Now one word of caution here. Mental paralysis can develop when you have to make a decision and you don't know which way is the best direction to take. A writer calls it writers block. But in reality all it is is the lack of a clear direction to take. Pick one, any one, and don't look back. Making a decision, any decision, will get you out of a writers block. In the course of following your first decision, you may discover a better way to tackle the task at hand. The brain needs to work on something if it is to work out anything, give it something to do.
Well said, Shay. Thanks for the encouragement. Now if someone would just put the headlights on low beam.... Oops. I guess that would be me who has to do it.
Meanwhile, I'll be very interested in the direction that Truth decides to take with his entry.
Virginia
_______________________________________________ "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus
Oui Oui is my personal favorite, I think it's funny as all heck but I'm concerned that it might not be chilled enough. If only I could get the judges to go sit in there for a spell. :tough I think I'm gonna toy with the still life tea pot shot a bit and shoot from a few different angles and see if I can't find something else in it. We'll see...
I didn't follow this thread the whole way through, so don't mind me...
In the first set of 3, I like the 1st one with the homeless vet. The composition makes it seem like it's more about him with an emphasis on how cold it must be.
In the 2nd one the man gets lost in the shadows of the exposure. It's just a tough shot considering the dynamic range in that photo. I'm not crazy about the placement of the streetlights in the frame either.
The outhouse one is a snapshot IMO. Everything is cramped towards the middle, the light at the top is just a big white hole, and the sky just isn't interesting.
The last teapot that you posted is pretty cool IMO. I like the lighting and the negative space though selective coloring seems to be a little indulgent. In the full color version was there some other color that was distracting from the shot? If that same thing were done in my kitchen, I'd see some browns but most everything else would seem to be in black and white.
I vote teapot.
Y'all don't want to hear me, you just want to dance.
Thanks Mike. Really appreciate the time and thought. Though I don't agree about the "snapshot" nature of the port-o-pot I can see why the somewhat brutal lighting and framing might put some people off. It's pretty in your face with the street light and the dark sky.
As for the selective coloring, I always waver on that issue. I really like it in general but many photographers can't stand it. I think it's due to my graphic design / advertising side that wants everything to be more perfect than it really is. Here's a full color version of the same image.
As for the selective coloring, I always waver on that issue. I really like it in general but many photographers can't stand it. I think it's due to my graphic design / advertising side that wants everything to be more perfect than it really is. Here's a full color version of the same image.
I actually like the full color better, I'm not sure selective coloring is needed here because most of the colors are already monotone. In fact I like this image better then the B&W, cropped version from before.
Of the kettle shots this last uncropped colour version is my favorite. The play of light and shadow in the steam is interesting and this version allows us to see more of it. I also like the tiny hint of other colours here and there. It makes the image more appealing to me than the one with only the blue flame.
My opinion, FWIW
Please feel free to retouch and repost my images. Critique, Suggestions, and Technique tips always welcomed. Thanks for your interest.
Thaks Mike. Really appreciate the time and thought. Though I don;t agree about the "snapshot" nature of the port-o-pot I can see why the somewhat brutal lighting and framing might put some people off. It's pretty in yuor face with the street light and the dark sky.
As for the selective coloring, I always waver on that issue. I really like it in general but many photographers can't stand it. I think it's due to my graphic design / advertising side that wants everything to be more perfect than it really is. Here's a full color version of the same image.
Okay, snapshot would be a little harsh, my bad. But you get my point.
Honestly, I don't know why you even went through the trouble of doing a selective color on that image. You can barely see any other colors anyhow.
At any rate, my vote for your series here is the teapot (minus selective color).
Y'all don't want to hear me, you just want to dance.
That's the second time that's been posted and I still don't get why it keeps coming up. That's a very different iimage than mine and it's trying to convey a much broader topic. Tea pot's have been shot millions of times but have no bearing on this contest. The images will not be judged against anything other than what is entered. The irony here is that you seem to have decided to also shoot steam coming out of a tea pot, though I think your martini image is much more interesting. I guess we'll see...
That's the second time that's been posted and I still don't get why it keeps coming up. That's a very different iimage than mine and it's trying to convey a much broader topic. Tea pot's have been shot millions of times but have no bearing on this contest. The images will not be judged against anything other than what is entered. The irony here is that you seem to have decided to also shoot steam coming out of a tea pot, though I think your martini image is much more interesting. I guess we'll see...
Association work in a mysterious way. I'd say one of the reasons I (and few others) do get it and you don't is simply because I was there when the image was submitted and won. And since it's a very nice image (it won, right?), I remembered it. Yes, there are many kettle shots around, but to me (and probably many other dgrin members who started early enough) your entry looks similar to that old one.
In any case, I had no intention to insult or offend you. The other member was recently notified that his melting ice cubes bare striking resemblance with your recent submission to Change. Since you're still kinda new here I have figured you were not aware of the original image and hence made my comment. If you have already considered it - well, great, I didn't mean to affect your artistic decision.
And BTW, I do appreciate your comments about my chilled glasses..
The teapot image would work better for the theme if it was less about the teapot and more about the steam. Try shotting more of the spout and steam perhaps? Different POV, something less straight on. As it sits right now, it's not grabbing me. BTW, port-a-potty, very funny. dizzy
Thank *you*!
I remember I was drooling over its simplicity and effectiveness
And now we all can enjoy it in the Dgrin header from time to time:-)
Is it really in the Dgrin header? I've never seen it in there and I always look so I can screen shot it. It's my 1st contest win ever and I was only 17? I believe.
If you're bored one day just keep hitting refresh in your browser while you have most any DGrin forum page open and your stove/kettle shot will eventually come up. One of mine came up twice while I was trying to get yours up to screen shot it and send it to you. The first time I saw mine while doing this I hit refresh before I thought to take a screen shot for myself.
Duh!
The second time I got it. Didn't get yours though. Not yet anyway.
It's like a slot machine, you just keep hitting and see what happens...
Please feel free to retouch and repost my images. Critique, Suggestions, and Technique tips always welcomed. Thanks for your interest.
Comments
Well said, Shay. Thanks for the encouragement. Now if someone would just put the headlights on low beam....
Meanwhile, I'll be very interested in the direction that Truth decides to take with his entry.
Virginia
"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus
Email
Oui Oui is my personal favorite, I think it's funny as all heck but I'm concerned that it might not be chilled enough. If only I could get the judges to go sit in there for a spell. :tough I think I'm gonna toy with the still life tea pot shot a bit and shoot from a few different angles and see if I can't find something else in it. We'll see...
douglas
vs.
I've entered a full size 533x800 version of Oui Oui but...
In the first set of 3, I like the 1st one with the homeless vet. The composition makes it seem like it's more about him with an emphasis on how cold it must be.
In the 2nd one the man gets lost in the shadows of the exposure. It's just a tough shot considering the dynamic range in that photo. I'm not crazy about the placement of the streetlights in the frame either.
The outhouse one is a snapshot IMO. Everything is cramped towards the middle, the light at the top is just a big white hole, and the sky just isn't interesting.
The last teapot that you posted is pretty cool IMO. I like the lighting and the negative space though selective coloring seems to be a little indulgent. In the full color version was there some other color that was distracting from the shot? If that same thing were done in my kitchen, I'd see some browns but most everything else would seem to be in black and white.
I vote teapot.
http://photos.mikelanestudios.com/
As for the selective coloring, I always waver on that issue. I really like it in general but many photographers can't stand it. I think it's due to my graphic design / advertising side that wants everything to be more perfect than it really is. Here's a full color version of the same image.
I actually like the full color better, I'm not sure selective coloring is needed here because most of the colors are already monotone. In fact I like this image better then the B&W, cropped version from before.
pyroPrints.com/5819572 The Photo Section
Of the kettle shots this last uncropped colour version is my favorite. The play of light and shadow in the steam is interesting and this version allows us to see more of it. I also like the tiny hint of other colours here and there. It makes the image more appealing to me than the one with only the blue flame.
My opinion, FWIW
Honestly, I don't know why you even went through the trouble of doing a selective color on that image. You can barely see any other colors anyhow.
At any rate, my vote for your series here is the teapot (minus selective color).
http://photos.mikelanestudios.com/
Check this out:
http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/167709/1/12211945/Large
HTH
That's the second time that's been posted and I still don't get why it keeps coming up. That's a very different iimage than mine and it's trying to convey a much broader topic. Tea pot's have been shot millions of times but have no bearing on this contest. The images will not be judged against anything other than what is entered. The irony here is that you seem to have decided to also shoot steam coming out of a tea pot, though I think your martini image is much more interesting. I guess we'll see...
Association work in a mysterious way. I'd say one of the reasons I (and few others) do get it and you don't is simply because I was there when the image was submitted and won. And since it's a very nice image (it won, right?), I remembered it. Yes, there are many kettle shots around, but to me (and probably many other dgrin members who started early enough) your entry looks similar to that old one.
In any case, I had no intention to insult or offend you. The other member was recently notified that his melting ice cubes bare striking resemblance with your recent submission to Change. Since you're still kinda new here I have figured you were not aware of the original image and hence made my comment. If you have already considered it - well, great, I didn't mean to affect your artistic decision.
And BTW, I do appreciate your comments about my chilled glasses..
Art Gallery
Thank *you*!
I remember I was drooling over its simplicity and effectiveness
And now we all can enjoy it in the Dgrin header from time to time:-)
If you're bored one day just keep hitting refresh in your browser while you have most any DGrin forum page open and your stove/kettle shot will eventually come up. One of mine came up twice while I was trying to get yours up to screen shot it and send it to you. The first time I saw mine while doing this I hit refresh before I thought to take a screen shot for myself.
Duh!
The second time I got it. Didn't get yours though. Not yet anyway.
It's like a slot machine, you just keep hitting and see what happens...