tjfuss

Wow... very cool, so many layers and a great sense of motion.

I get it Fred, but I don't much care where the effect comes from. Maybe seeing a 16x20 print would change my mind but I still like it.

Last night I was at an opening reception for a local photographer's solo exhibit and she had an image that had some similar effects going on that were clearly a result of the digital manipulation. It hurt the image one bit. On the contrary, it took it from ordinary to quite interesting. It wasn't a heavy-handed-let's-see-what-this-photoshop-filter-does effect but a pretty well chosen effect that was done after capture rather than during.

I'm going to agree that the background is pretty dominant but I'm going to go against the grain here and say it's a good thing in this particular case. While the focus point and linited DOF are very well chosen, we would have yet another rather ordinary close-up of another flower with pretty lighting.
That the background features are more hard-edged than is customary intrigues me. It does bring the background forward and it makes me think there's something more going on back there... almost but not quite seen. For me, there's more to draw from this photo beyond an initial viewing. Dunno if I would call it "wonder" or something more like "tension".

Nice concept and execution! I especially like those highlights and it intrigues me that they're different colors. I'd guess that the reddish one is light coming through the beer and the white ones are coming through the base and top of the glass.

I'm going to agree - this is genuinely abstract and a strong composition. Your control of the light makes it all work: I love how the light to dark gradient going to the top lines up with and is offset by the dark to light transition in the concave area. Wish I'd thought of it!

Two White Lightning monolights with softboxes, one Quantum QFlash,

a diffusion screen, a juniper branch as gobo and a bunch of reflectors is

maybe over the top for selling the clock on fleabay but it was fun.

Comments and critique welcomed.

I'm not bothered at all by the large dark area. For some reason, I find the little sliver of light along the ridge is a sufficient balance. The light, textures and color are all enchanting and I simply say "well done". Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go check out the rest of the portfolio.

Nice work! I think the little bit of blue wire (?) is brilliant. I also appreciate how the yellow bars are somewhat echoed by the grain in the panel.

Nice work! The ultra-shallow DOF renders the subject pretty much irrelevant. The golden glow is delightful.

I'll throw in my compliments as well - this is a fine image. Lots has been said about the lighting and expression so I'll comment on the composition (which I feel is excellent). The off-center positioning works for a number of reasons. First, it complements the asymetrical styling of her hair. Second, the fall-off in the lighting would get too heavy if there were more room on the right. Finally, I see a slight tilt in her head toward the left side which suggests to me that underneath the neutral expression, there's something more... though I'm not sure what.

I'm with Tom on this one, my attention was drawn to the skier's posture but I'm happy to cut some slack because I'm so envious of the location. I haven't had a run like that in a very long time. Kudos for taking the time to get into position for the shot!
I like the light very much and it adds to the awe insipred by those huge fractured blocks of snow.

Very elegant! Rhythm is exactly what I thought when I saw the thumbnail - even before noticing your title. I like the simplicity and yet there's some tension in the way the ripples at the top interact with all of the verticals. Just one little quibble... that small diagonal at the bottom right keeps pulling my gaze and holding it too much. Well done!

In the quiet of the morning after a major snowstorm, the clouds begin to

part and I stall... preferring to shoot instead of shovel. Captured with a

Leica M6 wearing a Voigtlander 15mm lens.

Now that's an abstract! Nice work and a strong composition. What fascinates me is that even the out of focus areas demand (and hold) attention.

Thanks Crissu, I appreciate that the highlights are blown out. That was actually a conscoius decision made at the time of exposure. Stage lights are harsh and I was attempting to mimic that look with studio monolights. Deeper than that though is the thought that while a jazz club may feel cozy and inviting for the audience, there can be a good bit of anxiety for the performer. I tried to present some tension between the warmth and softness of the wood floor and the glare off the sax.

An old Conn "C-melody" sax sits ready for the next set. Thanks for

looking, I welcome your critiques and/or ratings.

Looks like a white-knuckle ride! A very dynamic shot - well done.

Very nice indeed. The composition is excellent... it looks fast even standing still! The simple black background and foreground underscore the lighting. The glow on the edge at lower left is exquisite.

Thanks for looking, I welcome your comments and ratings.

WOW! This is an extremely cool image. I'm drawn to the highlight on the sphere and the wonderful texture. I think the off-center position of the sphere works perfectly.

I cannot explain it, but when viewed large I find the angle of the wall at the right side disturbing. As a thumbnail, it looks really cool. Weird.

 

The deep shadowed area feels rather murky. I like that there's detail in the shadowed steps. Wouldn't the more distant parts of the shadow benefit from a bit more density?

 

There are a lot of interesting angles happening in this shot!

I think you've spotted some really good potential for an abstract here. Unfortunately (to my eye) the trees and horizon detract from the cool curves in the foreground. It also looks like the camera was set to an automatic exposure setting that tried to render the snow as a middle gray. In snow, it helps to increase exposure.

 

 

Wow! This is one of the few genuinely abstract photos in the abstracts critique forum. Light, shadow, form with nothing else. The subject's identity has no bearing because the shape, color and shading combine for a mesmerizing composition. Well done!

Cool shot, the tones feel very rich and I like how that wider groove cuts across the other lines. Have you tried a sqaure crop? I wonder how it would look without those small diagonal segments at the right and left edges.

The dramatically curved front of the Bausch & Lomb headquarters in

Rochester, NY responds well to extreme wide-angle treatment. Thanks

for looking and I welcome comments/ratings.