Need Your Opinion: Better Or Worse?

elfving73

Howdy friends!
I'm about do do prints of these images. But when I was about to, I got second thoughts. I've always liked them the way they are, but for some reason tonight, I felt that the black background and the white border was a bit of a distraction. So I made the background white instead. Also - these images are meant to "be intrepreted", so to speak. They have a message. On the first set, I titled them "Commitment" & "Trust". But again I got second thoughts - is it better not to write anything and completely leave the interpretation to the viewer? First, I figured the pictures needed the image text to guide the viewer in the "right direction" and perhaps I still do. The spontanious reaction is almost always (90%) the same, a very negative one. But that's the way I want it, because I want the viewer to look again and think. Catch my drift? :O)

Do YOU get'em? :scratch

Regards / Matty

burke

Matty,
I'm partial to the black border - it draws me in more (much more!)

In terms of adding the title - I agree, you've got to give your audience credit and you don't necessarily need to spoonfeed it to them. The first one (commitment) is very clear what you're trying to get across, but the 2nd on trust is a little more obscure - I think you might need the title to help guide... So in the end, my vote would be to include the title on both.

I don't know if you're also in the process of choosing between which version of 'commitment' to use?.. But if so, my gut reaction was for the second of the two (where the key is separate from the lock)

It's a very interesting series - very creative and well shot! And I think your purpose has been acheived (at least with me!:D): it was intriguing, there was an initial reaction, and then further reflection. Well done!!

TristanP

I get them and really like the concept - well shot, too. I prefer the black border, but you could instead just not have any border and use a black mat with white interior when framing them. I didn't realize that "thing" in the upper left corner of the second shot was the key until the previous poster mentioned it. I'm not sure the key is necessary. How did you light these and what surface are they resting on?

pathfinder

All six shots are very nicely presented, but I prefer the last two the best. I also prefer the plain black background the best. Lovely work.

System

Hey Matty...

I saw these on your site, NICE... Something has to be said about the nice clean look of the white. Very simplistic and draws all the attention to the image.

PossumCorner

White and Title-free.
I like the newer white background. And definitely leaving the titles off is a plus. You said they were meant to be interpreted and I agree - you can't give people an ivitation to interpret yet tell them what their outcome is expected to be. But the main no-title reason is that it puts them in the category of those motivational shots we are overloaded with in corporate and business waiting-rooms. Sports winners or strugglers with teamwork and achievement inspirational titles, as if neither their staff nor their clients had a brain to comprehend the link between a mountaineer/ski jumper and their 3-piece-suit sales team. That saturation of achievement images has spoilt titles a bit.

Someone with a different outlook on life could love your shots and mentally title them "Chained Existence" and "Yippee, Free to Go" - wrong interpretation but titling takes away the freedom to wrongly interpret.

That aside, they will be superb prints whichever way you go.

elfving73

Thanx for your input, Burke! )
You know, I think I'll print some with titles, and some whitout, some with black border and some with white border. *Haha* Just to please as many as possible. (I'm slowly working on a portfolio, hoping to sell a few pictures one day.)

I tell ya what was goin' on in my mind while composing these images, and you'll tell me if it makes sense, ok?

Purpose: Images that symbolize love, trust, devotion etc. I was goin' for simplicity, what doesn't have any significance doesn't show on the images. There are 3 important elements (4 if you count two rings): Rings, Lock and Key.

"Commitment" #01: The rings (quite obviously) symbolize a relationship. The padlock with the locked shackle symbolize the vow, and the key symbolize "free will". To me, the key is the most important element in this image. I guess you could call it the "Key element".
Some people see the rings and a lock and say: "Great! Faithfullness til death do us part! That's the way it suppose to be!" But fortunately, most people see the rings and a lock and spontaniously goes: Oh! How aweful, how destructive. You can't own eachother. A relationship should be built upon free will! etc. etc. But for the one with an attentive eye and mind, "free will" is represented via the key. Never throw away the key!

"Commitment #02": Same as #01, but I was thinking perhaps the key shouldn't be to close - to easy and tempting to use in tuff times. That's why I moved it out in the periphery.

"Trust": The symbolism is practically the same, but this one was supposed to be more "obvious" and not as "scary" at first site. Show trust! Don't lock up your partner in suspicion and jealousy.

Something like that! Does it make sense?

Regards / Matty

elfving73

Thanx Tristan!
Well, the way I see it, and the way I mentally and practically composed these images, the key actually is the most important element. Infact, without it I would find the images repulsive. Why? Because the key represent the "free will". To me, a fundamental part of an healthy and prosperious relationship is built upon the fact that your partner has the right to leave you if you treat him/her bad. (or for many other reasons). I guess this is viewed upon quite differently depending on which part of the world you live in. The ethics in different cultures and religions various alot.

The surface is a white, varnished table. The different reflections is due to differnt lighting.

Regards / Matty

TristanP wrote:

I get them and really like the concept - well shot, too. I prefer the black border, but you could instead just not have any border and use a black mat with white interior when framing them. I didn't realize that "thing" in the upper left corner of the second shot was the key until the previous poster mentioned it. I'm not sure the key is necessary. How did you light these and what surface are they resting on?

elfving73

Thank you, Pathfinder! )
: I can not really make up my mind, so I'll get a few prints with black, and a few with white background.

Matty

pathfinder wrote:

All six shots are very nicely presented, but I prefer the last two the best. I also prefer the plain black background the best. Lovely work.

elfving73

Thanx BrothersMedia!
I'm still pending, but I think a prefer the white too.

Matty

BrothersMedia wrote:

Hey Matty...

I saw these on your site, NICE... Something has to be said about the nice clean look of the white. Very simplistic and draws all the attention to the image.

elfving73

Thanx Possum Corner!
You are absolutely right! I never thought of it that way! From now on, the titles are gone! (I think!)

From the beginning, I added the titles just to "make sure" most people would "get them". Perhaps the people around me (spouse, friends, partents) isn't very profound, but showing them the pictures without the titles oftenly ended up with headscratching and potty mouths. *Haha* The titles was sort of a "kick in" for their interpretation capability.
"Trust? Hmm.... Ah! You mean......"

Regards / Matty

PossumCorner wrote:

I like the newer white background. And definitely leaving the titles off is a plus. You said they were meant to be interpreted and I agree - you can't give people an ivitation to interpret yet tell them what their outcome is expected to be. But the main no-title reason is that it puts them in the category of those motivational shots we are overloaded with in corporate and business waiting-rooms. Sports winners or strugglers with teamwork and achievement inspirational titles, as if neither their staff nor their clients had a brain to comprehend the link between a mountaineer/ski jumper and their 3-piece-suit sales team. That saturation of achievement images has spoilt titles a bit.

Someone with a different outlook on life could love your shots and mentally title them "Chained Existence" and "Yippee, Free to Go" - wrong interpretation but titling takes away the freedom to wrongly interpret.

That aside, they will be superb prints whichever way you go.

XO-Studios

One thing I find somewhat distracting, but might be out of your control, is teh etching/writing on the lock body and clasp. My eye and mind wander and try to make out what it says rather than look at the picture and its symbology.

FWIW,


XO,