The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This is another composite, of two closeups of driftwood logs on the beach. I was attracted to the textures and shapes in each. In compositing, I wanted to accentuate the lines and textures that I liked about each one. In the final version, I like the feeling that there is light emanating from within the wood.
Specific Feedback
Any comments welcome, especially on the color. The blues were really saturated after stacking, so I desaturated them. While I quite like bold color these days, I did want this to be somewhat recognizable as wood and not too over the top.
Technical Details
a7r3, 25 - 105 mm lens, probably f/16 and ISO 400 for both, hand held. PS layers:
I was all set to make a few comments and then decided to first download. My impression completely changed when seen on a grey background that complemented the colors of the image. For some reason the black background made the composition seem busy in places while the grey made the image more tonally balanced. The āgoldā doesnāt seem so harsh now. The gold made me think of Gustav Klintās work. The bottom 1/3rd is particularly interested in that the āgoldā radiates like a furnace. It took me a while to connect this with wood. Iām kind of sorry I did.
If I didnāt know this was wood, Iād still revel in it. What I love here is how the curves of both images complement or balance each other. I enjoy this first, then the colours - and after that, all those small vertical lines. But I do prefer to just revel in it!
Such a striking abstract image Bonnie! You did a great job combining the two into one. This one looks like gold veins which would be a minerās absolute dream come true. Great lines running across the frame and also the ones radiating up from the bottom. The slate grey background works so well here.
To the comment that Igor made, I believe he meant that the illusion is reduced when we reveal the true subject. Abstract images depart from reality. When we reveal what the subject is, we kind of take away the magic of the original impression. Just something to think about. I still appreciate the artistic qualities of the image regardless. Thanks Bonnie.
I wanted to respond with this OāKeefe painting I had admired for several years. Two days ago I saw a photograph of what inspired this painting. Itās a winding road that she could see from the window of her house in Albiquiqui (sp?). I am so glad I saw the picture before the photograph because the winding road in reality is quite uninteresting. That reality would have affected my appreciation for her painting and diminished it. The painting I always saw as graceful ribbon in flight. Regardless of what I saw the ambiguity fuels the imagination. Pretty much what @Alfredo_Mora wrote.
Thanks, @Alfredo_Mora for your thoughts and for explaining what Igor meant. I agree that this isnāt totally abstract because one can tell itās wood.
I meant to check this one and got distracted ā glad I got back to it after the excellent discussion! I love it and for me knowing where it came from doesnāt really change my perception. Can I see that it started as wood? I donāt know because it doesnāt matter to me ā itās still just as abstract as if it had been something I had never seen before.
Bonnie, I thought I missed this one but did see where I had given a awhile back now. Regardless, a very fine image and congratulations on the EP selection here. Well deserved for this unique abstractā¦
Interesting perspective. My appreciation of an abstract is always increased after seeing the āmundaneā reality on which it is based. Iām in awe of the imagination of artists who can abstract the essence of a thing. I aspire to that (and I have a long way to go).
This conveys to me combined feeling of graceful quietness (blue-gray colors), excitement (gold verticals), and calm motion (curved horizontal gold). I ignored the driftwood origin and appreciated the feelings. The effect of calm motion might be stronger if aspect were landscape. What is on the right? The right border seems to truncate the flow
@Dick_Knudson - This crossed my mind, but I cropped to a square to match my other recent abstract/composite images. The full frame is posted above for comparison.
A beautiful job on this, Bonnie. I do like Igorās addition of the gray border-amazing what matting can do to an image. Iām also fine with knowing how this was created because it gives me some ideas.
Bonnie, Sorry to be so late with this response. We were away and I just visited this amazing intimate abstract. I agree with all of the comments. The blending of the images is perfect - unless said this is a composite, no one would know. The lines and gold color make a superb composition. I also appreciated @Igor_Doncov 's comments and the Georgia Oākeeffe image. Interestingly, MoMa recently did an exhibit on her titled āTo See Takes Time,ā an apt saying for photographers. Your image here certainly demonstrates that your seeing is spot on - excellent vision here. This belongs on your wall.
awhile back now. Regardless, a very fine image and congratulations on the EP selection here. Well deserved for this unique abstractā¦ 