Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Not a primrose, either
This one is for those of you who thought that my bracken picture just had too much content. Whadjamean, nobody thought that.......
It is a Narcissus 'Sweetness', and as you can tell I'm continuing to explore different ways of seeing the plants that surround me.
Permalink / posted by and copyright of Colin [auspiciousdragon.net] : 6:40 PM
Comments:
I've just fallen into the same trap of commenting on your site first! The composition is mesmerising and the yellow set against the muted pink/brown of the background should be in a text book if it isn't already. My only thought, more of a query, is that knowing that this is in UK one gets an impression of a drier climate from the background colouring. One could live with this picture writ large!
Sometimes, I find pictures that break the 'rules' far more interesting and this is no exception. The unusual composition and the bright yellow against the muted uncluttered background demands that you look at this image. It has great impact.
The photograph has a symbolic sunrise feel to it and can I spot a setting moon towards the left? Accidental? Probably, but does that matter? I agree with JohnL regarding impact and JohnE about largeness working. This would work as a painting (the background almost looks painted) and drips a working unreasonableness. Hard to do and done well here.
I'm really having difficulty in expressing my thoughts about this. In fact, I find this whole critiquing extremely difficult. My grasp of artistic terms is quite limited. A few months ago you'd only get 'yes, that's nice' or 'No. Doesn't do anything for me'. Apologies for clumsiness of expression in my comments and if my critiques are a little light. I'm working on it, and this site shall be my proving ground! It's also pretty difficult for me behind the camera...
Anyways, to the job in hand: For a simple composition it holds my interest. I have two main thoughts whilst looking at this. The imperfect tip of the main vertical petal 'troubles' me. The background is a little too washed out for my tastes and I'm trying to work out if anything else would in fact be any better. Good work which will keep me thinking well in to the small hours...
John E: feel free to comment twice. Makes me feel popular! The background is sunlit gravel although brown is still the dominant colour around here. We've had so little light and warmth. The crofters are still short of grass for the lambs. Anyway, you can see that this was a sunny moment.
John L: I was in fact lining up a record shot for our gardening pages on the web. This bloom was still in great shape. No water damage. Stem not broken. I never did take the record shot though. I didn't set out to break any rules. I just photographed what I saw and what excited me.
JohnJo: I'm not sure how large this would print (I've only put a proof print onto A4 so far). I don't think that petals will stand up-rezzing, and I wouldn't want to spoil the background. But yes, it deserves size for impact (it is a 10 megapixel digital original).
akikana: I hope you don't think that anybody finds making critiques easy. Your comment has, in fact, told me a lot that I wanted to know. The photo held your interest. It made you think. Certainly don't spoil your thoughts with 'artistic terms'. You have read this photo very much like I took it. Background: not quite right but it is what I have. Petal tip: choose another, no, choose this one. Composition: how little of the flower to include yet still make it a flower. When does 'empty' become too empty? The small hours: what if......
The composition works, but I'd want more contrast between the flower and the background. Perhaps I'm seeing this as a bit more traditional macro shot, with a flash illuminated foreground and dark background, just recomposed as this is.
Exploring different ways to see plants is an interest of mine. I enjoy pictures of the foliage, but I've never owned a true macro lens, so my equipment forces me to look at them in a different way.
I think you have something worth pursuing here, and it's making me think about my own 'different' flower pics, so thank you for that.
I've been surprised at the generally favourable reaction that this shot has got - although Rex hasn't commented yet, so this might test his theory of the uniformity of views.
I was in two minds as to whether it made the grade at all. Thinking about it since (and it is now on the wall) I see it as a picture that has staying power in the sense that I can notice it across days and it always makes me smile. However, it doesn't have staying power in the sense that I can't look at it for very long. This is an interesting distinction that I haven't made before.
coming late...
a sense of spring. like it. especially that u dare to use such a drastic crop. quite unconventionell. but think this a typically case that the web can't really present it as deserved. I'm sure it works much better as a framed print...
This is another tit bit that's kept me working through the images.
It is unconventional and has plenty of impact.
It reminds me of my attempt to take an unconventional Swan picture. I took a couple and called the Essence of Swan (1&2).
I think this is essence of flower bed.
Love it.
On the print side; my camera is the E1 with 5Mp. I print at 40*30cm on archival matt paper using the Epson 2100. I've never had a comment about pixelation being appaernet, it isn't. That works out at about 160 ppi. As a favour I'll print the image for you from the original file and post it to you if you'd like to se it BIG!
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Anyways, to the job in hand: For a simple composition it holds my interest. I have two main thoughts whilst looking at this. The imperfect tip of the main vertical petal 'troubles' me. The background is a little too washed out for my tastes and I'm trying to work out if anything else would in fact be any better. Good work which will keep me thinking well in to the small hours...
John L: I was in fact lining up a record shot for our gardening pages on the web. This bloom was still in great shape. No water damage. Stem not broken. I never did take the record shot though. I didn't set out to break any rules. I just photographed what I saw and what excited me.
JohnJo: I'm not sure how large this would print (I've only put a proof print onto A4 so far). I don't think that petals will stand up-rezzing, and I wouldn't want to spoil the background. But yes, it deserves size for impact (it is a 10 megapixel digital original).
akikana: I hope you don't think that anybody finds making critiques easy. Your comment has, in fact, told me a lot that I wanted to know. The photo held your interest. It made you think. Certainly don't spoil your thoughts with 'artistic terms'. You have read this photo very much like I took it. Background: not quite right but it is what I have. Petal tip: choose another, no, choose this one. Composition: how little of the flower to include yet still make it a flower. When does 'empty' become too empty? The small hours: what if......
Exploring different ways to see plants is an interest of mine. I enjoy pictures of the foliage, but I've never owned a true macro lens, so my equipment forces me to look at them in a different way.
I think you have something worth pursuing here, and it's making me think about my own 'different' flower pics, so thank you for that.
I was in two minds as to whether it made the grade at all. Thinking about it since (and it is now on the wall) I see it as a picture that has staying power in the sense that I can notice it across days and it always makes me smile. However, it doesn't have staying power in the sense that I can't look at it for very long. This is an interesting distinction that I haven't made before.
a sense of spring. like it. especially that u dare to use such a drastic crop. quite unconventionell. but think this a typically case that the web can't really present it as deserved. I'm sure it works much better as a framed print...
It is unconventional and has plenty of impact.
It reminds me of my attempt to take an unconventional Swan picture. I took a couple and called the Essence of Swan (1&2).
I think this is essence of flower bed.
Love it.
On the print side; my camera is the E1 with 5Mp. I print at 40*30cm on archival matt paper using the Epson 2100. I've never had a comment about pixelation being appaernet, it isn't. That works out at about 160 ppi. As a favour I'll print the image for you from the original file and post it to you if you'd like to se it BIG!