Abstract - thoughts?

Wiren · March 30, 2016

This one is out there, even for me..... quite the abstract. Bungled photo of a bird during the blue hour at the coast last year..... thoughts are quite welcome as I am not sure what to think of it. :huh :dunno :scratch

David_S85 · March 30, 2016

Just a bit too abstract, I think. Looks more like OOF smoke.

EDIT: Well, it sure seems like I am the vocal minority here. I'll have to admit this image is growing on me a bit the more I take a look at it. I've got one of these myself of a gull (or something, because it is very OOF) and I have not decided if it is art, or not. And I've been looking at that one of mine for 6 years now.

Stumblebum · March 30, 2016

Looks fab too me!
Like I would have tried to get this and failed!
I probably would have concluded its a bird without the notes....
Waves and shadows in perfect locations and total harmony!
Not sure if it is possible to reduce grain just a tad....
Cheers Lee!

Richard · March 30, 2016

I like it. It sort of looks like an X-ray.

black mamba · March 30, 2016

Hi Lee,

I, myself, love working in the abstract. I like the one you've created here. I suggest you crop from the top to get rid of those two dark, horizontal lines....they, in effect, chop off the top of the frame themselves and I would eliminate them completely. This is a nice, soft image that could compliment many decorating themes. Good work.

Take care,

Tom

Wiren · March 30, 2016

Thanks guys. Taz....., you're right, you couldn't get this if you tried... I didn't try either. I went out for a beach walk pre-dawn and had my cam with me just in case. I saw the sandpiper and turned on the camera forgetting I had it set to Aperture Mode at like f8 or some such.... the minute I pressed the trigger and felt the box open and stay open I recall thinking "damn....", but stood still until it was done.... took other images that day with correct settings on the cam... and this downloaded shot has lived on my drive... forgotten, until I cruised by it last night and it caught my eye......

They say some of the best work you do is the work you didn't plan or intend to be worthy of anything..... I have a few different shots that prove just that and I wondered what other folks thought of this.....

I had another friend look at this and claim the top black lines also distracted her view of the rest of the image... competing for where her eye fell.... I will re-crop to rid those lines and try to fix the gain and reduce it just a bit.... I may look at this with a texture gun and try to add something textural wise that is both muted, yet adds interest.....

I appreciate the feedback gang.

roaddog52 · March 30, 2016

I too like this one. I like the sense of motion, makes me think of the ballet. I agree with a crop. I think I would crop the top, placing the bird in the top left quadrant.

Phil

Thelensspot · March 30, 2016

I like it...just enough there to reveal what the subject is with nice lines and colors.

Wiren · March 31, 2016

Changes....
I really did not expect so much response to this image

But I really appreciate all the feedback and support.... keeps me coming back!

Anyhoo, I decided to change it a bit... I made it my native 4/3 crop so that I could keep some heft to the size of the imge.... folks can crop it how they like if it ever sells....

by making it wider, I could crop out the dark water lines that were in top of the original image. I also made some adjustments (hardly noticeable) to the coloring while also trying to tone down the noise. I think this version should do well enough, i'll be surprised if it sells any copies as sales are a rare bird (lol) to begin with....

Cheers

Blue%20Blue%20Birdie-X2.jpg

Stumblebum · March 31, 2016

Can't rave enough! Bravo on rework!

black mamba · March 31, 2016

D-Y-N-A-M-I-T-E

Great image.

Tom

Cornflake · April 1, 2016

I like this quite a bit and I prefer the cropped version. One suggestion: if you're going to use a watermark, consider putting it elsewhere. It upstages the line of ripples where it is.

Wiren · April 1, 2016

Cornflake wrote: »

I like this quite a bit and I prefer the cropped version. One suggestion: if you're going to use a watermark, consider putting it elsewhere. It upstages the line of ripples where it is.

Thank you... Thoughts about that watermark..., I did give thought to it, and the crop. My thinking is this..... on the crop, while I like the thinner version... I know some of my fans are partial to wider prints. This image is one where a person can order a copy and mat it for framing how they like..... thick or thin.... which lead me into thoughts about that watermark....

Let's just suppose I put it on the right side of the image and a client purchases a copy (first, I'd be shocked into a heart attack), but they plan to mount it with a matte for a thinner view than the purchased copy. My signature ends up being covered by the matte :cry

Therefore, I finally decided that whilst the watermark competes with some of the lines... and I attempted to push it as far right to match a line as I could, that is where it needed to be so as not to get matted out of the equation... this is the only time where I wouldn't mind a client framing me for something....

I appreciate your thoughts on the issue.... maybe I can make the watermark a bit more transparent to better match the color of the dark line reflection so that at a distance, the signature looks like an extension of that dark line....

I have been trying to think about finished product matting/framing issues when I complete my work.

Lee

Thelensspot · April 2, 2016

Lee, once again I'm going to vote in the positive on this ...original or rework...they both work for me! Nicely done.

Stumblebum · April 2, 2016

Wiren wrote: »

Thank you... Thoughts about that watermark..., I did give thought to it, and the crop. My thinking is this..... on the crop, while I like the thinner version... I know some of my fans are partial to wider prints. This image is one where a person can order a copy and mat it for framing how they like..... thick or thin.... which lead me into thoughts about that watermark....

Let's just suppose I put it on the right side of the image and a client purchases a copy (first, I'd be shocked into a heart attack), but they plan to mount it with a matte for a thinner view than the purchased copy. My signature ends up being covered by the matte :cry

Therefore, I finally decided that whilst the watermark competes with some of the lines... and I attempted to push it as far right to match a line as I could, that is where it needed to be so as not to get matted out of the equation... this is the only time where I wouldn't mind a client framing me for something....

I appreciate your thoughts on the issue.... maybe I can make the watermark a bit more transparent to better match the color of the dark line reflection so that at a distance, the signature looks like an extension of that dark line....

I have been trying to think about finished product matting/framing issues when I complete my work.

Lee

Hi Lee, as for the signature......why wouldn't it work or be just as effective on mirror opposite location on right? Assuming frame is equidistance on all sides? I get same sense as Don on that.......it breaks up the eyes following the waves.....not to mention feels hidden a bit....I think on opposite side it would get both recognition and not interfere with the art.....JMO. Cheers!

Wiren · April 2, 2016

Stumblebum wrote: »

Hi Lee, as for the signature......why wouldn't it work or be just as effective on mirror opposite location on right? Assuming frame is equidistance on all sides? I get same sense as Don on that.......it breaks up the eyes following the waves.....not to mention feels hidden a bit....I think on opposite side it would get both recognition and not interfere with the art.....JMO. Cheers!

I can see the rationale.. AND... if the framing does leave an equidistant amount on both sides then yes, that would work.

On the other shoe.... what if somebody chooses to frame it so it becomes a thinner image... with a wide matte? Lets say they choose to frame the image in a 16x9 format with the bird the main subject and the rest of the image on the right is cut off or hidden under the mat?

I am thinking end product that the consumer might be finishing up...

I agree that the signature would look best on the right, but with the possibility of "dead space" being framed out, you probably don't want your signature in that dead space, no matter how great it looks.....

Just my opinion - i'm sure i'll never have to worry about it anyways.....

Thanks all.

Lee

Juano · April 3, 2016

I love this!!

bow I was going to suggest a crop from the top, but I see that my friend Tom suggested the same thing. The revised version is outstanding! I am a huge fan of blur and abstracts! Well done.

Abstract - thoughts?

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