david_julian2

Dear Photonet community,

 

I am selling signed limited edition archival prints of this image (and many others from my website). I have had so many inquiries for prints of this image, so I am offering prints made to order rather than as prpe-printed stock. This way i can make them fit your exact requirements and ship the most recently numbered edition print.

 

At this writing, I have sold 121 or them, and the new editions are 20x24 and 16x20 (paper sizes). larger prints are available custom order as well.

 

Inquire though: http://www.davidjulian.com/dreams_fs.html

Dan, you just moved me off of top place for Top Rated Photographers on PhotoNet. And you know what? Your images are in fact excellent. Shows what a person can do when they know their equipment and get out there to let skill and imagination blend into art. Very nice stuff! Look forward to seeing more. Got a website portfolio we can visit to see more??

-- www.davidjulian.com

OK I'm going to take a chance and be honest here. The reactions to my words will define for me the kind of forum this is and the types of people that come here. Kiet, you have an obviously excellent set of eyes, and you are certainly knowledgeable in handling your film and equipment. There are several nice images in your folder here. BUTI would like to know why so many photographers with such talent and skills choose such similar themes, subjects and lighting. It's unfortunate in a way, because I feel that it's because the publishers keep publishing these images, and therefore they have become a kind of "outdoor vernacular". Because (many of) you have strong talents, why not look at nature in a different way? In a more personal way? A way that defines you as a thinker and the unique individual you are, not just as a photographer? That is roughly the assignment I give those who ask me how to make better photographs. Sure, it's natural to hone skills through emulation at first, but then it's good to leave the "common nest" and strike out on your own, discovering your own unique visual voice. We ALL have this in us! We all love a beautifully exposed natural image, but what we remember and repeatedly stare into is the uncommon image of originality and brilliance. Your talent coupled with a more personal vision will achieve this. You are certainly quite GOOD, and I know that with a little more effort you can become truly GREAT. I am speaking here not only to this fine observer of nature, but to all of you who praise the natural image. NO, not all of my own images are great nor perfectly original, but I always ask myself this question before I load the film, compose the shot and trip the shutter when not taking what I call "documentary images". I ask myself "Is this worthy of an exposure and a print?" If the answer is "well... maybe not" then I think hard about my motives. Yes, I'm pretty tough on myself, creatively. It's just a method that works for me and for many artists I know and respect. You be your own judge and keep shooting and returning to the places you love. I look forward to seeing more of your work in the future.

Dan, I enjoyed my week of Photo.net "fame" in last week's POW. I'm glad that the standards are as high with this week's choice of your wonderful image. Your images show not only superb photographic skill but also an understanding of the subjects and how best to visually present them. If the visitors to your extensive website galleries take anything away with them, it should be that the world is an incredible, stunning place that should be seen up close and not just viewed in various media. Fortunately for us, your beautiful images make us want to discover it all for ourselves. David Julian

(www.davidjulian.com)

I find these comments interesting, as if being a fly on an art gallery wall.

Also, it's like a virtual review forum, something I'm sure Philip Greenspun, our illustrious host, has intended.

Firstly, I do not discuss my film types because it changes over time and with each situation. Secondly, the birds were not crows. I believe they were Brown-headed Cowbirds, according to the orchard's owner. I removed two birds at vignette's edge. A relatively benign alteration, but I'm sure I'll take heat for admitting it. All manipulations, whether optical or digital, attract critizism. I can lecture for hours on that, and have.

ThirdlyRemember, you are looking at a relatively tiny JPEG, that doesn't pay much homage to the IRIS prints I make. And yes, I have a un-vignetted version of it. The vignette is far more agreeable in the print, as the fall-off is smoother and goes under the Mat. To each his/her own.

Thanks to you all, Otto included! --DJ ( http://www.davidjulian.com )

I am very pleased that this image has earned POW and such kind comments from so many PhotoNet users. This image reveals my love for nature and my quest for nature's "darker beauty". Years ago I dreamt a vision similar to this one, and I had hoped to someday see it happen in my viewfinder.

One day, while on a vacation that turned rainy, I just drove around with my gear. This tree was one of several in a row at an orchard's edge. After gaining permission from the orchard's owner, I patiently tried many camera angles that would compose the tree as i wanted. I deliberately ignored the technique often taught "to compose off-center", as I wanted this tree to evoke a very deliberate power in my image.

That said, I also had to avoid capturing the neighboring trees at frame's edge. it started to drizzle, and I thought I had better 'bag' my camera to protect the lens. When the birds flocked into the orchard to rest and noisily socialize, they flocked from tree to tree until, as my hopes would have it, they landed in the tree I was focused upon. Careful not to allow rain into my lens, I unbagged and shot several frames, but the birds took flight as I did so, and you now see the result. Pure serendipity aided by envisioning the "dream" years prior. And yes, my lens did get wet.

I have sold this print as an 18x24" IRIS on Somerset Velvet, and as an archival Epson print onto Arches Ivory 300lb paper. It is part of a series about Trees. A friend, Art Wolfe, loves this image and chides me that I should also shoot trees with leaves! I chide him back, saying that the bare trees are like doing a nudes series. Each has a different appeal, and has a different need for composition. Without leaves, the tree's skeletal form and details become very interesting and perhaps a bit haunting to me. This kind of "emotional seeing" is what I teach my workshop participants.

I hope this explanation helps those who've emailed me, and especially the highly critical reviewer "Otto" above. David Julian

I always feel lucky when I come across an image that arrests my thought and provokes me to think about the forces of nature on a purely survival level.

This image has all the makings of a great amateur photo: the timing, the imperfections, the simplicity of equipment, the impact. The fact that the photographer became excited enough to shoot this image in the face of such a threatening situation earns my respect. Many would have simply split for cover, afraid of hurting themselves of their precious gear.

Let's just take it for the amazing image that it is, and stop trying to fix it.