Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Spring (04660029)
My SOFOBOMO project has led me to explore something like a toy camera aesthetic. I have doubts about it, but it does seem to work for some photos.
Permalink / posted by and copyright of matt~ : 12:47 PM
Comments:
I think that I'm left wondering more about the style and the artifice, than the subject.
I can't decide why I think these are more intrusive in your shot here, than in akikana's shot:
http://www.photoblogclub.net/2008/03/another-wall.html
as I can't claim one is any more stylised than the other.
It can't just be the square. Can it?
The style is meant to be intrusive in so far as I went out of my way to get it to look like that, but intrusive isn't necessarily meant to be understood as detrimental.
Apart from squareness, I read the linked shot as much subtler in its stylistic intentions.
The monitor that I am using, here in London, is not allowing me to judge this so I am leaving commenting until Friday.
I am intrigued by the chasing of the 'toy camera aesthetic' I wouldn't have thought of interpreting it that way but that might be because I had never thought of pursuing such a line. Does the debate alter how one sees it? I don't think so. This challenges the viewer more than the link Colin gave: that was recognisably of a place; whilst this exists as a more rootless structure.
I presume that I am looking at a wall, against which a plant or shrub, possibly ivy, had been growing and then removed. The title and the daffodils allude to the cycle of growth and the light patches on the wall cladding seem to represent a sky full of scudding April clouds.
A forlorn spring represented by a bunch of daffs. The wall does dominate the flowers and make them look more poignant.
The uniform graticuled wall provides an inadvertent lens test.
'whilst this exists as a more rootless structure'
Would you believe that this is a particularly unfortunate addition to one of the nearby churches? The architect seems to have just grafted his most recent design for the local telephone exchange onto the side of a 100 year old church. Goofy.
Your post caused me to go looking at images from "toy" cameras -- it was all quite interesting. I think you came close to getting that look -- if this were square, you'd be closer. Also you'd have less wall, which for me would be a plus.
I like the flowers in the midst of dried grasses.
It has the vignetting and the curvature. Since shooting with the Rolleicord I have given up trying to make horizontals and verticals as they should be. This shot bends quite nicely in every direction but the flora along the bottom keeps the bottom edge true(ish). Certainly this would have been something that if I'd seen I may well have shot. But as Christina says, I'd probably gone in a little closer, had the bunch of flowers more to one side, got the lens lower to the ground and aimed up!
The corner vignetting, since you can see it readily, does give this the 'toy camera' look. So using my hands to crop that out of the remaining image, still difficult to understand what additional benefit this effect provides.
What I do find interesting is the grid pattern of the wall contrasting with the irregularity of the flower and the grasses. A yin-yang appearance, which could be extened to a hard/soft, angular/free form within the image.
'given up trying to make horizontals and verticals as they should be'
The CV 35 1.4 defies anyone keen on keeping their straight lines straight. Accentuating the effect seems the wisest course.
'still difficult to understand what additional benefit this effect provides.'
The vignetting and the distortion force this into a darker place for me. I probably wouldn't have taken this shot if I hadn't anticipated the effect of the lens.
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I can't decide why I think these are more intrusive in your shot here, than in akikana's shot:
http://www.photoblogclub.net/2008/03/another-wall.html
as I can't claim one is any more stylised than the other.
It can't just be the square. Can it?
Apart from squareness, I read the linked shot as much subtler in its stylistic intentions.
I presume that I am looking at a wall, against which a plant or shrub, possibly ivy, had been growing and then removed. The title and the daffodils allude to the cycle of growth and the light patches on the wall cladding seem to represent a sky full of scudding April clouds.
The uniform graticuled wall provides an inadvertent lens test.
Would you believe that this is a particularly unfortunate addition to one of the nearby churches? The architect seems to have just grafted his most recent design for the local telephone exchange onto the side of a 100 year old church. Goofy.
I like the flowers in the midst of dried grasses.
What I do find interesting is the grid pattern of the wall contrasting with the irregularity of the flower and the grasses. A yin-yang appearance, which could be extened to a hard/soft, angular/free form within the image.
The CV 35 1.4 defies anyone keen on keeping their straight lines straight. Accentuating the effect seems the wisest course.
'still difficult to understand what additional benefit this effect provides.'
The vignetting and the distortion force this into a darker place for me. I probably wouldn't have taken this shot if I hadn't anticipated the effect of the lens.