*Challenge 23-RocketMan looks at Time

RocketMan · October 6, 2004

Looking at Time

I found/find this challenge of particular interest as I’m a big science buff and trying to capture the essence of Time (which is really just change or movement) in a static image to be an interesting challenge. I have tried to find images that address the essence of Time in a philosophical way rather than a mechanical way such as clocks, timepieces etc.

In the first one I tried to capture the idea of time as line into the future-past. Since Time is movement or change and we are constantly moving forward in time, when we perceive some point in the distance toward which we are moving we could say that we are perceiving a point that will exist as part of our own future, a place to/at which we will shortly arrive. The curious thing about this aspect of Time is that what we perceive in that distant horizon is in fact a point in the past since it takes Time for the light reflected from that image to arrive at our eyes and allowing us to perceive it. Therefore it could be said that it exists both in the past and future simultaneously! Ain’t Ttime grand!

(it’s always been one of my favorite subjects in science). I realize some folks might think I’m stretch it a bit just chock it up to the philosopher in me!

So then on to the photo’s:

This and the following photo's were taken this past weekend while on a two day ride (by motorcycle) through the northern hills and mountains of Maryland and while attending an Oktoberfest put on by a local BMW Motorcycle group.

Time as a function of a Future-Past line

Time as a function of repetition into the near distance

Repeating Wheels

We could also explore the “effects of time” as in this one

An Old-Timer displaying an old-time engine

He looks kinda mean here but was actually quite nice!

RM “Time, time, time, see what’s become of me….”

shooter · October 7, 2004

I like that road shot, looks like a nice place to ride. Any way you could lose those power lines? The guy in your third shot looks more than a little mad, but it's a nice shot!! Any more of him? He looks like a great subject!

lynnma · October 7, 2004

I like the road shot as well and I agree re the power lines.. they distract from the shot. Maybe a little curve would dramatize the color depth a little.. Nice shot, I'm not sure I can identify it with "time" tho. Just my humble

Lynn

RocketMan · October 7, 2004

Shooter:
nope just the one of the Old-timer unfortunately, but he was trip talking to. Once he (and several other exhibitors) found out about my interest in old engines he/they really opened up! On the other I'll have to try to remove the power lines but my current software is somewhat limited, though a freind has offered me his copy of an older version of Photoshop (6 I think) as he no longer uses it.

Lynn:
I realize it may be a bit of streatch, but you have take it in the comtext of my comments on time, to me time is very contradictory in many aspects. Take for instance the fact that even though time is a messure of change and movement through space, something at rest moves through Time *faster* than something in motion! Go figure!

Funny but I thought I'd get comments mostly on the second pic, maybe I liked it best cause of my interest in MC, but it just came out really nicely the way they all lined up, and even the way the fairings blended into each other. Or maybe it's just because all of them were so clean, unlike my bikes that are not only ridden hard and often, but look it too!:D

RM "water is for fishing and swimming in"

Thwack · October 7, 2004

Before you spend a bunch of time editing that picture from last weekend, you should check with our benevolent host to see if last weekend counts as "during the challenge period". Seems to me the pic needs to have been taken after Mond, Oct 4 at 12:00:01 a.m. NYC time.

2 finalists got bumped out of the last challenge because of this. I'd hate to see it happen again, especially after you spent time editing the shot based on recommendations here.

Then again, it's a great excuse to take another motorcycle ride and get some even fresher pics.

mercphoto · October 7, 2004

What is time anyway?

RocketMan wrote:

I realize it may be a bit of streatch, but you have take it in the comtext of my comments on time, to me time is very contradictory in many aspects. Take for instance the fact that even though time is a messure of change and movement through space, something at rest moves through Time *faster* than something in motion! Go figure!

After reading and re-reading Paul Davie's book "About Time", which is (fittingly) a book describing what time is, I'm convinced nobody really knows what time is. Time can be measured, time is mutable, time progresses at different rates for different observers. About all we really know is that time moves forward (and to the best of our knowlege, never backwards, though that is debatable).

So I'm really confused about what photos I should take. :shrug

I like your highway photo, even with the power lines. I, for one, don't like the idea to edit them out. I like photographs, not photo-illustrations, but that is me. Show me the way the world is, not the way you want it to be. Opinions vary.

I like the motorcycle photo, but not as an example of "time".

The old-timer with the engine is cool as well, but I'm not sure it conveys a sense of time as much as a sense of the past.

Then again, I did say I was confused about what types of photos to take for this challenge.

wxwax · October 7, 2004

RocketMan wrote:

Funny but I thought I'd get comments mostly on the second pic, maybe I liked it best cause of my interest in MC, but it just came out really nicely the way they all lined up, and even the way the fairings blended into each other. Or maybe it's just because all of them were so clean, unlike my bikes that are not only ridden hard and often, but look it too!:D

RM "water is for fishing and swimming in"

I like the shot a lot. I happen to be partial to the GS.

But please don't tell me you own all of those machines!

RocketMan · October 8, 2004

Thwack wrote:

Before you spend a bunch of time editing that picture from last weekend, you should check with our benevolent host to see if last weekend counts as "during the challenge period". Seems to me the pic needs to have been taken after Mond, Oct 4 at 12:00:01 a.m. NYC time.

2 finalists got bumped out of the last challenge because of this. I'd hate to see it happen again, especially after you spent time editing the shot based on recommendations here.

Then again, it's a great excuse to take another motorcycle ride and get some even fresher pics.

Yes I considered that, but I was going on the comment made my our illustrious leader and benefactor :Don another challenge when someone entered a picture taken the weekend prior to the official start. Since it had been taken with the theme in mind (the theme having been decided on by that Friday before the weekend) Andy determined it was acceptable. But I’ll be happy to leave it up to the group to decide, and assume Andy will make the final call. And yes I am planning on another trip this weekend but then I’m always out riding on weekends! And I still have few more ideas in mind on some other interpretations of Time.

As for time spent editing it, I really did not do much post processing, I find it to be a greater challenge to try to get it right “in the camera” mostly my post processing is perhaps some cropping, maybe a bit of curves to bring out detail or adjust the balance between mid-tones shadows and highlights, or a bit of color adjustments. I’ve been reading quite a bit about the two views on extensive post processing vs. little or no processing, each have their points and I figure that any adjustments I might do on these or any other photo is never wasted if I learn something new in the process.

RM “with Time to spare…..”

landrum · October 10, 2004

I really love your first photo...I want to saddle up and go! (Alas...I don't get to ride anymore with a baby :cry ...maybe in a few years!)

I don't see time portrayed in this...but then after your description, I may not be thinking abstractly enough (or maybe not literally enough...I dunno, I'm a little confused!

)

Beautiful work though!
Laurie

nadi · October 12, 2004

To me, the first one does relate to time - it makes me think of the future stretching out before us. We can strain all we like to see what lies ahead but all we can make out is a basic shape......

I like the old guy, too. It really stands out to me that he is modelling the old engine in front of a modern car of some kind. It would be cool to emphasise that somehow, or even merge the image with another to make a contrast between the old and new.

Just some ideas, I wouldn't know how to actually use them though!

RocketMan · October 12, 2004

Time to Fly
Time to Fly 1

Time to Fly 2

RM "Time, Time, Time is on my side...."

RocketMan · October 13, 2004

Time-Peices
things from bygone days, a collection of object 80 to nearly 200 years old

Time-Pieces

[font=&quot]All these are from mine and Jeanne’s house, the oldest being the object on the right which is a Victorian Liquor Decanter box (approx. 1850's) with three cut crystal decanters inside.

is it just me or does this picture seem somehow unballanced as though it's "pulling" to the left? Just noticed after uploading it here, maybe it's due to the light coming in from left. Comments?

RM
[/font]