#71 Concrete C&C Plz

senorjax

I like this idea quite a bit but can't help but think that the incredible artist who painted this magnificent scene on a concrete block wall did all the heavy lifting here and I'm just tagging along because I took a snap of it.

I walked by this mural outside a small market/cafe two days ago and knew that I had to come back and try to capture it. Today i got the chance, I hope I ended up with something worthwhile. I tried a variety of compositions and ended up liking this one which encompasses most of the original artwork. I was worried about my view being one dimensional and lacking depth, since I was essentially shooting a wall. I'm sure the talent of the artist helped me out, the detail and perspective of the table and chair where the lady is seated is just stunning. It really stands out. I took some liberties as well, lightening and diffusing the interior of the 'market' some and burning in the outdoor elements a little, to add contrast between indoor and out and add to the illusion of depth. It looks to me like its dusk outside, going on evening, but the store is still fullly open and lit up. Plus, the sax doesn't really fit in the daytime anyway, does it? The only element in the photo that is not part of the painting is the shrubbery in the front right. It's real, and I hope it helped give it more dimension as well.

slpollett

I've looked at this image several times today. I really, really, really like the artistry and the scene. It's a great shot. But.....it really doesn't say 'concrete' to me. I know you said it's painted on a concrete wall, but the viewer doesn't get that from this picture (or at least I didn't).

It's beautiful though.

Sherry

kwickers

Nice artwork on the wall. I avoided any painted concrete since once it is painted it seemed to then not fit the concrete theme. I can tell the wall looks like cinder block upon close look, but I also think this does not fit the theme solidly.

senorjax

Thanks for the thoughts. I've been struggling with the subtlety of the concrete in this one for sure. Since I live in the city the most creative search idea I had was to go looking for street art that used concrete as the artists 'canvas'. I couldn't get excited about a new angle to shoot a freeway support pillar. I shot some semi interesting subjects, and in all of them it's obvious that they are done on a concrete wall, or a cinder block wall, or on sidewalk concrete. BUT, none of them had anywhere near the impact as this one. It's awesome live. But the artist had done almost too good a job of hiding the concrete for my purposes. So, what to do? I tried some tight crops that revealed the blocks more, but none of the compostitions captured the scene like the large comp. Here's an example.



I would've liked a border of bare blocks around the mural but it was wall to wall. I thought that when it's in the entry gallery it can be viewed extra large (I like slideshow mode best by far, both largest size and black bg) and it would be easier to see the wall. But I posted it medium size here because I like to see the whole photo on my monitor without scrolling up and down or doing a 'save as' just to look at it. Here's what extra large gives you.



And I also thought about interpertation of the theme. Put an exclamation point after the theme (concrete!). Some folks are always going to go for the photo that looks most like CONCRETE! . It's like going out with a caption and finding the scene that best shouts the theme. How about using the theme as a central element in the photo to create an image that isn't strictly about the theme? Still valid? I hope so. Often times, the most value I get from theme challenges is in the time I spend considering what to go look for. And the main question I'm asking myself while I'm considering that is, "Which has more feeling, shooting a 'portrait' of the theme or using the theme to create a photo?". I like both but the second choice sometimes does a better job of stirring the juices.

Look at the blocks in this scene, you can see the mortar lines, you can see the porosity of the concrete, you can see the microvariations in depth that the roughness of the surface gives to the painting and the zillions of tiny shadows it creates. Now take all that out. Put a flat board back there to paint on and is it still the same? Or does the concrete add a layer, a dimension, that wouldn't be there otherwise? Isn't it an integral part of the scene even though the spotlight isn't strictly on it and only it?

I'm trying to think of a title that infers that last thought, that there is value in all the elements, not solely the up front shining star, and that the inclusion and blending of all the elements is necessary for this picture to be this picture. Zen Bistro, Subliminal Cinder Block Mural, something. Don't quite have it yet.

How in the world did I write so much about one lousy photo? Sorry.

WhatSheSaw

I say go for it. Maybe call it One Man's Canvas or something like that.

There are some people who tend to go for more concrete interpretations of the theme. I like looking for unusual interpretations and sometimes lose people.

I thought about doing something similar with a graffiti wall that we have here. I don't know that I will have the time or the weather for the attempt. I have also considered a trip to Concrete, Washington this weekend. Both time and weather are issues, so I don't know if I will get it in.

slpollett

Hey, I don't think it's a lousy photo! It's a great photo of an awesome piece of art! At least your photo is interesting. None of the other concrete attempts (mine included) have been anything but. (imho)

I like the idea of naming this "One Man's Canvas" so that might work.

Good luck.

Sherry

lkbart

I think this shot is fabulous - uncropped - & I'm sure the artist would enjoy his/her signature being visible. It is a great representation of how beautiful concrete can be!! The fact that it doesn't really look like concrete kinda drew me in - when you look close, it may not be blatantly obvious, but you can definitely tell it's a painting on concrete blocks. I love seeing murals like that on the sides of buildings. Great interpretation of the theme!

senorjax

Hey, I don't think it's a lousy photo!

I know you don't. We're both just trying to figure out if an abstract guy like me can make a photo that's concrete enough for this challenge, eh?

I say go for it. Maybe call it One Man's Canvas or something like that.

I love that title, thanks very much. It's a brilliant reference to the theme. Is there something in the painting that tells you it's a man behind the airbrush though? Is the form masculine, or maybe the ego it took to paint the lady all googly eyed over the musician? Could it be one woman's canvas? Maybe we could just remove the gender reference and call it "One Artist's Canvas" because he/she is certainly that. Whichever I choose, you get writer's credit. Much and many large thanks to you for that. I'm going to go search out some details about the artist one day soon, I'll let you know what I find. And after so much thought about this photo, I can't not enter it. It's going up now.

dls

Ditto on the wider crop. It is a very nice capture of a beautiful work of art. One of the things I enjoy tremendously about the challenges are the varied interpretations of the theme. It is different with the focus more on the art than on the concrete canvas, but still relevant to the theme IMHO. And seeing it in the larger format helps tremendously.

WhatSheSaw

slpollett wrote: »

Hey, I don't think it's a lousy photo! It's a great photo of an awesome piece of art! At least your photo is interesting. None of the other concrete attempts (mine included) have been anything but. (imho)

I like the idea of naming this "One Man's Canvas" so that might work.

Good luck.

Sherry

Sherry, I am sorry if you thought I was being critical of your comment. Not my intention. I was more remarking on a general tendency in the community and passing along my experience. I sometimes get too abstract and too far from the theme and it may hurt how well my photos do in the challenge. Sometimes I really like a photo and try to stretch the theme to fit it. And sometimes, other entries are clearly superior.

WhatSheSaw

senorjax wrote: »

I love that title, thanks very much. It's a brilliant reference to the theme. Is there something in the painting that tells you it's a man behind the airbrush though? Is the form masculine, or maybe the ego it took to paint the lady all googly eyed over the musician? Could it be one woman's canvas? Maybe we could just remove the gender reference and call it "One Artist's Canvas" because he/she is certainly that. Whichever I choose, you get writer's credit. Much and many large thanks to you for that. I'm going to go search out some details about the artist one day soon, I'll let you know what I find. And after so much thought about this photo, I can't not enter it. It's going up now.

I like One Artist's Canvas. I think I said One Man's because I think more graffiti artists are men and, by extension, figured a higher probability that this artist is a man. Without knowing for certain, gender neutral is better.