In celebration of The Queen's Golden Jubilee ... ... I have the time to "judge" this week's Phoyo Photum Club competition ... As always ... to defuse the "where is the gallery postings ... > The PhotoForum member's gallery/exhibit space was updated JUN-01-02. > Work now on display at http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery.html includes: > David Small - intermission http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/mitchell.html Looking at this image gives me a feeling of "deja view". It is such a timeless image, no trappings of modern life. Why such an al fresco arrangement under such a moody sky? The title says "intermission" so that helps out a little ... people were there and will return soon. For itself however, without the verbal clues, it is "exit stage right" (after Snagglepuss): the arrangement is central but the chairs lead me right ... If I have a question ... "What is a 1.5 degree slope on the horizon supposed to add?" The false horizon, the near grassy bank, places the feet of the chairs on the same level. But if this was by design, I'm missing the message behind it But it is still a clean image, helped by being monochrome: 16 > Dan Mitchell - Outwell http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/mitchell.html I have never heard of Outwell before but this picture makes me want to visit it if ever I'm passing the area. The composition seems flawless. The river bank leads me in from the left corner accross the painterly reflections. The quiet lane on the left reinforces that movement punctuated by a slight rise (a mountain by East Anglian standards?). Returning along the far bank I pass old some cottages and reach the lush trees that delineate the right hand side of the image and fulfill the vital role of stopping the sky reaching both sides. If the image has a major weakness for me it appears far too soft in this company. Was a tripod used? If not why not? The scene demands either sharpness for clarity or a more impressionistic filter for effect. A minor comment is the timing: the harsh shadow on the boat and the barn (?) may not be there at a different time of day and I would prefer to see some detail there. Nevertheless, it has so much potential and were it my home area I would return for sure: 17 > Jose Luis Vasconcellos - At Sao Francisco river, Brazil http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/vasconcellos.html A middle-aged man frowns, or maybe the lines of his face are fixed that way from years of working outside. He holds a metal cup and a spoon, his vest fastened at the neck but not at the second button. He leans to the left and looks out of the image to the left ... all the movement is that way. What is the story though? Given just the image and a title it must almost end there .... While the image is uncluttered, in the sense that the clutter that is presented is an inherent part of the scene, it is uncomfortably cropped for me. We have the top of the man's head but only a pixel or two clear of the top edge. The lower edge bisects his cup and the left edge removes his shoulder. As David's image wants to move right, this wants more left for me. The lack of sharpness on the gentleman's face does not help this image for me. As a character study however, it is far from bland: 15 > Jim Snarski - The Red Umbrella http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/snarski.html Yes, there is an umbrella and it is red. That is not meant as a facetious comment, indeed it is meant as a compliment. Personally when "judging" images in the PF gallery I prefer to let the image speak for itself and often find the titles a distraction. A simple title like this acts as a perfect handle for the image without appearing to try and give it added meaning. The "design" of this image is transparent: The red umbrella-holder in sunlight before the dark shadows of the forbidden city. the walkway takes me across and down, that change of direction adding a vital ingredient. The roof, and tiles add a sense of time and place. The scene has so, so much potential. looking at the framing though, it feels a little too tightly cropped from the base below the walkway and this is underlined by a small excess of sky. The lady with the umbrella, for perfection, would have been stood about 30 pixels to the left - where she is is uncomfortably close to the bannister post. The biggest failing however is in the out-and-out technical quality. It is a scanned print: it looks it. If it started life as a Provia slide ... a scan of the original would have done it far more justice. A good try but I don't feel you have shown us this image at its best: 14 > John Lee - Fireside Chat http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/lee.html Photo's of other people's art work, in this case a sculpture, really need to add something to the original if they are to show the photographer's skill. This is an interesting sculptural arrangement for sure: so graphically simple. The photographer has chosen to place the objects ove to the left edge of the frame and leave an expanse of empty space behind. The lighting is harsh: where the sunlight hits the arm, foot and leg does add some interest but sadly the bland blown-out foreground predominates. I can't help feeling we are just too far away from this image and I'm really not able to read much of the photographer in to this. Would fill-flash have faised it slightly? Would a closer approach with a wide angle have helped? I don't know ... it does not shine in today's company: 12 > Elson T. Elizaga - Nurse of the Operating Room http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/elizaga.html What an absolutely stunning image: 20 (unhesitatingly) Lighting, pose, emotion, character ... they are all there for me in good measure. It is a shame you are forced to include your copyright line so harshly: a less overt grey instead of white for the text might reduce it's impact but OTOH the image is so good I am prepared to let it pass. My image of the week for sure. > Jeff Spirer - A Place to Sleep http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/spirer.html A scene of dereliction, abandonment. old iron and rubble before locked doors. The title says "a place to sleep" so is that a metal bed or is it the sleep of long-past miners? I see a full range of tones and detail in all regions. For me though, I'm not getting any context from either the title or the supporting text. What is a vulture mine? perhaps the fact that I miss the significance of that means I also miss any great emotion about the image. I don't see any ghosts ... The image is well taken, it is only that it does not speak to me: 17 > Greg Fraser - Playground http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/fraser.html A well seen abstract. The picture is not just about the shapes in the playgound, mostly shown in silhoette, but alo about the sky. The plain vivid blue to the left of the curve fighting the clouds to the right. I like this image a lot. Were it mine I would crop down from the top just enough to remove the upper supporting strut and from the right to move the basket ball net to the right corner. That is just an interpretation however, and my way of simplifying. For this image as shown, the only real flaw is in the clouds: they have not rendered very well at all. The sunlit part is almost featureless to the extent that it distracts from the other patterns in the image. As with Dan's image: this is a place you can revisit. It is a set worth experimenting with. Take a tripod for composition ... go at the weekend when you won't feel so hurried. It is a good shot nevertheless: 18 > Bob Talbot - Euston Station http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/talbot.html A photo of a zebra crossing, a war memorial and a couple walking into the distance. So what? "Look Right" is very prominent but then again, so what, why would you need reminding to look right when you cross the road?. As to why the zebra is yellow/black not white/black I can only guess. The title and the picture seem unconnected: I presume therefore that it is "the environs" of the station rather than the station itself. I notice the join in the pavement hits the lower left corner and the white line hits the right ... the memorial is upright. This would be improved IMO if the couple were nearer, say directly underneath the bowed statue of the soldier. A big so-what: 10 > jIMMY Harris - Another Couple http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/jharris.html A flash-lit shot of two butterflies doing what butterflies do whn they are not feeding from flowers. With such close-ups [I supect this is no macro whatever the lens says] getting the camera back parallel with the subject is almost obligatory ... unless the shot is clearly about creative blur. This appears to me to be taken with a smallish aperture: the foliage, though dark from light fall-off, is relatively well delineated. A botanist could no doubt identify the habitat. The pose of these two is a classic one and the stem of the plant supports the image well. This shot improves for me if I crop off the top: behind the foliage is a distracting light patch. I would also tighten up the cmposition by another crop from the right edge so the stem comes directly out of the corner of the frame. Doing that lifts the image for me. There is a slight lack of focus on the tip of the lower butterfly's wing which prevents this being a classic but it is still a competant nature pic: 17 > Roderick Chen - Bengal cat http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/chen.html I must declare a personal interest here: we own a Bengal Cat (Fingal) too. As to whether that makes me like the picture more or less is another story: does this image show the breed's character? Well, Bengal's have a proportion of wild (Asian Leopard cat) in them which can give them a reputation for being "difficult". This shot certainly shows that the photographer got the cat's attention. "Watch the birdie" as they used to say? Some observations about the image: the shot is presented with both ears and the left-side whikers cropped. Does this work? Certainly it takes you closer to the face than you would be placed by being given the whole head. Does it work again? Actually, I think the crop of both ears does: had one been in the frame and the other not, particularly had it been a glancing crop then it would have spoiled it. The background (flower-patterned cushions on a sofa?) are in keeping with the tone of the image. If it has a flaw it shares it with several others this week: it is a bit soft - I don't know if that is camera shake or defocus. The eyes are the sharpest part as they should be but they still don't come over as crisp. I bet the owner is delighted with this: 18 >>> FURTHER INFO ON BENGALS: >>> http://www.bengalcat.com/home.php > Andrew Davidhazy - after Edgerton http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/davidhazy.html I can't help but make the connection between the content of this image and it's timing: Today the Queen celebrates her Golden Jubilee ... that is 50-years on the throne. So the photographer takes the opportunity to show a photo of guess what? Shooting a queen? I think that any Royalist would be justified in taking that as is an insult to her majesty. What has she ever done to you? Grief, 1776 was a long time ago ... get over it and move on!!!! As to the photo ... giving the author the benefit of the doubt (and noting that it is after all his list) ... what more can we say: it speaks for itself. I can't help but be in awe of the technical expertees needed to carry this off (nor the 500 rounds of ammunition). Th bullet cuts the card on the top third even. If the picture has a flaw, it has missed some of the debris on the right hand side at the expense of plain black background on the left. One thing *looks* wrong. The cloud of dust gives the appearance of movement yet the bullet looks uncomfortably static. If you repeat this shot how about using two flashes? One slightly slower (1/100,000th) to give a motion trail and the main one *second curtained* as show to catch the bullet. An excellent exersise but I find it hard to forgive the slight on her majesty: 19 This week's shot of the week ... Elson. Finally Well done to all the contributors, another interesting week. Also a special thanks as always to Andy for mailing all this happen week after week. I keep wondering how long it will be till RIT close down the gallery because its staff appear to be exclusively female. In today's age I wonder if such overt sexism can continue to survive unchallenged ... > There is currently one (1) photograph by Vasconcellos enqueued awaiting future > exhibition. ? How can that be ... surely we don't send in our next shot till the previous one appears ;o) > Instructions for contributing can be obtained by following a link > from the main gallery page given above. New series of 5-6 images per author as > well as new work by groups of students also encouraged! Maybe I had better re-check ...
