Forum Members, Here are my thoughts concerning the PhotoForum member's gallery/exhibit space now on display at http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery.html: Dan Mitchell – “Old Buoys Network” http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/mitchell.html Like Mitchell, I like the colors and texture. I also like the way he arranged the buoys in the frame, showing the dirt or fallen pieces of corroded metal on the ground. That takes away the perfection of the floor and brings it into the reality of the rest of the picture. Sometimes a caption will enhance a photograph, sometimes it will detract. In this instance, it stands alone as a joke. I love it! Dan Cardish – “Hot Air Balloons” http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/cardish.html Hot air balloons are almost always beautiful. They are fully of primary colors with names that guys can understand and pronounce without prompting. This is pretty much the case for this image, too, except for one balloon that seems to have some kind of logo on it. But it is the way Cardish has caught the graceful “S” shape of ascending balloons and bordered them on both lower edges with large balloon pieces takes this out of the ordinary and makes it a beautiful photograph. There is more here than being at the right place at the right time. This is seeming potential and knowing it is about to happen and positioning yourself appropriately and then waiting for the moment. Truly a balloon masterpiece. (And that’s not hot air.) Kristoffer J Buquet – “Little Surfer Boy” http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/buquet.html A very cute little guy in a wonderfully arranged setting, fully of colorful energy. I really like the smile. The balloon or whatever this little surfer is leaning against is a bit distracting, as I initially thought it was a bulky diaper or something, but when you see the object as not part of this most enjoyable young child, it is a neat shot. Bob Talbot – “Yaffle bird” http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/talbot.html Great shot, Talbot! Despite living in Wyoming (probably the most opportunistic state in the lower 48 for nature photographers), I am not (yet) a nature shooter, but I am enjoy bird shots immensely. I love the detail in the head. And the bird itself is quite colorful. The body seems to have some indistinctness, which I suspect is out-of-focus grass in the foreground. But this is really a great picture. How did you get so close? Those are supposed to be very shy little buggers, aren’t they? (And if you shot it, stuffed and mounted it, I don’t want to know.) <g> Jim Davis – “Fishing from a Boat” http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/davis.html The Snowy Egret is a magnificent bird. That critter in itself would have made a good photograph. But the egret is only the eye catcher of this image. The real beauty is what Davis folded around the egret. The arrangement of the boats and water, dark water in the foreground and light in the distance, is superb. The egret’s head and “shoulders” rising above the boats, with the backlight giving a white crown, is very well done. Ya done good, Davis. Ya done real good. Greg Fraser – “Rail Song” http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/fraser.html When I looked at the thumbnail, I though, “What in the world did Fraser do? He tilted one of his compositional masterpieces!” And I didn’t think I was going to like the result. Then I opened the full image. Omigosh! Fraser has NOT lost his touch. The bricks above provide the stability with their perfect levelness. The downward slant toward the left of the top rail is buffered on the left with black trim above gives the whole image some character, as does the trashed basket behind the rail. But the pièce de résistance of this photograph is the white diagonal coming from the left. And Fraser was able to see this scene and know that it would work in black-and-white. You black-and-white shooters are to be admired. You see things I cannot yet see. This is my favorite image of the week. Walter Kelton – “Train” http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/kelton.html Trains, like balloons, are always interesting. Railroads provide a vanishing point that is almost always a point of psychological interest. The engines are colorful and give the feeling of power. In this image, Kelton balances this power with the gentleness of nature with green-leafed trees on the right. This is a good study of contrasts and color. Emily L. Ferguson – “Sunset cloud column” http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/ferguson.html If it weren’t for Fraser’s picture, this would have been my fave of the week. And it took work to create this image that we can appreciate. As Ferguson says, “I was so low on the beach…” This means to me that she saw something and then positioned herself into such a place as to capture the vertical beauty of a cloud such as we may never see any other way. The result is a ballerina of a cloud, beautifully cast with stage lighting created by a low, distant sun. Very well done, indeed. Christopher Strevens – “On Reigate Hill” http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/strevens.html Normally I do not care for purposely created painterly effects in a photograph. I think a photograph should be a photograph, and if you want to have a picture that is painted, you should go paint it. But this one is so well done that I really like it. Strevens has chosen a perfect image to be transformed, and he was able to accomplish what so many who have tried before were not able to do. Of course, we are only able to see this as a small, 50K pixel image. I would like to see this one up close and real at an 11x14 size or larger. Rand Flory – “The Cowboys” http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/flory.html This should be controversial for a couple of reasons. I would really like to hear what the educators and professionals on the list think. Problem one: is a picture of a statue really worth anything itself? I normally don’t like to shoot statues, as they are works of art in themselves, so who really created the image? Problem two: is it a silhouette a silhouette when it has some detail? I could have FIPed out the color in the cowboy on the left, but I chose to allow it to remain because I liked it. But does it fail as a silhouette? jIMMY Harris – “Mantis” http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/jharris.html That is an excellent Mantis picture. I like it a lot. And yes, jIMMY, I think she IS looking at you. With loving eyes, no less. And you are doubtless aware that the praying mantis female is said to devour the male after mating. Usually starting at the neck so the struggling of the victim stops quickly. Perhaps you should wear a turtleneck sweater to bed tonight. Still, this is such a great photograph, she just may spare you – this time. Marilyn Dalrymple – “Bamboo Fan Handle” http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery/dalrymple.html Wow! I really like this image. The only problem with it is that it is too small. I wish Dalrymple had used the entire allotted 50K to allow us to see her work a bit better. I love the striking graphic quality of the juxtaposition of object and shadow. The light-on-dark of the “blades” at the top are so perfectly and delicately balanced by the dark-on-light at the bottom. This is a remarkable piece of art. What a wonderful week of photographs. They were all good. Thanks Andy and AndyStaff for putting in the hours necessary to put this show together. Your efforts are most appreciated. peace, rand
