of place or spirit or even emotion like that of a portrait. We just don't see that vey often. A good subject for a future post, of course.

The composition is nice, with equally nice tones. Perhaps I would try a position a few inches to the right and about the same distance higher to frame the second window in the two upper panes of the foreground one. But what makes the image a bit enigmatic and interesting is the subject matter, the fact that it is not possible to visualize the form of the two doors on either side of the orange centre post.

Interesting choice of the elves, as I think that Jim D is not usually an eye candy type of photographer. This is what I feel this one is, and it is I think much less engaging than other of his more perceptive images, such as "Whitehorse Mountain" from the same sub-portfolio.

I will go back to looking at "Whitehorse Mountain"....and recommend it to others.

Thank you Tony, 

The B&W I posted is less dramatic than yours, that reminds me more of an IR simulated image. Nice conversion!

Nature and its mysterious side, beautifully captured. Edisto, South Carolina is a fine beach, as long as you don't arrive when the mosquitoes are at their peak. You have a great sense of the appearance of light.

I don't care how you produced this image, what counts for me is the final result and it is probably how you so well perceived this site and then expressed it in manipulation. The latter seems to have the quality of minimalising the details in order to maximize the aesthetic and emtional result. Thanks for your recent comment on one of my photos that could have benefitted from a more focussed expression. You have stimulated by your image here my interest in trying manipulation to provide a more minimalist and focussed visual communication.

Thank you George. I tried other angles, but didn't like the conpositional effect or lighting as much, and other secondary subjects intruded as well. But I do agree that the wires are distracting, particularly the thick one. If I print the image I will paint out (or clone out, if I can manage that) the heavier cable.

Here now, gone soon - the material becomes immaterial. How do YOU

view this? Thanks for dropping by.

Sorry, just a gut reaction and obviously not the taste of other critiquers here. But I hope it may be seen as sincere and not meant to injure. There is room for all interests in our chosen hobby or profession.

Cute, technically competent, but with as much spirit as having a coke and a poutine in front of the Battistero in Florence and not visiting the interior. Where have all the photographers gone? Where is emotion or mystery or compositions that intrigue? Giangiorgio has done better than this.