Forumists; Here are my thoughts about the PhotoForum member's gallery now on display at http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery.html: Jeff Spirer - Warning Signs at Mitla http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/spirer.html This is my favorite of the week, even though I wouldn’t have recognized this as a Spirer photograph. I like this image a lot. The color, the lighting and the physical composition of the pillars combine to produce a photograph depicting the term “power.” The emphasis on sky, and not just any sky, but a foreboding mass of light and dark, is what gives this image its significance. Then there is the title. Spirer’s title created enough curiosity to cause me to Google the word, “Mitla.” For more background information, I looked at http://www.sacredsites.com/1st30/sanctuar.html and found Mitla to be as fascinating as Spirer’s depiction. Ya done good, Spirer. Morley Roberts – Female http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/mroberts.html Hey, Roberts certainly nailed the image on the head with his title. That is a photograph of a female all right. And it is a pretty good one at that. The human body can, when well lit, cast an almost endless variety of interesting shadows. Roberts was able to capture most of those shadows without losing texture completely except for the female’s right arm and hair, both of which sink into a blackness that slightly take away from the quality of the image. The lack of hair surrounding female’s head bothers me. It suggests a melting into ambiguity and generic female form. But the face itself is so well lit as to not allow that anonymity. The face instead cries out, “I am an individual.” This dichotomy of messages is slightly disturbing. Roger Eichhorn - Hills in Late Afternoon http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/eichhorn.html I love the green and the brown, and even the sky a bit, but it seems so blah compared to the other elements. Overall I like the image, although not as much as Sprier’s work. There is pleasant beauty here, but no drama. The mid-ground objects add some interest to the photograph, but I can’t make out exactly what they are, other than something man-made. The confusion here leaves me just slightly disturbed. And then there is the accompanying text to consider. First, it seems as is Eichhorn is bragging, as this is a photograph shot in February of this year, and in Wyoming, I won’t know the meaning of the term “green” for another couple of months. L But the text is where I am most disturbed about the image. Eichhorn says, “Somewhat altered with Photoshop Elements. 2.0.” The best part of this photograph is the color. So is it false color? What was altered? I would have preferred not knowing about the presence of alteration, as I then want to know just what was done. The forum is a photography forum, not a journalism forum, so I guess I expect some alteration. And that is not necessarily inappropriate. But to simply whet the appetite with teasers, but not satisfy the palate with the whole story leaves an incomplete feeling. Pablo Coronel - End of the road http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/coronel.html Tires. Dead tires. Dead tires in an interesting, but not fascinating arrangement. A photographically washed out wire fence between two stacks of tires that detracts from the image because it is indistinct, but present. This image tried, but didn’t quite do it for me. Per Ofverbeck - Copenhagen, October http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/ofverbeck.html Here is Hotel Astoria in the rain with someone with an umbrella walking across the street towards its front door. There must be some significance here that I am missing. Rob Miracle - Glove Save http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/miracle.html This is a GREAT sports shot! Even with the dark glove, the save is fully evident. The goalie is watching the puck and is in full control of the situation. Miracle, you are ready for SI. David Small - Art in strange places http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/small.html Street photography is never my cup of tea, but I find this photograph strangely interesting. Maybe I am learning (but I doubt it). The man, the art, and the location all combine to provide an interesting slice of life while creating mystery about how he could have picked this spot to evidently peddle his wares. Was the building empty? Is this the man’s normal spot, or did he just move into this spot to avoid rain? It is the unanswered questions that make this photograph work for me. Doug Seibert - Oh Columbia http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/seibert.html This was a technically difficult, but very well executed shot. Again, however, the text works against image, at least for me. Seibert states, “The shear size is overwhelming.” That is not evident in the photo. There are people in the background, but not next to the Columbia herself, and so I cannot appreciate one of the primary items that Seibert felt when he saw the shuttle. Still, I appreciate being able to view this scene. Peeter Vissak - Nature slightly mort http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/vissak.html This was almost my favorite for the week, but the flower tends to blend in too much with the background. Maybe this was intentional in the “mort” theme: from nothingness, again to nothingness. But then the highlights of the vase should not blend into the same nothingness. It is the solid reference to non-living stability. The vase needs to continue, to be solid, as a counter-point to the fragility of life. But a good image overall. Emily L. Ferguson - Mattapoisett harbor ice http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/ferguson.html Ferguson personifies “cold.” The bleak of the blues help to show this. The ice (?) is not identifiable, except in description, which adds significantly to the image only after you know what you are looking at. This is a good photojournalism piece. Marilyn Dalrymple - But is it Art? http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/dalrymple.html Nope, it is not art -- at least as I define the term in my own mind. But I appreciate seeing this image for what it is. I wish I could have seen it in real life. Thanks for presenting this in the forum. Dan Mitchell - West Walton http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/mitchell.html It’s Mitchell’s village in winter. It looks like an interesting place, but the photograph does not help me get excited. I know there is a church in town. There are some other buildings. And there is snow: white snow covering the countryside, and dirty snow on the roads. It is just like my town, and your town, unless you live in California as depicted in Eichhorn’s photograph. Thanks for the contributions this week. I appreciate having the opportunity to view these images from all over the world. It helps put the differences and yet the sameness of humanity into a better perspective. Thanks also to Andy and his staff who put the forum together. peace, rand
