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Author Topic: Americana  (Read 2476 times)

Slobodan Blagojevic

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Americana
« on: July 27, 2014, 03:43:54 pm »

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WalterEG

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Re: Americana
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2014, 05:03:59 am »

Makes me think of scenery and props from the era of 7 Brides for 7 Brothers.

Great find, well portrayed.
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David Eckels

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Re: Americana
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2014, 10:40:48 am »

I: A tad more snap, perhaps? Aesthetics, I know ;)
II: I find the bushes in the bkg a bit distracting. I think the bike and flowers need more separation from the bushes in the bkg.

stamper

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Re: Americana
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2014, 10:45:11 am »

I like the understated tones. Very likeable images with nothing negative to comment on. :)

Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: Americana
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2014, 12:00:52 pm »

... with nothing negative to comment on. :)

Nor much positive, I am afraid.

P.S. I hope this does not hurt the OP's feelings  ;)

Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: Americana
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2014, 12:53:46 pm »

I: A tad more snap, perhaps?...

More snap coming right up!

David Eckels

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Re: Americana
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2014, 01:16:48 pm »

Now that appeals to me quite a bit more. I know it's an aesthetic opinion, but that's why you put it here right?  ;)

Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: Americana
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2014, 02:11:44 pm »

...  that's why you put it here right?  ;)

I put it here because I am not quite sure I like them either. I find them rather devoid of meaning and sterile. They lack the "snap," as you noticed, but I am afraid it is not because of the postprocessing.

WalterEG

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Re: Americana
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2014, 08:06:33 pm »

Slobodan,

I have to admit that I always considered these as somewhat at odds with your usual faire, but I do find them evocative of a bygone set of attitudes.

Consequently, I can't quite come to terms with the ramped up contrast because the rendering is contrary to the content.

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Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: Americana
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2014, 08:57:41 pm »

... I can't quite come to terms with the ramped up contrast because the rendering is contrary to the content.

That's the thing, Walter, when I am unsure of what the image is saying to me, or what I want to say with it, it is much more difficult for me to come up with the appropriate post-processing. 

stamper

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Re: Americana
« Reply #10 on: July 29, 2014, 03:27:31 am »

Nor much positive, I am afraid.

P.S. I hope this does not hurt the OP's feelings  ;)

Quote myself.

I like the understated tones. Very likeable images with nothing negative to comment on.

unquote myself.

Slobodan. I thought that the words like and likeable were positive? And nothing negative were to a degree positive?
If you disagree then I suppose it must be a culture thing. It looks as if you are in the process of throwing your toys out of the pram because you didn't get the praise you thought you deserved? Sadly I feel that you have become more obsessed with yout technical skills - or lack of them - rather than your aesthetic awareness. :(

mjrichardson

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Re: Americana
« Reply #11 on: July 29, 2014, 03:28:49 am »

Slobodan

These are images that are likely to have meaning because they remind you of a time or a place you like, nice enough but separated from that personal connection they just don't hold anything interesting enough to make them compelling in any way as they are presented here. I'm not sure if you went black and white to try something different with them but I'd like to see them in colour, they look as though they should have lots of nice colours and probably textures that are missing in the black and white conversions.

Mat
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Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: Americana
« Reply #12 on: July 29, 2014, 01:16:56 pm »

Slobodan. I thought that the words like and likeable were positive? And nothing negative were to a degree positive?
If you disagree then I suppose it must be a culture thing. It looks as if you are in the process of throwing your toys out of the pram because you didn't get the praise you thought you deserved? Sadly I feel that you have become more obsessed with yout technical skills - or lack of them - rather than your aesthetic awareness. :(

Oh, boy... how did we end up here?!

It must be a culture thing. Or language thing. Or sense-of-humor thing.

Stamper, it was a joke at MY expense. Now, when a joke needs explaining, it ain't, but still:

I wrote that post in a faux third-person voice, i.e., not as a continuation of or inference from what you wrote, but as a third-person observation of my photograph. It was HIS (i.e, mine) observation that my photograph does not appear to contain much else positive to comment on (other than "likability"). The next sentence (about the OP's feelings) should have been a giveaway that I was joking, as OP = me, not you.

I understood that your comment was a positive, complimentary one and I appreciate that. However, from my subsequent posts in the thread you can see that I have serious doubts about the very esthetics and meaning of the images. The scenes might be likable - after all, that quality prompted me to raise my camera - and indeed there may not be much negative to comment on, but also, at the same time, not much else.

As for the rest of you comments, I do not know... I would like to think that I do not have a reputation of someone who is easily offended by criticism or, even worse, lack of praise, but turns out I might be wrong.

In any case, thanks for the initial favorable comments. If my attempt at humor fell flat, my bad.

Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: Americana
« Reply #13 on: July 29, 2014, 01:48:01 pm »

... I'd like to see them in colour, they look as though they should have lots of nice colours and probably textures that are missing in the black and white conversions.

I am afraid it looks even more saccharine in color. Perhaps the wider scene looks better. Or not.
« Last Edit: July 29, 2014, 01:55:54 pm by Slobodan Blagojevic »
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RSL

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Re: Americana
« Reply #14 on: July 29, 2014, 03:33:18 pm »

Much as I hate to have to say it, the only thing that makes this a picture worth snapping is that it's pretty. And it's pretty because of its colors. In B&W it's humdrum and quickly forgettable.
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Bruce Cox

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Re: Americana
« Reply #15 on: July 29, 2014, 05:05:49 pm »

It's not the same without the Christmas lights.  You could paint the sky blue?
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stamper

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Re: Americana
« Reply #16 on: July 30, 2014, 03:43:29 am »

Quote Slobodan

 If my attempt at humor fell flat, my bad.

unquote

I realised when I read your post that there was an "attempt" at humour because I have read a lot of your posts and I am aware of your style of posting. You are certainly not bad. I decided to pretend to be hurt to see what reaction I got and you didn't disappoint. :) However I am not sure if Kirby was pretending to be hurt in another of your recent posts? :-\

plugsnpixels

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Re: Americana
« Reply #17 on: August 02, 2014, 12:15:42 am »

The color versions are definitely better but try antique color instead (i.e., muted and diffused). I know, that's a cliche approach to vintage photos but it does look nice.
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mal mcilwraith

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Re: Americana
« Reply #18 on: August 03, 2014, 04:18:01 pm »

I voting for the second wider view in colour of the little wagon - the background creates a context that ties the image together - the idea of more antique colour could do the trick.

The bike against the hedge I would consider sepia - but I have not seen the colour version so maybe there are better options.


Mal
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