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bdcolen

Thanks for the responses. I'm not sure about this one myself. But:
1. Not liking toy guns - or real ones - is not a reason to refrain from taking a photo;

2. This is not set up; I do not set up things. This was shot as I found it, and the camera was even set to shoot square, so what you see is what came out of the camera;

3. The back story - this coat, and the toy gun - have been sitting on this park bench for a good week. Obviously a kid forgot them. The coat and gun have been moved around, have fallen on the ground and been put back on the bench, but...And yes, I realize that you don't know that from looking at the photo. And it may well be that this doesn't work. :wink





(Well, I made sure that the correct profile was embedded, and, again, it looks right on my monitor. And it even looks right in the little window we get when we get a link for sharing - but when it goes up on Dgrin, it's wrong. And no, Rutt, it is not my eyes - because my eyes are viewing it on the same monitor when it's on my computer and when it's on Dgrin. Something is shifting when it goes to Dgrin. What, I have no idea. Oh, and I am using Foxfire.)

michswiss

I don't like it. Then again I don't like guns and it takes me to a place that reminds me of how water guns trivialise weapons in children's minds and how that can evolve into acceptance of guns as a way to resolve conflicts between gangs.

{and can you get rid of that purple? }

thoth

I'm with Jen on this one B.D. I don't have an aversion to guns but I sure wish the owner of that coat was in the shot.

As for the cast, perhaps this blog entry has a clue?

ian408

I like the contrast in color but otherwise, the shot doesn't do much for me.

rutt

Check the enclosed profile before uploading. It does have to be sRGB to work on smugmug.

If that doesn't work, it's time to put your eyes aside and measure with the photoshop eyedropper.

phillybikeboy

bdcolen wrote:

{Question for the technophiles: Viewed on my monitor, prior to uploading, the color's in this shot were absolutely true to what I'd seen and what I shot. But when they landed in SmugMug, there was a mark shift to purple. Thoughts?}

I like the shot.

As for the color shift, I'm guessing you're using Safari for a browser? If so, try it in Firefox or Chrome, and your colors should magically correct themselves.

Patti

michswiss wrote:

I don't like it. Then again I don't like guns and it takes me to a place that reminds me of how water guns trivialise weapons in children's minds and how that can evolve into acceptance of guns as a way to resolve conflicts between gangs.

{and can you get rid of that purple? }

I like the shot exactly because that is the message it conveys, at least to me. It reads 'social commentary' on the indoctrination of youth to gun use. I'd like it better in B&W but then the obviousness of it being a toy gun would likely be lost.

TonyCooper

I don't get it. Looks like it was arranged. I don't have a problem with the gun aspect, though. Place anything there and it still looks like an arranged photo.

michswiss

Patti wrote:

I like the shot exactly because that is the message it conveys, at least to me. It reads 'social commentary' on the indoctrination of youth to gun use. I'd like it better in B&W but then the obviousness of it being a toy gun would likely be lost.

As an image, it's not interesting. As social commentary, it is. In that context, it works beautifully. A classic case of one picture is worth a thousand words. A column on this topic would fill inches. As it is, the picture does the job. Still don't like it, or maybe just the implications.

phillybikeboy

michswiss wrote:

I don't like it. Then again I don't like guns....

Might I suggest you stay away from Larry Clark's work then.

Richard

My first thought was that I was looking at an image from a high tech scanning device. I think that may be because it didn't occur to me that I was looking at a toy. That idea faded when I noticed that the gun was clearly on top of the jacket, not concealed by it. Then I couldn't figure out what was keeping it in place. Only after I read the edited post with the back-story did I understand. But now I don't care for it much. Interesting...

Oh, on my monitor it looks the same in FF and Safari, and doesn't look purple at all.

bdcolen

phillybikeboy wrote:

Might I suggest you stay away from Larry Clark's work then.

Some great work, but it does require a strong stomach.
That said, sitting in my office is a skateboard deck my older son - the skateboard photographer - gave me for Christmas a couple years ago - it features the cover image Larry Clark's "Tulsa."

rainbow

squirt gun.jpg

What if you posted b & w without commentary?

Mr. Quiet

It is a toy squirt gun on a coat on a bench in a park. Does not work for me.

IMHO, you guys are making way to much out of a toy gun.

NeilL

No it doesn't look purple to me. (FF with color management).

I think it needs a title - eg "Left behind". Puts an opposite spin on it, while still retaining the negative connotations.

The context is somehow difficult to grasp. I first thought the coat and toy were up in a luggage rack, of a bus, or something - the metal slats.

I can imagine a possibly better POV, from low down further to the right, and getting a view of the bench and background (park?) beyond the items. I think more consideration of context/background might have helped this image.

Neil

phillybikeboy

Mr. Quiet wrote:

It is a toy squirt gun on a coat on a bench in a park. Does not work for me.

While I can't say it reached out and smacked me up alongside with the "Great Picture!" stick, I did immediately like it. It's one of those photos that you know will evoke a reaction. If you'll pardon the pun, it's a loaded image. Just look at the reactions. Oh, wait....you have....

wrote:

IMHO, you guys are making way to much out of a toy gun.

You're spot on there, and while I won't even begin to speculate on BD's motives behind the shot, he had to know it would elicit a strong response. You can only put so much into a photo, it's up to the viewer to give it meaning. The thing I really like about this shot is that BD left so much space for the viewer to work with.

bdcolen

phillybikeboy wrote:

While I can't say it reached out and smacked me up alongside with the "Great Picture!" stick, I did immediately like it. It's one of those photos that you know will evoke a reaction. If you'll pardon the pun, it's a loaded image. Just look at the reactions. Oh, wait....you have....


You're spot on there, and while I won't even begin to speculate on BD's motives behind the shot, he had to know it would elicit a strong response. You can only put so much into a photo, it's up to the viewer to give it meaning. The thing I really like about this shot is that BD left so much space for the viewer to work with.

Precisely.

Truth be told, I was drawn to the contrasting colors. Period. So I wanted this to be in color because, for me, it is about color. I shot it a number of different ways, both square and tight, and in 4/3 showing bench and park. And rhis is where it ended up. I suppose that if I was thinking about the toy gun at all, I was thinking "kid," as I have no problem with toy guns, having learned years ago with my own kids (very non-violent adults who have nothing to do with guns) that if you don't give them toy guns, they create their own - in my older sons case, that meant taking the thermometer from his toy doctor kit, and sticking it into the toy otoscope to create a toy gun.;_) But I digress and provoke.

So make of this what you will - or won't. As I said to begin with, I'm not sure about it myself.

Oh, and rather than have a debate about guns, I suggest that everyone take a look at Kyle Cassidy's wonderfully provocative photo book, Armed America. And see if you recognize anyone in it.

Flyinggina

This one simply doesn't work for me.

I knew from the beginning that, because you took it, it wasn't set up (unless it was the ultimate setup to spark discussion!). but it looks like set up - an attempt at an interesting graphic or textural piece. As such, though, I don't think it works.

More to the point, the picture doesn't elicit any emotion in me nor interest in a back story.

That said, having been given the back story, I begin to understand why you might want to take this picture.

To be successful, though, I think that the photographer needed to move back and provide the viewer with more context. Showing something of the park area - just enough to give the sense of objects abandoned, would have helped. It might have reinforced the idea of "kid" as well and lessened the impression that "gun" was the subject. In fact, a series of pictures showing the travels of the coat and toy gun might have been really interesting. Or not!

Virginia

bdcolen

Flyinggina wrote:

This one simply doesn't work for me.

I knew from the beginning that, because you took it, it wasn't set up (unless it was the ultimate setup to spark discussion!). but it looks like set up - an attempt at an interesting graphic or textural piece. As such, though, I don't think it works.

More to the point, the picture doesn't elicit any emotion in me nor interest in a back story.

That said, having been given the back story, I begin to understand why you might want to take this picture.

To be successful, though, I think that the photographer needed to move back and provide the viewer with more context. Showing something of the park area - just enough to give the sense of objects abandoned, would have helped. It might have reinforced the idea of "kid" as well and lessened the impression that "gun" was the subject. In fact, a series of pictures showing the travels of the coat and toy gun might have been really interesting. Or not!

Virginia

All excellent points.

ian408

I recognize that to some, guns are an important topic but let's keep the discussion focused on photography.

Thanks,
Ian

Sam

Oh, and rather than have a debate about guns, I suggest that everyone take a look at Kyle Cassidy's wonderfully provocative photo book, Armed America. And see if you recognize anyone in it. __________________
B. D.

Very interesting.......thanks for posting this.

(other comments deleted)

Sam

bfjr

I don't know B. D. , I just don't know

I know everyone knows this but just feel compelled to say

Camera/Gun/Gun/Camera, both are simply tools and needed ones.
Depending on their perceived use, they are either coveted or reviled.
Both tools thru time have held both monikers.

zoomer

Thank you Mr. Quiet, the voice of reason.
Seriously...