Blues

FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
edited November 7, 2009 in Street and Documentary
A little color from Paris.

1.

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2.

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Virginia
_______________________________________________
"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

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Comments

  • PaulThomasMcKeePaulThomasMcKee Registered Users Posts: 429 Major grins
    edited November 6, 2009
    Wonderful - love the way the door is ajar. Good stuff.
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,323 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2009
    Very eye-catching scenes. Nicely seen and captured.

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,961 moderator
    edited November 7, 2009
    Ah, Paris. (sigh)

    I love doors that are so big they need a smaller door to be useful. The first one is simple and attractive, and the blue sets the tone. thumb.gif That doesn't come across for me in the second one. I keep looking at the inside of the elevator, not at the guy to the right. The blue seems more accidental somehow. ne_nau.gif
    My Pics
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2009
    2 caught my eye. There something static about the composition of 1. I tried a few crops. I think a more horizontal crop would make her move better.

    705652142_37VAV-M.jpg

    It's never going to be a killer image, though. Compare to HCB's most famous image, the blurred man jumping the puddle. That image has so many hooks going for it. There is the motion blur and the obvious fact the man was caught in the air. There is the reflection. There is the repetition of the abstract V shape. By comparison, your image just has the fact that she is walking past the slightly ajar door and checking her cell phone.
    If not now, when?
  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2009
    Thank you Paul and Mamba. Your comments are much appreciated. iloveyou.gif

    Richard, your response to #2 illustrates the power of naming a photograph. I chose blues for the title line only because both pictures are in color instead of the b&wshots from Paris I have been posting and blue is common to both. That'll teach me! rolleyes1.gif

    Rutt, you are quite right that this is not a showstopper that will make my descendants wealthy! Indeed, for me, it is a street scene, not a people picture. Which is why I cropped it the way I did. And which is why I had considered posting it a few weeks ago with the question of whether or not it was street photography for purposes of this forum. Then the great debate erupted and made that seem not to be a useful discussion after all. deal.gif

    Really appreciate all of you taking the time to comment. I still find it very hard to make myself post, but I'm trying to get over it.

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

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  • michswissmichswiss Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 2,235 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2009
    Flyinggina wrote:

    Really appreciate all of you taking the time to comment. I still find it very hard to make myself post, but I'm trying to get over it.

    Virginia

    Virginia, I had seen the first one as part of a recent challenge. Strong structural characteristics. As far as either being earth shattering, it doesn't matter. They are both good shots and add to the collection of images you've shared with us about Paris.

    Keep posting!
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2009
    Sorry, I didn't mean to try to hold it to such a high standard. Certainly, I'm no HCB myself. But this image reminded me of that one of his and I wanted to explore what made his work so much better. When mine don't work as well as I would like, I find that exercise useful, especially when there is such an obviously similar great image.
    If not now, when?
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,961 moderator
    edited November 7, 2009
    rutt wrote:
    Sorry, I didn't mean to try to hold it to such a high standard. Certainly, I'm no HCB myself. But this image reminded me of that one of his and I wanted to explore what made his work so much better. When mine don't work as well as I would like, I find that exercise useful, especially when there is such an obviously similar great image.

    I think it's fine to compare our images to the great ones, but in this case by trying to make the image something that is not, your crop throws out one of the parts that I found most appealing, i.e., the height of the doors. I guess we all see things differently. ne_nau.gif
    My Pics
  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2009
    rutt wrote:
    Sorry, I didn't mean to try to hold it to such a high standard. Certainly, I'm no HCB myself. But this image reminded me of that one of his and I wanted to explore what made his work so much better. When mine don't work as well as I would like, I find that exercise useful, especially when there is such an obviously similar great image.

    No problem at all, Rutt. I really did appreciate your comments and thoughts. It made me think about what I like about the photo. And even being compared to one of the greats and coming out on the very short end of the stick is not to be sneezed at. Again, as you point out, it makes one think more about the process and the capture.

    We all learn from how people react to our photos and, as has been said before, just giving praise is not nearly so useful as more in depth observation and comment. I would much rather get a negative comment (provided that it is thoughtful, of course) than no comment at all.

    If we all liked the same things, life (and photography) would be really, really boring.

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

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  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2009
    Richard wrote:
    I guess we all see things differently. ne_nau.gif

    No truer words. I am very drawn to graphics and the blue door photo has, for me, very pleasing graphics. I even like it in b&w.

    Speaking of graphics, we saw a marvelous exhibit of work by Michael Kenna just before we left Paris. All in black and white and not a human being in any of them. Despite this, many of his photographs, his Dearborn, Michigan series being one outstanding example, spoke loudly of human endeavor. I found them quite moving.

    So, yes, different strokes as they say.

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

    Email
  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2009
    michswiss wrote:
    Virginia, I had seen the first one as part of a recent challenge. Strong structural characteristics. As far as either being earth shattering, it doesn't matter. They are both good shots and add to the collection of images you've shared with us about Paris.

    Keep posting!

    Thank you michswiss. I shall.

    Also, thank you very much for the encouragement.

    As I said earlier, I dread having an orphan post not criticism. Although, I suppose no response speaks louder than words!! But it isn't helpful. :D

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

    Email
  • JimWJimW Registered Users Posts: 333 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2009
    It’s interesting that you saw the Michael Kenna exhibit and then your next post is a square-ish photo. I wonder if there’s a connection. I love the square format and especially like Kenna’s compositions, as they leave space for the viewer to enter. I think he prefers the expectation of human presence, because the real thing commands too much of the viewer’s attention. He seems true to his style and consistent, and he finishes off his work. There’s a lot to be learned there, I think. Glad you mentioned his name. I’ll have to dig into the closet for his books.

    I like that your first photo is square-ish and includes the bottom of those posts and the door. I like Rutt’s crop too, just happen to be in a square mood since you mentioned Kenna.

    Jim

    I don't want the cheese, I just want to get out of the trap.


    http://www.jimwhitakerphotography.com/
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