Dear Colleagues,
Before I begin my review that is undoubtably as well respected as it is a serious work of critical analysis, I have an appology to make.
Last week I promised that I would review from an accountancy perspective. To my chagrin, the resident accountant has been sidetracked by something apparantly far more interesting -- it seems there is a discrepancy of 12 cents in an account somewhere. I question as to whether 12 cents has ever been important to anyone, but nevertheless...
ADavidhazy wrote:
The PhotoForum members' gallery/exhibit space was updated 09 OCT 04. Authors with work now on display at http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery.html include:Hang on, I've got something else to say before I start. The thumbnails this week make me look forward to this review. Whilst the thumbnails often (and strangely) seem not to represent the images themselves too well -- and please don't ask me to explain exactly how this could be -- an interesting set of thumbnails is always a good thing :-)
Greg Fraser - Last Summer in Port BurwellDamn you Greg! What can I complain about? I want to complain about composition, focus, contrast, interest, or something, but I can't. OK, so the horizon isnt't completely level, but to correct that would have the children (especially the girl) leaning too far over, so I can't really complain about that either.
Deen Hameed - Big White BackgroundDeen, I hate you too! This also leaves me little to complain about. Hey the contrast is wildly different to Greg's image, but it's clearly appropriate to this image. The only thing I might hace done is cropped a little off the right so that the reflector (?) goes right to the edge of the image (about half way through the round brass thing that goes Tisssshhhh! and thus removing more than half of the big round thing that goes Booom!).
D.L. Shipman -A painter friend of mine recently did a series on flowers. She was quite disturbed when we (my wife and I) pointed out to her how much her paintings looked like genetalia. Another one of her abstract pieces is referred to us by the name "old fella" for pretty much the same reason. Why is it that we (and, dear readers, you may wish to exclude yourself from "we") see sex in everything? Sorry Dave, I don't see sex in your image :-( There's some really interesting stuff going on in there, but the background is a little boring. I'd crop out all but the centre of the flower (leaving less than 1/4 of the image). I still don't see genetalia, but the image become much more striking.
Jeff Spirer - Man with HatJeff, you are an awful, auful, auful man! This was *not* one of the thumbnails I liked. And exactly like I said, thumbnails often don't do justice to an image. I really like this image. My only question is why does he have 2 pairs of sunglasses?
Emily L. Ferguson - Mouse WinkEmily you are evil! When I look at this I *almost* can't resist the temptation to wink back. The image looks a little soft. Now, I *could* tell you that this is because it's a digital image, but I've decided that it's probably because the mouse is made of rubber.
Dan Mitchell - FlatlandsHere's the sort of image that a real photographer would have done in B&W, having first removed the wires (by either cutting them down or lifing them with a crane). It might look like a work of Talbot (not the Bob, but the Henry!). Seriously, the wires do detract from it.
Nathaniel Lichten - Transportation
My browser is timing out on your image -- I guess that means it's timeless.
Are you in cahoots with Microsoft? Is that why your image downloads so slowly? "Nathaniel Lichten" -- it even rhymes with Microsoft!!!!!
OK, I can see half your image, so I'll start with half a review.
What are you on about? Do you think that sharpness, and smooth tones are important? (ooh, I can see it all now) Are you trying to mock me? I like your image and I can't find anything significant to prattle on about.
Christopher Strevens - WorshipI am shocked! (hang on) <UnBob gets his crucifix and holds it before him, arm outstretched toward the image> Unbeliever! Down with the Charlatan! </crucifix> Couldn't you get a real bird to get ker kit off in a real church?
Pini Vollach - IstanbulOooh Pini! Your image makes me sick. I look at it and I start feeling giddy. I just can't look at it for long. Can I have a large print to stick on my ceiling?
Andrew Davidhazy - IguassuAndy, I realise you tread a fine line, but I detect no genetalia here either! But hey, turn it upsidedown and it looks a bit like a map-o-Tassie! Another one of those images I hate because I can't really complain about anything.
This is an evil gallery. All of you (and I specifically include "Vicky and the rest of the PF exhibits staff") bear responsibility for bringing together a gallery from which it is impossible to pick three outstanding images.
So I've picked five.
Nathaniel - Diamond Andy - Platinum Jeff - Gold Greg - Silver Pini - Bronze Deen - Tin
OK, so that's six. I told you it was hard. Quite frankly, I'm not all that happy with the ranking I've given here.
Now just bugger off and take more pictures, damn you!
Best, UnBob
p.s. I just realised I reviewed Andy's image with only between 2/3 and 3/4 downloaded. I don't think my ISP likes Andy or Nathaniel.
p.p.s. OK, Now I've seen all of Andy's image. I was going to prattle on about how cropping it would be good (just to justify my own ranking of it) but in all honesty I can't.
<UnBob walks off dejectedly to his darkroom to find something marginally in focus to print>
