En-deadened acacia

John Power
Posts: 94
Joined: 26 May 2021, 10:18

En-deadened acacia

Postby John Power » 08 Sep 2021, 16:09

Out with the new lens this morn, got a good swing going here and I am happy with the way I was able to render this dead limb :)
There is a surprise spiderweb (that I didn't notice while there) in the top right hand corner... its very well made and is probably the best thing about the photo :)

Horseman L45, Fujinon SW 90mm, Kodak Ektar

ImageDead branch on Ainslie by J P, on Flickr

User avatar
RoganJosh
Posts: 226
Joined: 29 Aug 2012, 11:26

Re: En-deadened acacia

Postby RoganJosh » 08 Sep 2021, 20:44

I'm not a big fan of colour lanscapes but this is a great one. I think the wide aperture was a good choice too.

John Power
Posts: 94
Joined: 26 May 2021, 10:18

Re: En-deadened acacia

Postby John Power » 08 Sep 2021, 20:57

RoganJosh wrote:I'm not a big fan of colour lanscapes but this is a great one. I think the wide aperture was a good choice too.


Ah! I'm glad you like it :) I get sick of colour and go to black and white, until I get bored of it and then its back to colour. I am definitely keen to get some other colour sheet film stocks going, though.

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: En-deadened acacia

Postby Walter Glover » 09 Sep 2021, 00:18

John,

I accidentally bumped the trackpad with the cursor on your photo and was taken to your Flickr page where it is displayed against a black ground and the balance of the charred limb against its surroundings swung immeasurably in favour of the image's enhancement.

In general I tend to find colour an unwelcome distraction unless it is a key element in the statement being communicated, In this case it is the absence of colour in the motif that is powerful in concert with the bi-chrome palette of greens and golds that makes this sing.

Like you, I find the fly-beckoning parlour of the daddy long legs quite serendipitous, and it raises two points I consider worthy of mulling over:

    1. The fact that you say that you were unaware if its presence until you saw the scanned neg. suggests that you might be relying solely on the ground glass for evaluating the image and not doing a thorough survey of the content with your two peepers in quest of interesting details (eg the web) and moving around, left and right, up and down, establishing where to place the hefty beast at the best vantage point.
    2. Checking fine detail; no ground glass can resolve anywhere near the fine detail that direct vision affords. In a lifetime in the studio and on location working with models the viewfinder indicated framing and content but it was always direct observation that always proved invaluable in checking twisted straps, loose threads, stray hairs or lashes and fallen dustings of powder. Getting under the horse blanket is a physically defining event and can prove to be a deterrent to thinking some additional viewing might also prove advantageous.
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

John Power
Posts: 94
Joined: 26 May 2021, 10:18

Re: En-deadened acacia

Postby John Power » 09 Sep 2021, 09:03

Thanks for the feedback, Walter, as always :)

I'm almost always feeling a bit of time pressure when taking photos, thinking that I really need to be home in x mins to help with kid rearing (or just as often, having kids with me and needing to keep moving because they're getting bored with a spot!).

A mate and I are plotting a day or two away when we can move around freely again, on photo road trip, and I think that will be really good for taking the time that you mention to really inspect an image and a spot. I had a few mornings on the south coast like this and it feels like thats how it should/needs to be with this camera and the images I'm trying to make.

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: En-deadened acacia

Postby Walter Glover » 09 Sep 2021, 09:53

John,

Every outing, rushed or not, is a good outing because the path you've chosen to follow is multi-faceted and complex, and to master it you need to develop fluency so that it all becomes second nature. Every excuse to get out and hone your skills is a bonus.
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

User avatar
Maris
Posts: 882
Joined: 27 Jul 2012, 16:02
Location: Noosa

Re: En-deadened acacia

Postby Maris » 11 Sep 2021, 11:29

Found it! That spider web in the upper right corner is so subtle. Had to go to a big enlargement on Flickr to see it. That ugly branch is the perfect skeletal finger pointing at a tiny visual gem.


Return to “Things”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 28 guests

cron