Luminous Landscape Forum
The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: JohnKoerner on October 26, 2010, 12:33:29 pm
-
(http://www.johnkoerner.org/Samples/escfrmhl.jpg)
-
Jack, That's a very good abstraction. If you have a series of these you ought to put together an entry for Color magazine's next portfolio contest.
-
Thank you Russ.
I am just starting to get the crust off of my photography and trying to be creative. It is not really in my nature (as I have more of a "just the facts ma'am") personality, and so have always just attempted to photograph insects, flowers and such as accurately as possible. My girlfriend has inspired me to try to be more creative with my nature photography, so this is kind of a "first try" at it.
How many such images would I need to enter?
Thanks again,
Jack
-
Seems to me it's from 8 to 12. Right now both B&W and Color are running their 2011 single image contest, so I can't check. I know I sent in 12 to the B&W portfolio contest last year, and the Color contest is very similar since both mags are published by the same outfit. Here's the Color mag contest page: http://www.color-mag.com/contests.html. Shouldn't be too long before they open their portfolio contest. I'm going to send Color a portfolio of Vietnam pictures but I'll probably be out of the running since I won a spotlight award in B&W that's supposed to be out in issue 81.
-
Seems to me it's from 8 to 12. Right now both B&W and Color are running their 2011 single image contest, so I can't check. I know I sent in 12 to the B&W portfolio contest last year, and the Color contest is very similar since both mags are published by the same outfit. Here's the Color mag contest page: http://www.color-mag.com/contests.html. Shouldn't be too long before they open their portfolio contest. I'm going to send Color a portfolio of Vietnam pictures but I'll probably be out of the running since I won a spotlight award in B&W that's supposed to be out in issue 81.
Hmmm. Interesting. I will see what I can come up with and give it a shot (http://www.johnkoerner.org/Emoticons/laugh.gif)
I appreciate the referral and the vote of confidence.
On your end, I would think winning a past award would mean you'd have a greater chance of being in the running.
.
-
John,
Great shot! And kudos on the creativity side. I can relate to your "just the facts, Ma'am" analogy. I have dozens of "good" sunflower pics from my garden and once in a while "creativity" sneaks in. Good luck with entries and keep us in the loop.
-
John,
Great shot! And kudos on the creativity side. I can relate to your "just the facts, Ma'am" analogy. I have dozens of "good" sunflower pics from my garden and once in a while "creativity" sneaks in. Good luck with entries and keep us in the loop.
Thank you very much Randy, I appreciate your feedback and interest :)
.
-
I would have suggested a crop (8x10, to exclude the top), but I am afraid of the forum's crop police ;) Otherwise, very well done.
-
I would have suggested a crop (8x10, to exclude the top), but I am afraid of the forum's crop police ;) Otherwise, very well done.
I see what you're saying and tend to agree with you. (Meaning scrap the wedge in the upper right corner?)
Cropping though? Really?
Tsk, tsk, good sir ... a purist would have suggested that I ought to have composed the shot a bit lower---or closer (http://www.johnkoerner.org/Emoticons/laugh.gif)
Thank you for the C&C
-
Also a very clever use of title that makes the concept work; an example of a picture being grateful for three little words!
;-)
Rob C
-
... Meaning scrap the wedge in the upper right corner?)...
Yes. The wedge also symbolizes an exit to freedom (visually), and eliminating it would make the escape even more hellish :) and generally provide for a tighter, more focused composition.
-
Jack, I don't agree. First, the height and abruptness of the cliffs makes escape plenty difficult. And without the hole that holds out hope of escape, trying doesn't really matter.
-
Yes. The wedge also symbolizes an exit to freedom (visually), and eliminating it would make the escape even more hellish :) and generally provide for a tighter, more focused composition.
As I thought about your point, Slobodan, I have to go back and agree with Russ. Well, I still see your point, but here's the thing:
Either I'd have to crop the image, as you say, but then I'd have to re-name the work No Escape From Hell ... or ... I leave the image as-is with the perfect title already in place.
Since a cropped image is preferable to an un-cropped image, and since I actually formed the idea "Escape From Hell" as I was photographing the moth within the flower, I do believe keeping the image as-is (with the original title) is being "truer to my original vision" than would be cropping the image and changing the title.
Therefore, the image and title stay ... with an honorary asterisk for your suggestion (http://www.johnkoerner.org/Emoticons/laugh.gif)
Jack
.
-
... with an honorary asterisk for your suggestion (http://www.johnkoerner.org/Emoticons/laugh.gif)
Damn, Jack! You change your mind quicker than American voters! :D
And there I was, hoping I'll get a beer after you get an award in the competition. :(
-
Damn, Jack! You change your mind quicker than American voters! :D
LOL, well, I am not sure I actually changed my mind ... I just agreed with you (and still do) that the crop would be good too ... and would augment the feeling of being trapped in flames 8)
And there I was, hoping I'll get a beer after you get an award in the competition. :(
Not to worry Slobodan ... I am German-Irish ... which means you'd get a beer no matter what (http://www.johnkoerner.org/Emoticons/biggrin.gif)
Jack
.
-
An excellent photograph Jack. One can always compromise and minimize the opening at the top right, rather than eliminate it. One thing I learned about titles, is not to be too literal and caught up with them and allow the viewers to come to their own conclusions, so as not restrict their thinking about your image. Often people will suggest a theme or title if the image really moves them.
JMR
-
Damn, Jack! You change your mind quicker than American voters! :D
And there I was, hoping I'll get a beer after you get an award in the competition. :(
You two seem to be very friendly once again? :) ;D Thinking about getting hitched? ;) In this instance I would leave the image uncropped because the V shape imo adds to the composition. Without it a crop would have possibly been in order. :)
-
You two seem to be very friendly once again? :) ;D
LOL, I am no grudge-holder ... so why not be friendly to some constructive C&C?
Thinking about getting hitched? ;)
Uh, no, I am not that friendly ???
In this instance I would leave the image uncropped because the V shape imo adds to the composition. Without it a crop would have possibly been in order. :)
Agreed. Though it could also be argued that, even without the wedge, the high-rising "flames" would add to the effect.
.
-
An excellent photograph Jack. One can always compromise and minimize the opening at the top right, rather than eliminate it. One thing I learned about titles, is not to be too literal and caught up with them and allow the viewers to come to their own conclusions, so as not restrict their thinking about your image. Often people will suggest a theme or title if the image really moves them.
JMR
Your point is well taken. As Rob suggested, those "3 little words" I added to the title in essence "made" the image.
Those 3 little words literally jumped out at me when I saw the little moth in my view finder. The moth itself looked dressed in clerical robes (to me anyway), and the sunflower petals looked like fire.
Perhaps it would have been more interesting just to post the photo ... and then wait and see if other viewers automatically "saw" what I saw in the composition.
So good point, and thank you for the compliment.
Jack
.
-
As Rob suggested, those "3 little words" I added to the title in essence "made" the image.
Jack
True. Funny thing is, if you had posted this in a "macro photography forum" sans title, I guess most people would probably have said that the moth is "distracting" as it doesn't feature prominently enough in the photo.
-
True. Funny thing is, if you had posted this in a "macro photography forum" sans title, I guess most people would probably have said that the moth is "distracting" as it doesn't feature prominently enough in the photo.
Which is why I didn't post this as a "macro shot" ... of either a moth or a flower (http://www.johnkoerner.org/Emoticons/laugh.gif)
.