When I first started working with this image, I decided on a monochrome conversion right away. Only after working with it more did I realize it’s a perfect fit for this week’s theme and I went a lot farther than I usually do, processing-wise. I seldom do abstracts, but when the urge hits…I go with it.
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Does it do your head in? I never know how to tread that line…something that has immediacy is often a comforting or at least recognizable object/scene, but this is quite detached from what it actually is and therefore might be just too alien.
Lr for all the processing including using the Leica Monochrome camera style which is what I should have used to take it with, but there you go. Some crop, rotation, flipping and masks to create a certain idea in your mind about things falling (leaves? ash?). Not sure I got there, but it’s kind of working.
It looks like a very heavy snow storm to me, Kris, even as the flying bits of dark imply otherwise. I like that there are hints of more branches in the distance and the way that the main subject comes into focus from the upper right. There is a very thin twig sticking in on the left that it’s probably best to remove.
I was immediately drawn to this picture as it looks like the branch is dancing on the snow surface. It is probably a reflection but it looks three dimensional and the clear lines with the foggy sorounding is great. and the little white snowflakes add to the feeling of a party. I also really like the placing of the main subject and how you left it plengy of room in all directions.
I interpret this as a twig/branch partially frozen in ice. It doesn’t feel odd to me at all. I like the shadowed branches that look to be under the ice (or obscured by a snowstorm?). I’m drawn to those kinds of scenes, where things lurk beneath the surface, so it works for me.
It would be interesting to see the color/unedited version to know how much it departed from reality. As far as an image being alien, why is that “bad”? I say bad, because take your comment that it “might be too alien” as indicating you think it’s a detraction.
Tamar - glad you picked up on the 3D aspect of the scene which is a stick frozen in a creek - the snow and ice pellets are on the surface. I was a bit hesitant to place the branch so centered, but after moving the crop all over, this worked the best.
Bonnie - yeah that did sound a bit negative, but I am a quite literal and linear thinker so abstracts do my head in. I really should kick my negativity down the road. I can put up a totally unedited version for you to play with if you like. You have much more affinity for this type of work.
I’ve been thinking about the “alien” idea. I think when doing abstracts, it’s good to keep in mind that folks might not know “what it is”, which may bother them. Making abstracts puts us closer to the artsy end of photography. It’s about generating a reaction or mood which can run the range of “that makes me happy!” to “yuck, that’s creepy!”. I guess my point is that we should have different expectations for different kinds of photography. Of course you don’t want your lovely representational work to elicit a “yuck, that’s creepy” reaction. But a stick frozen in water just might get that reaction (I don’t think yuck with your stick, but it is a bit disturbing - a feeling of being trapped).
Your b&w version is pretty consistent with the SOOC version which is almost b&w by itself. One could get really wild with this (as with most any image, actually). That can get tiresome if done all the time, but it’s fun once in a while. I had a play with this and came up with a couple that I liked.
Thanks Bonnie for your words of wisdom. Totally on point. And I Iike the x-ray version of the shot you did. I’d never have thought of that. So literal minded it’s a wonder I can create anything at all. LOL.
I’m late here again, but I really like the original – it’s a good balance of reality, which I easily saw as a stick frozen in water, presented in a lovely way. The elements of shadow detail under the ice and the surface texture are very interesting and well worth presenting as an image.
Then I saw Bonnie was having a play with it and carefully read what she said before scrolling down to see what she did. (I’m also quite literal and rarely venture into creativity, but always have fun when I do.) I love what she did with this too! And the vertical flip gives it a more restful feel, which I think will work well for the original interpretation too.
