Likewise Steve, your response to my comment. Enigmatic because I couldn't read the image or its significance to you. Therefore I couldn't get to grips with its hidden meaning and failed dismally to generate one.
All of which raises the importance of accompanying text to give meaning and significance to a photograph... It seems to me, a photograph can only have maximum significance to its taker. Rarely does the deep meaning of a photograph come through without textual amplification or explanation. Should then a photograph always have a title? If for some it is unnecessary, how do you decide when it is required? How important is the accompanying comment, if any?
Anyway to comment on this week's gallery:
Leslie Spurlock: Child in Jacmel
A lovely wistful and engaging portrait. This would have stood as an attractive portrait, but the accompanying explanation amplifies the significance (for me) enormously. It's those beautiful large eyes that do it, contrasting against the drab background.
Tim Mulholland - Beam & Motes
A sensuous, glowing image, made by that lovely diagonal beam of light. The details are of interest, should I ever be able to visit this canyon. But returning to my remarks above - is the title needed?
Nod - Nod
All goes to “prove” the value of a dSLR - how else could you get a speed of 6400 ISO unless you carry various SLRs and films?? I remember those sort of nights, though...
Veli Cigirgan
A perfectly well executed portrait. Just out of curiosity I would be interested in knowning something of the technicalities. My guess here is this would be a lot harder digitally unless using a dSLR with a very long lens to blur the background. So - a film photo? Not that it matters aesthetically.
Margaret Lucas - good smoke
Again, thank you for the reference which helped me to put the picture into a real life and more significant context.
Trevor Cunningham - The Great Pyramid
I've never tried IR film, perhaps I should. Does the tilt matter? I don't think so. You could use PS to skew the image and pull up the right top corner a bit but why bother? IR here really does bring out the texture so beautifully. It's one of those techniques: used in moderation it is most effective.
Peeter Vissak
I can't resist this - you're still barking up the right tree! I like to try to get my students to look for these amusing images - it's a good test of their imagination!
Dave - Paper Barnyard
I can't think what to say other than it is an intriguing photograph! Incidentally I couldn't find your photos at the quoted URL?
Jim Davis - early dawn over the lake
A gentle and peaceful landscape which I like. Couldn't really think of any useful comment other than did it really need a title, since that is obviously what it is!
Museki Abe
Nicely thought out image. I love photgraphs where the artist has looked at the scene from a totally different way, and this, by breaking “rules” works so well. I found your web-site, the Photo-Haiku gallery and this is truly inspirational! I would welcome borrowing your idea as a stimulus for my students who are also studying English. They made me rush out and photograph apple blossom in my garden. Now for the haiku...
For the next two weeks, my students (about 55 all told) are completing their photography courses to AS (1 year 16-17 year olds) and A2 (2 years 16-18 year olds.) Let's wish them good luck!
Howard
