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Canon DSLR Challenge | all galleries >> Challenge 69: Greyscale (host: Jim Harrison) >> Eligible > Leaf on White
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04-JUN-2006 Gayle Knowles

Leaf on White

Australia

Canon EOS 20D ,Canon EF 24mm f/2.8
1/50s f/4.0 at 24.0mm iso400 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time04-Jun-2006 14:13:37
MakeCanon
ModelCanon EOS 20D
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length24 mm
Exposure Time1/50 sec
Aperturef/4
ISO Equivalent400
Exposure Bias
White Balance (-1)
Metering Modeaverage (1)
JPEG Quality (6)
Exposure Programprogram (1)
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Canon DSLR Challenge11-Jun-2006 18:08
Beautiful detail, shadows and shapes. --Melanie (mlynn)
Guest 09-Jun-2006 01:35
You guys may laugh but only when you try to shoot a macro of a snail you realize those buggers are fast!!! :-)
Bogdan
Canon DSLR Challenge08-Jun-2006 14:29
LOL!!!! ~ Lonnit
Gayle Knowles08-Jun-2006 09:40
Well, I was walking up the driveway, kicking dead leaves out of the way, I picked one up, looked at it and thought "I'm bored, I'll take a photo of that" and so I did. Next time I'm bored, I'll get a leaf AND a snail, then you guys can argue about the placement of the snail ;-)
Guest 08-Jun-2006 02:08
You know, even the fact we're having such strong opinions about it must amount to something. :-)
Bogdan
Canon DSLR Challenge08-Jun-2006 01:08
Gayle, if were all that trite you wouldn't have photographed it. Maybe you don't even know why you did, but you did, so must have felt something that compelled you to do so.

Bogdan, I think your frame would be absolutely perfect for it! The peeling paint would reveal the wood - which would be a perfect match to the leaf. This is the reason we frame art - so that it is presented in a manner that compliments it. Great idea! ~ Lonnit
Gayle Knowles07-Jun-2006 05:22
Got my feet up on the desk, leaning back in my chair, quite amused by this.
It's a leaf. That's all it's meant to be....a leaf on a white background. Nothing deep and meaningful, nothing artistic, just a dead, scruffy leaf on a sheet of white laminated board.
And 10 seconds after I photographed it, the cat jumped onto the table and stole it away to "kill".
To be honest, I quite like the shape, the texture and the lack of colour. But guys....it's not art, it's just a leaf.
Guest 07-Jun-2006 05:09
Gayle must suffer a sudden attack of hick-ups... :-)
Lonnit, I like this little debate too. :-)
Bogdan
Guest 07-Jun-2006 04:39
It is not the organic feel that I'm missing here. This shot is not an abstraction really and even abstract images have usually an anchoring point of some sort. When that is missing it has to be so deliberate as to incite some thought and provoke an emotional response like in some of Miro’s or Paul Klee's paintings. This photo while being composed and executed scholastically (or as I was saying by the book) is ultimately flat and bland. This is caused by the flow of lines, which in my opinion fails to capture and keep my eyes inside the frame. It is almost like the picture is "leaking" from all its four sides, as the negative space does not help bounce my eyes back to the subject. To me it is just a leaf taken from its surroundings, carefully placed inside a frame on a background that will surely make it stand out, than angled at 45 degrees. A simple old glassless frame border with peeling paint, while making this shot going even deeper into cliche, would at least hold the interest inside.
Bogdan.
Canon DSLR Challenge07-Jun-2006 03:46
Interesting, b/c I think it's the starkness of the background that really makes this jump. Maybe your issue is that you want a more organic feel to it b/c you want this piece of nature to be in a more organic and natural setting. That's understandable. For me, it's the taking of the leaf out of its surroundings that makes me really look at it and appreciate all it's shape and lines. Those wouldn't stand out so much when it's in it's element - even if that element is just a muslin cloth. All we're given to look at here is the leaf, without distraction, which makes one take notice of all it has to offer. Even altering the lighting, making it lower, to bring out the texture, would just add more complexity of texture. I think as is, we concentrate on line and shape only. I like that. And, of course, I like the discussion. So glad you came along! :) ~ Lonnit
Guest 07-Jun-2006 03:35
I'm arguing it is a bit too "cliche". Maybe a different angle on the lighting, to better show the leaf's texture. Or having a rough, monochrome, sort of canvas background, don't know really. I find the negative space too "negative" and not complementing the subject very well... Again sorry. Gayle, your work is usually top notch. Please accept my apologies for coming a bit strongly on your effort here.
Bogdan
Canon DSLR Challenge07-Jun-2006 03:23
A little bugger walking into the frame might be nice, but this seems to be honed down to the bare elements, which, to me, give it a nice graphic appeal. It's all about shape and lines to me. :) ~ Lonnit
Guest 07-Jun-2006 01:28
I don't see it... I'm sorry (maybe the fact I'm Canadian and I see A LOT of these has something to do with it). The picture would maybe work if it would be SEVERELY decentered with lots of negative space over to one side. A little ant or bug or something, directly on the diagonal but equally decentered would add more imbalance to the picture thus making it more apealing. Yes, I know it is almost by the book, rule of thirds, diagonal lines and all that but that is precisely what works against it.
Again sorry! Just my opinion. Bogdan.
Canon DSLR Challenge06-Jun-2006 17:17
Gayle, I've decided you can't play anymore - you're just too good; it's not fair! ;) ~ Lonnit
Michael Kilpatrick06-Jun-2006 11:10
What they said. Simple but elegant.
Guest 06-Jun-2006 04:53
Lonnit and I are in perfect agreement on this...Lovely!. -Michael
Canon DSLR Challenge06-Jun-2006 04:41
Lovely! :) ~ Lonnit
jnconradie05-Jun-2006 20:37
Works for me, Gayle. Stark contrasts and sharp, clear lines. Regards ~jnconradie