Hi everyone.
Overall, I'm pleased with this week's Gallery. I apologize for getting this
out so late in the week. Without further ado, here we go!
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"Watch Your Step" by Jim Snarski
Jim, the composition of this is great! The stem leads the viewer's eye right
in to the center of the quiet carnage, and your use of a noiseless black
background works to create a stark depiction of structure and presence. The
shape of the ill-fated critter's body is diffused and forms a sort of
secondary, more specific point of interest to the image.
I think you handled the lighting and exposure expertly, given the
challenging nature of the photo. I would have liked to see more
depth-of-field, as the unfocused bits of the fly-trap are distracting. Had
you opted for even less depth-of-field, there's a chance that may have
worked, but not nearly as well as stopping down.
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"Butterfly Soars thru the Blue" by Roy Miller
I can't help but compare this with the work of dear Vincent. An interesting
image, Roy. The swirls of misshapen saturated forms provide a chaos through
which the butterfly must negotiate. The competition between the butterfly
and the background is a little bit too intense, and I catch myself looking
all over the place, rather than contemplating a figure against a ground; my
idea of the image's subject becomes ambiguous. I think this might have been
a stronger image had the background been desaturated or darkened, and/or the
butterfly given a more luminescent or electric quality. You're certainly on
the right track, though, and this is a striking image. Compositionally, it
works well; the butterfly's placement and relation to the dark mass under
and to the left of it gives a sense of "jumping off."
Speaking of "jumping off," here's an aside, and a personal one, at that:
whenever I see a suggestion to view a larger version of a work, I have to
ask what is wrong with the smaller version. In the past, I have seen some
mediocre photographs which may have looked a tad better enlarged. I have
also seen some spectacular 60x60 thumbnails which pointed to equally
spectacular 100KB images. From this I developed my "Thumbnail Test," the
most stringent qualifier for submitting photographs. If one of my images
looks good tiny, I'll post the full-size version of it (to whatever gallery
or forum it goes to).
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"Mt Tangkuban Perahu" by Trevor Cunningham
The first thing that struck me about this image is that it appeared a little
dark, but then I realized it works well that way. The source of the column
of smoke being obscured by the ridge, and the rugged landscape completely
devoid of civilization's implements (a pleasant departure from your previous
submissions, Trevor!) is actually enhanced by underexposing a stop or two
from the "proper" exposure. This landscape is fascinating, and the implied
lines leading into the smoke column form a dynamic center point of interest.
Great job!
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"Above the Clouds" by Andrew Brooks
Andrew! This is a really amazing composite. Totally believable, yet mired in
fantasy. It reminds me of the sci-fi novel covers from the late '70s and
'80s (which were--and looked like--paintings). The warmth of the light is
right on the money, and the inclusion of a bit of blue sky intensifies the
atmospheric feel. The "smudginess" in the lower right is questionable, but
not overly distracting or disagreeable. Noteworthy is the consistency of the
angle of light on all elements, even though they were photographed at
different times and places.
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"Choas at Midnight" by Qkano
Wow, I miss those days. A full-blown shoot, with people milling about. This
is a photo I've wanted to do for a while, but didn't. Exposure is perfect.
Lens selection, shutter speed, vantage point, and color balance makes this a
great image. Interesting to see some people are staying in place, others are
hustling around. Can't really tell if this was a photo or a video shoot, but
it doesn't matter. I'd like to see the result! Nice shot!
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"Tempus fugit" by Guy Glorieux
Clock innards, Guy? If so, that would explain the title's translation: "Time
Flies." And a literal translation at that. It's a pretty cool surreal image.
The montage work is pretty good, although it's a little difficult to tell
what the background elements are. Exposure on the mechanisms is good, and
the lighting is consistent throughout. The background star field(s) are
merged well. NASA allows appropriation of its images for use in artwork, as
long as it isn't sold. In the past, I've created my own segments of the
universe... just in case I get lucky and sell one ;-)
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"Provincetown" by Emily L. Ferguson
This photo is comprised of a limited, but aesthetically pleasing pallette:
white railing, natural wood tones, and muted green siding; they combine to
evoke a delicate mood. Exposure looks good. I would have liked to see more
of the chair; perhaps this could be achieved by moving in closer to the
white railing and forming an unbroken "frame"; also the modern-looking
window seems to be an anachronism and could (probably) safely be omitted.
There also seems to be a slight tilt which is a bit disturbing. Other than
that, you have done a good job of capturing the feel of Provincetown.
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"Carnation Montage" by Rene M Hales
Rene, I can appreciate the triptych effect; the order of, and spacing
between, images is probably ideal. The use of ragged edges gives it a film
feel, but I think the level of haloing evident in the center image should be
mimicked in the other two (they're a little too sharp for the feel I think
you're going for). The water line in the center image looks a bit too high,
and it makes the arrangement just a bit too symmetrical. Besides these minor
issues, everything else looks good; exposure appears to be right down the
line, and the overall image is very well done.
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"Desert Cactus Flower" by Marilyn Dalrymple
Marilyn, the blur (whether from focus or motion) is a shame. It's such a
good closeup of the flower and cactus otherwise. Your background is nice and
simple, and the plant itself fades off toward the top beautifully. Exposure,
composition are perfect.
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"Treatment" by Valery Firsov
What an interesting, haunting image, Valery! Focus is tack-sharp,
depth-of-field is perfect. Exposure, composition, everything else is
spot-on. The glisten from the medicine droplet is an added touch which ties
the whole photo together. This is a wonderfully-executed photo! Great work!
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Thank you, Andy and the PF Gallery Staff, for posting this and keeping it
all together. Participants in this week's Gallery, I thank you for your
submissions! And I look forward to our continued discussions.
Yours very truly,
Darin Heinz
Melbourne, Florida USA
