Please share your immediate response to the image before reading the photographer’s intent (obscured text below) or other comments. The photographer seeks a genuinely unbiased first impression.
Questions to guide your feedback
I find myself trying to move beyond a standard photographic presentation, which seems to vary from image to image. I like to be able to still see the “photo” in the image but also to make it also look “graphic,” which suggests possibly something other than a photo. Curious where you think this is on the photo ↔ graphic spectrum?
Other Information
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Image Description
From one of my walks through my neighborhood. This agave was blooming, and that means it will die as part of that process.
Technical Details
iPhone SE 1st gen captured with Lightroom Mobile camera.
Hey, Tony. I’m not a good “judge” of B&W or flora images, but I can answer the photo vs. graphic question from my perspective. When I looked at the thumbnail of this photo, it looked like a drawing, to me. I’m not really into B&W, but I’m often fascinated by the details and the “painterly” effects that can be achieved, or the resemblance to something a graphic artist might draw. Kinda cool.
Hey Tony, I would definitely classify this as a photo in the abstract/intimate category. The strong textures from the agave leaves works well in black and white and what I’m assuming is some type of added vignette really adds to the composition and draws the eyes towards the subject in the frame.
First impression – gorgeously graphic!! Carefully composed with glowing tonalities! What you are doing with your iPhone images is amazing.
And I am reminded that you sent out an email a few weeks ago about another refinement in your sketching methods. I haven’t had time to read it but the link is near the top of my ToDo list.
I also like these images that look more like an etching, but you still can see it is a photograph. My only suggestion is to darken down the gravel under the plant. I think it is a bit distracting.
For me, this is solidly in the ‘photo’ category. When I think ‘graphic’ I think of something more along the lines of illustrations done in Ilustrator with more of a 2D vibe to it. The tonalities in this one are far too rich for me to see this as graphic.
This is grading more towards the graphic end of the spectrum for me. I’m with Holger on the gravel, though. It looks more photo than graphic and is a bit jarring. I don’t think you need that texture in the gravel bits at all. Very cool!
