richard_john_edwards

GUnnar

Excellent Street shot, Sorry its been a while but i have been travelling in Italy. Happy new year.

Pierre, This image has depth, What i mean by that, is it is very textural, nice work, happy new year

Wolfgang.

The simplicity in this image is great, the gradation in the sky compliments the snow very well. I really like this.

Alf

Wonderful landscape, works very well in Black and white Good tonal range in all . Love the clouds, they cap off the scene very nicely. Sorry its been a while since i commented , I have been travelling over the last 2 months and have not had much time for PN.

I am now going to offer my critique based on, the “title” and then based on what Gerry has explained in terms of intent.

Firstly the title: SEEN BETTER DAYS – My first reaction to the image was that the elderly woman was the subject and that the title referred to her. I actually thought the title worked. I did not see the elderly lady as a homeless person nor did I see her as a complete stranger. I did not think that the image degraded or put her in a negative context at all (processing included). Yes she is in a wheel chair yes she is old, the title implies that has not always been the case. Although she could have always been in a wheel chair! The chair certainly shows signs of extensive use. The scene could be read as a place where time was enjoyed, it could also be read as a place she shared with a special person and where special memories are held. This was actually confirmed by the artist. To that end he has been successful.

Secondly the explanation: the reference to the shelter as the item that has seen better days does not quite work for me, it is secondary in the image. The photographer should have composed differently and presented differently to get that message across. He should have dominated the scene with the shelter in some way, and used the elderly woman as a clue , this could have been achieved by separating her form the left edge of the shelter having her face obscured from view looking at the shelter, ie being a figure. He could have used depth of field to isolate the shelter from the elderly lady, once again implying her connection to place. As others have stated dodging and burning could have been used to further emphasis what is subject and what is context. The photo does not fulfil the intent of the explanation

Having been involved in a group public exhibition for a theme, “images of our elders” the brief was to portray an elderly person in a positive light. This image although not showing the woman in a positive light, does tell a story when read in context of the Title, to that end it works. And I think it would work as part of a greater body of work that was about memories of elderly people. However the image was not offered up in this regard.
My conclusion is I like the image, I see it as an elderly woman who has seen better days, her expression makes me question has an event happened to her that makes this a bad day? The fact she is in a wheel chair is neither here nor there. It fits the title, it does not fit the explination.

Wouter I strongly disagree with your position. Competence is more than technical, competence is result with intent, achieving an outcome that one sets out to achieve, and setting goals and reaching them. That’s what makes someone competent. Breaking the rules with intent to achieve an outcome and achieving the desired outcome, is competence. Some of the great works of art follow no rules, Pollock? would you state the artist is therefore incompetent? Especially if they never followed the rules? NO. One measures ones success and competence by measuring the outcome against the intent. I agree that you cannot disregard the title as that genie is now out of the bottle. That is a failing of Gerry. Give an image a title at your own peril!! I don’t agree with Stephen on the issue of titles and he and I have had this debate before, I respect his position but I don’t agree with it. Back to the image at hand: It is competent when put in context of the rest of Gerry’s work, we can measure this by reflecting on the body of work that is his folio. This image is not a mistake, it had intent. It also demonstrates the skill of the photographer, because of all of the items I mentioned above. It does push the bounds, and the fact that it has pushed all of your buttons, suggest to me that it is very successful as an image. It is not an image that sits on the fence and follows rules (including composition). Perhaps that was Gerry’s mistake, he did not play it safe, and he chose to push the bounds. But in my view they are not overly exaggerated, the responses to me are overly exaggerated, and as state come from a position of prejudice against what is different, what confronting and what challenges the senses of sight, I would equate it to complex jazz fusion, to 90% of the population it is received as harsh, inharmonious, and confusing, to much information for the senses. This image does the same to some extent, the HDR effect and sharpness provide a lot of information and detail, but that does not make it bad, you just don’t like it, you may not get it you may even hate it, but to try telling an artist to change his or her style because it does not suite the viewers perception of what is good or bad is a nonsense. To state that the image is bad, just demonstrates that the “Nay Sayers” may not yet have developed your visual senses sufficiently to appreciate that what is different (that is what prejudice is based on). END OF RANT.

I would like to see some justification of the harsh critiques (tittle aside). The enlarged image does not appear to be over processed at all. yes it has the elements of HDR but not to extreme, the ladies face is not rendered hideous, or offensive by the treatment, it highlights the elements of age. Gritty high speed film can have the same effect, that does not mean its good or bad, it is just a way of story telling. What right do all you "nay sayer's" have in badmouthing work because it is presented in a way you don't agree with, you have a right to like it or not to like it, but to describe it in terms as presented by so many of you is just as Stephanie said, playing the man and not the image.
Demonstrate to me how the image is lacking?
It is competently exposed
it is competently framed
the subjects are competently arranged
The lady has an expression that suits the image (IMO)
The detail is excellent
The tonal rage is also excellent
the tonal gradation is excellent
so what we are left with is a bunch of opinions about taste. Critique should be more about competency, as it is competency and pushing the bounds that make for good photography, the shallow view that all images should be presented a certain way demonstrates a prejudice in artistic expression remember you don't have to like an image to know weather it is good or not and good can be defined by competencies achieved.
Opinions are like ar$e holes, every one has one.

I like the photograph and the technique used on this one, I also note that it is in keeping with your style of photography. As for the

title, I don't agree with using titles, I like the images to speak for themselves without guidance or misguidance from a title.

I think most of the comments are harsh and misplaced. I also agree that they to come from places of prejudice . The expression on

the ladies face ( your mother ) is not one of a person who has seen better days, she has a tongue in cheek look in her eyes, and

having read your replies Gerry, the expression is in keeping with that expression. Perhaps a narrative would have given better

context. I am not a huge fan of HDR however it does have it's place, and when done well for the purpose of expression it can be

good. In this instance it is good. The image is dynamic, the composition well thought out and the use of HDR here to give the image

grit works. Other tea jakes may have worked better however, I am not the artist, just a viewer.

As for awards! Awards have a place, they provide competition, and with competition comes the striving for excellence, a lot who

criticize awards are those who have never one any or those who fear entering for fear of being judged poorly, or they are just not

interested. I can see how this image would have won awards, it is a long way from the garbage we see here day in day out, one

image blending into the next. This image stands out, this image pushes the bounds, this image has been well thought out and

presented, the hobbits (elves) have chosen well. The mere fact that it has created controversy shows and demonstrates that it is an

image of substance.

Wanghan, you have captured everything I remember about my visit to the Canyon, Nice work.

Regards Richard

Wolfgang, great image, great tones, can you present a version with the top 1/4 cropped out, my opinion is that it would be stronger. It would give the image a bit more of a focal point to the trees in the background. Try it and see if you like it. But regardless of my opinion, it very good work.

Regards Richard

Alf, this is a really nice, feelgood image. The colour of the girl contrasts really well against the monochrome like background. Such a happy image, really well done Alf

Gunnar, this is a great photograph, The details are so clear. the composition is perfect. The reflection of the woman in the middle is so well timed. This one is a classic.

Regards Richard

The lighting in this image is spectacular, wonderfuly processed and really well seen.

Regards Richard

I like the black and white much better, the colour version does not really do it for me, sorry.

Alf, Great Sky, unfortunately for me the image is too flat and lacks any real focal point. The mid tone contrast needs to be enhanced and some dodging and burning done to bring out what the key elements in the photograph are. I also think with more work you could really create a bit more drama in the clouds. This is a good image that just needs more work.

Cheers Alf

When working with Landscapes, its all about composition and lighting, and Alf you seem to always pull a rabbit out of the hat. I really like the banding in this image, the composition breaks the image into sections that can be studied and admired in small chunks. Excellent work.

This is also excellent. Even though most of teh image is taken up and framed by the horse, its what is going on above the horse that is great. The number adds interest and gives great contrast. Really good work Gunnar.

Excellent, great depth, great story telling. It really gives a sense of place.

I think this is excellent, the tones are fantastic.

Very very nice, great isolation, composition and colour. Well done.

This is very good, there is a lot to explore in this photograph, Very nicely done.

Klaus, this is very good. you have extracted a lot out of what is a fairly flat scene. excellent processing. Well done.

Nice layered composition, colours are very nice.

Regards Richard

Nice work Jeff, I like the simplicity of this image, the tones are great as well. I even like the slight tilt the image has.

Nice work.