Hi everyone.
I've been really busy rebuilding my life over the last two years or so, and
it's been a pretty good while since I last interacted with the List. I
really haven't been "lurking", per se; I've been collecting all of the posts
and had them funneled into a separate folder so that I could look at them
whenever I had time (yeah, right!). Currently there are approximately 3.5
thousand unread messages in my PhotoForum folder...
Anyway, for those who remember me, I'd like to say it's good to be back, and
I really HAVE missed "alla youse." For those who emerged in the meantime, I
look forward to hearing your input and possibly helping to answer the
questions. Oh, the so many questions... ;-)
So, just to prove that it really IS me, here's my take on this week's
Gallery.
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Per Ofverbeck: Copenhagen Library
Per, This is a great shot, largely due to its composition. There are three
notable disruptions which contribute to this: the inclusion of a wood tone
to defeat the otherwise monochromatic nature of the image; the wonderful
diagonal of the walkway cutting through the upper center of the frame and
the staircase near the middle; and the human element (added by the people on
the mover and at the desk in the upper right corner) prevents this from
appearing too clinical/static/sterile. The flowing curves along the left and
right edges also add a pleasing boundary. The exposure also looks good,
although I'd probably prefer to open up the shadows through the round
opening (in the center) a little.
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Dan Mitchell: Denver Reading Room
Dan, what initially struck me is the way the door and windows almost
levitate against the dark painted building. For a moment it is a competition
between positive and negative space, as the line between figure and ground
is blurred. I really like the way the roof has its own presence and, like
the grass, extends beyond the frame. The composition is probably just as
tight or as loose as I'd want it to be; it appears well-balanced. The sign
adds the perfect finishing touch; had it not been there, the expanse of the
wall may be a bit more overpowering than it should be, and the text offers
an extra in the sense of place. A truly timeless photo, Dan. Great work.
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Achal Pashine: Fashion Show Model
Achal, I suppose the first comment I could make about this relates to the
beautifully delicate color in the skin tones vs. the background vs. the pink
garment... The model's poise is one of elegant confidence; the sidelong
glance, I feel, works better than if she had been looking directly into the
camera. The lens selection works well, as does the exposure variables you
selected. Great timing, great visualization.
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Pini Vollach: Gazebo
Pini, I believe you have captured this view at precisely the perfect time of
day. It has a delightful mythical or otherworldly feel to it. The color of
sky and water, and of grass and wood, and of white paint and deep dark
shadows in conjunction with one another make the shot. In contrast to Per's
library shot, the absence of a human element in this one helps; the chairs
are more inviting, more interactive, when empty. After all, "communication"
is better between photographer and viewer than is "transmission" from
photographer to viewer...
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Jim Davis: Mating Flush
Jim, I can truly appreciate the sharpness you've achieved in this image,
particularly with as obviously wide an aperture as you used, and with a
subject who (I'm assuming) does not understand human verbal communication.
The length of neck included in the composition lends an almost humorous
touch; it is as though the heron poked his head up into the frame to say
"Look at me!" Indeed I am. Color, and lighting are both excellent, exposure
appears spot-on.
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Peeter Vissak: Annection
Peeter, I must admit that when I looked at the thumbnail I was only very
mildly curious about what the full-size image contained. Of course, I was
surprised when I opened it...
The composition is what really makes this shot work for me. The symmetry
works well; the centers of the circles (tread, rim, hub) falling just above
the image center was a good placement. And let's not forget the snake
slithering out of the wheel! Had this been a studio setup, it is conceivable
that it would have been constructed much the same way. I am astonished at
how well the design of snake vs. wheel works, whether by choice or by
chance. Look at the principal bend in the snake's body, and how it coincides
almost perfectly with the boundary between tire and rim. Then the snake
turns its head back in the direction in which it was initially heading,
thereby completing the visual line from nose to the point of egress. I like
the way everything is basically the same color; however I don't feel it
would work well in black and white, unless it were sepia-toned, in which
case it would look like this anyway. An aside here: If I were to squarely
crop the left side, eliminating the trademark on the tire, I believethis
would make a pretty cool CD cover... Fantastic work, Peeter! Being observant
paid off!
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Jeff Spirer: Illusion
Hi, Jeff. Children, in my opinion, have always been thought of as spirits of
sorts. They live in a world where everything is magic, and new experiences
wait around every corner. In light of this, I believe you have captured this
essence very well. The expression on the boy's face and his motion certainly
contribute to the feeling; the apparent disinterest of the other child is
indicative of individuality, even as motion blur is an attribute shared by
both. The warm light looks good; aperture and shutter speed look as though
they were selected well for this image, and composition seems to have been
well-considered.
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Trevor Cunningham: Minarets and Mirrors ala Aschal
Trevor, I believe this is the first time I've ever reviewed your work. What
a wonderful illusion this is! I believe I spent a good five minutes deciding
whether there were two minarets, or one and a mirror, or where the mirror
is, if there is one, etc. And no, I have not yet come to any solid
conclusion.
The overall feel of this, the "exotic" nature of the shot, the dusty walls
(whether they were or not) and the architecture sprawling outside the
window, again, add to the interaction factor I mentioned with Pini's Gazebo.
The lack of information in the shadowed area of the wall to the left and the
limited patch of light to the wall on the right provide a golden walkway for
my mind to follow right out the window. Add to this the connection among the
traveling magicians circa 1920 and the Byzantine/Mediterranean world, and
the use of "smoke and mirrors" to render indiscernible the region where
reality meets illusion, and somewhere in there all of these things meet in
this image. The only question is "do they meet in the mirror, or in the
'real world' portion of the image?"
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WRGill: Strip Mall, 03.31.04
WR, first off, nice use of hyperfocal distance in this one. I think the only
thing that disturbs me in this picture is the vast "empty" sand area
stretching across the image's center. Maybe the information (objects) on the
far left and far right are extraneous, but right now I'm not sure. Otherwise
the color is great; you picked the right time of day to shoot this. The use
of the downright festive floral framing device was a good move. The contrast
between the ruddy building and the sparkling blue water is vibrant, but I
don't think it was exploited quite enough here; perhaps the building could
have filled more of the frame. I think there is or at least should be more
of a story behind the image that needs to either be told or illustrated.
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jIMMY Harris: Barrels
jIMMY, This is a very well-balanced shot, despite its primary "axis" being
on a diagonal. The line of the barrels, with the woman on the lower right
counterbalanced by the child on the horse, abruptly ends at the grass, which
forms a neat border between the foreground and background, two very distinct
worlds. The background world is cluttered and static; the foreground world
is relatively clear, but active. We can't see the faces of the people in the
image, but somehow this doesn't bother me.
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CJR Strevens: New Life
Chris, I really like the shallow depth of field here; This in addition to a
low angle of light and open shade ("Nature's Softbox") all helped to make
this a serene image. My eyes keep searching, keep trying to pick a singular
subject out of the picture, however, and this is probably its only
shortcoming. Had there been, for example, a solitary shoot of foliage
leaping up to take center stage, the image would have benefited greatly. A
side note: I sincerely hope that you and your mother both shall soon recover
fully.
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Maris V. Lidaka, Sr.: Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier, Chicago
Maris, this is indeed a challenging image to interpret. Without the
description, I believe most of us would be lost, yet intrigued by the
photo's complexity. My first instinct is to recommend that the image be
converted to B/W, but on second thought, I rather like the fleeting presence
of sky/water and flecks of red (I'm assuming the cars); perhaps even
punching up the saturation would exaggerate that effect. Great depth of
field here; it certainly helps to have the crossbars in the foreground.
Otherwise, I feel the sense of distance would be diminished. Nice job.
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Thanks to everyone who submitted their work to this week's Gallery!
Craig D. Heinz
Melbourne, Florida USA
