Tim,
I'm such a fan of the colors alone! These sienna tones are so basic to the classic Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish masters. So immediately your pictures catch my attention. The colors are, however, not the story here. This as Eric points out, tells a stroy and it's captivating!
Nicolas,
These are the pictures that I love in color, although I'm certain that they'd work in B&W. However, the leather apron, man's skin and wooden bench are one family that have a long history with man. Add iron and it's perfect. These materials, textures and hues are each part of the other in there being. I don't like so many modern pictures with jumbles of disorder, colors that have no loyalty to nature!
Tim,
Arc of Intent: these images beautifully show the expression of man's intent.
The artist is putting his creative concept using workmanship into a form that can be shipped anywhere and appreciated for it's form.
You are also transmitting in your own intent in an artistic set of images that provide not only facts and a story by convey the mans focus, concentration and dedication to his work, but also your appreciation of all you have observed.
Now here's the special point of such art.
We are led her to generalize and go beyond the specifics.
We enjoy the colors with all the cultural significance built in through thousands of years of man's struggle with nature, to think beyond the picture about mans creativity and grappling with resources to make things better for us. Each time we look at such a work as a whole, we recruit our own experience and find new meanings, thoughts and ideas about the human condition. We see man as precious. We value creativity. We are in awe.
So, that's my take on the set of photographs.
Asher
Notice, I didn't mention composition or lighting or choice of lens or how the image was processed. We might come to that later, but the images as presented leap over those considerations. Of course we'd like to know more. Don't feel constrained by my take, as this is just one view.