Hi all,
Has been a while since I have contributed anything, in part due to the anticipation of getting some new kit, particularly a 105mm macro lens. Well it arrived and I managed to spend Sunday late afternoon trying it out. I've just got home to have a look at the shots and thought wow this one just seems right straight from RAW. Let me know what you think about the attached photo. Do you think it captures that arty look I was going for and would it benefit from further processing? If it does what would you do?
Hi Tim,
My first reaction to the image is impressive and attractive. That's the start.
"Arty"? I don't really know what that is because it can be so many things as can Art, except "arty" implies
like art or in the
style of art, or the sort of stuff that seems to sell in galleries and I wonder how they get away with selling it!
So l cannot usefuly talk about "arty" since that is not my sphere of knowledge or interest.
Art however interests me immensely.
This, to me at least requires some sense that transcends the mere pattern, colors and compositon to make one want to return and evoke feelings, emotions, ideas and questions even perhaps about the very nature of our values and existence.
Now to your picture!
The essential impact of the image is related to the limited depth of focus, the flower color and shape of the petals as well as the angle of the shot.
While one cannot say this is not art because the highlights are over exposed and the detail is thus lost, I ask if this is useful to your image.
Matisse had a sculpture fall. This was the reclining nüde. He painted the image then proceeded to rescue the sculpture and it seems that he took advantage of the damage in his final design.
Another of Matisse's sculptures split in the trunk during firng of the clay around a soft center. He decised to exploit this and cast it in bronxe for the final exhibited work.
Here however, I feel that the blown highlights do not help the picture. If you insist it is what you want, then your taste trumps mine.
I'd rather look to see what you like about the image and get back to work, checking the light and including all the tonalities within your image.
Caveat: My comments are based on straightforward photography, where one tries to use the camera to draw an image. I like the subject and the goals but I feel that this is a project that needs more work! Others might see your image differently, perhaps as having significant features of abstraction that make the technical issues I see as unimportant!
Asher
