face the ground by Canon DSLR Challenge

Canon DSLR Challenge | all galleries >> Challenge 70: Leading Lines (host: Michael Puff) >> Eligible > face the ground


17 Jun 2006	Arn

face the ground

I actually try to avoid provoking expansive conversations about my images... But as it happens, we have managed to generate a substiantial amount already. Anyone who has an opinion, is welcome to write a comment. It gets boring if it's only a dialogue between two.
While the discussion is fun and stimulating and often helps learn more about photography, I still think that we should enjoy the photographs with our eyes, not the brain.

Canon EOS 30D ,Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM

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Guest		28-Jun-2006 03:08
Excellent, the compo is great, the BW fits perfect.

Guest		27-Jun-2006 03:14
The shadow really makes and it is the subject of the picture. A pretty good picture at that! The vigneting on the corner is also helping keep the eye in. Well done. Bogdan.

Canon DSLR Challenge		22-Jun-2006 19:57
I'm glad, and you didn't say anything that could have possibly offended me. No problem - I'm always glad to start in with ya! ;) ~ Lonnit

Canon DSLR Challenge		22-Jun-2006 15:25
You did not offend me Lonnit and I hope that I didn't either. I do enjoy interesting conversations, so don't hesitate to start one in the future! :) -Arn

Canon DSLR Challenge		22-Jun-2006 03:17
Oh, and if I did... I'm sorry. ~ Lonnit

Canon DSLR Challenge		22-Jun-2006 03:17
You're mean! LOL! Poor, big, open, lonely sky. Sniff. It's so funny that you think the crane was a mistake and I think it's so important. Ahhh... controversy - love it! :) The testimonials were just to show I'm not nuts! LOL! ;) I'm glad you don't just jump on the bandwagon and stick to your opinions, being true to yourself. Everyone has a right to like what they like. And see, we don't even critique in the same way! That's great too, as long as I'm not offending you. I like to speak my mind on images b/c it can lead to great discussions. Always feel free to tell me to shut up if I cross over the line. :) ~ Lonnit

Canon DSLR Challenge		22-Jun-2006 00:06
Haha... Now that you can't look at the crane, you have to pay even more attention to the shadow! >:D Yes, leaving the crane there was even a bigger mistake than I initially thought. Now that it's gone (and there is more empty space in the center) the attention more naturally falls on other parts of the image, I think. RE: your image and it's testimonials: I'm happy for your popularity, Lonnit - Just because the image is not in my taste, doesn't mean that someone else doesn't like it. Besides, as an intended self portrait your shadow pic works better than as a stand alone and without explanation. Like I said, eye of the beholder and so on. This is why don't criticize too hard images, that are not in my taste. Someone else could see a LOT of good stuff in an image that leaves me untouched. I try to concentrate on technical aspects when criticizing and I leave the aesthetic / contextual side uncommented. -Arn

Canon DSLR Challenge		21-Jun-2006 20:11
AAAAACKKKK! Put it back!!!! I liked the crane - it was a big center of interest for me; now there's nothing to look at where it was! Sniff.... sob.... I waaaaaana craaaaaane!!! Pweeeeeze? Ok, well, I'm going to smack you for taking out the crane! =8O Apparently we have extremely differing viewpoints about shadows! LOL! Well, in my corner, I offer the following testimonials as credibility. ;) Check out the comments on my shadow image when it was entered in the first challenge:http://www.pbase.com/cslr_challenge/image/21436129 . It's cool with me that you don't like it. If we all liked the same things it would be a very boring place. :) You must have been a sight to behold! LOL! OTOH, I've done such things without a camera in my hand! LOL! ;) ~ Lonnit

Canon DSLR Challenge		21-Jun-2006 14:35
I fixed the crane. -Arn

Canon DSLR Challenge		21-Jun-2006 00:45
I don't think there's any reason to smack you right now, Lonnit... :) It's always nice to see different views and I'm interested in seeing MORE opinions from other people too. Sometimes the best thing that an image does, is arouse conversation. Maybe it's the sole reason for this image's existense (maybe I should have chosen an even more provocative approach!). I knew from the start, when I started post processing this image, that I didn't feel very strongly about it. It's certainly not very high on my personal favourites list, but... Personally, I like the image the way it is presented and that's also why I TOOK the pic this way! I would never consider it an improvement for the image, if It didn't have the shadow :) But there are a ton of OTHER ways for improving this image, for sure! About the kind of silhuette pic that you provided - don't take this the wrong way, this is just my honest opinion - it just doesn't do it for me (plenty of your other photographs "do" it for me, though), because it doesn't have anything else besides the shadows. I can not find much personality or originality. There is nothing else in the image, just plain shadows against flat surfaces. No backrounds, sceneries, reference points, etc - a two dimensional image, nothing else to relate the shadows to, nothing to give the image a bit more story. Too plain and (dare I say?) boring. As it happens, it seems to be a frequent phrase from my mouth: "it's all in the eye of the beholder". We look at the images from different view points. I am actually constantly and positively AMAZED how differently I can think about images with other posters in these challenges. I hope others are learning as much as I am. ...back to the analysis of my image... Actually, it would have been quite impossible in these lighting conditions and laws of physics NOT to have the shadow there... I DID try different poses for the shadow, but they didn't work in this image. Also, can you imagine HOW silly I looked in the middle of the street doing mambo pelvis thrusts with the camera on my shoulders...?! :D -Arn

Canon DSLR Challenge		20-Jun-2006 20:17
Oh, I knew the whole point of the image was the shadow. :) Let me first say that you're a sweetheart for responding so nicely to my criticism. :) Now, on wtih the discussion... I think my problem with shadow images is that the shadows are never doing anything interesting. There's really only one shadow image I've ever really liked, and, ahem, blush, it's my own. LOL! But, as you can see here,http://www.pbase.com/lonnit/image/22318385 it's not the standard shadow image; it's a composit, and, it's of two different poses. I feel it's got a life to it - it's got personality and spunk! So, maybe, next time around, you might want to think about different poses the shadow can take to relate them to the scene. Of course they don't have to be a composite, like mine, but just have more life to them, so that if they are there, they have some interest. I think what I am saying, is my standard philosophy, that if you're going to break the rules, don't just bend them a little... SHATTER THEM! If you don't shatter them, they often just look like mistakes. My issue here is that although I know that YOU know that you included the shadow on purpose, the resultant shadow is no different than that of a person who accidentally got thier shadow in, or simply didn't care if they got there shadow in. The "rule" is to avoid getting your shadow in the frame. To break the rule, you've got to have good reason. You're reasoning is flawless, and I agree that the shadow could be used as a very nice element here. However, I may only know that b/c I know the theme of the challenge. If I stumbled on this image outside the challenge, I'd likely say, "What the hell is that doing there?!!". ;) Now, if your shadow was doing something interesting, we'd all have no doubts about what it was doing there, even if you were reusing the image in a challenge of a different theme. :) So, if you're putting that shadow there, make sure we've no doubt it's intentional. Oh, and while I'm being annoying, I'll also admit that I really like the image cropped at the point where the ground meets the dark shadow of the building on the right hand frame. I don't know that it's a better crop than yours, just different, and works very nicely, IMO, as well. :) Now, before you slap me, I will say that this image has lots of nice things going for it. Love the processing. Like the details. :) Ok, now you can smack me hard! LOL! ~ Lonnit Anyway, like most of my images, this was taken just for fun. I know that the self portrait shadow is a bit old-hat, but I felt like taking this type of pic :) -Arn

Canon DSLR Challenge		20-Jun-2006 16:22
All input and every opinion is welcome Lonnit! This image is all _about_ the shadow, I certainly didn't leave it there by mistake :) Along with the buildings and perspective, the shadow is one of the leading elements that point to the horizon and center of the image. Anyway, like most of my images, this was taken just for fun. I know that the self portrait shadow is a bit old-hat, but I felt like taking this type of pic :) -Arn

Canon DSLR Challenge		20-Jun-2006 13:29
I like everything but the shadow. Sorry; pet peeve of mine. I see nothing interesting about a photog getting his shadow in the picture. It always just makes me think the photog wasn't creative enough to find a point of view that avoided it, hence, it makes the shot appear amateurish to me - which is a shame b/c the shot is really nice otherwise. I know you have it there intentionally, so please don't take it as my knocking your abilities, it's just one-of-those-things to me. ;) BTW, I've got a tilt fetish, so you'll see no complaint about that! LOL! Actually, I just shot my daughter's birthday party this weekend and I did the whole thing tilted, just because it felt right - very festive, fun, and carefree. I thought that befitting to a party atmosphere. And, as you may recall, I once hosted a tilted challenge. Oh, and nice BW processing here. :) ~ Lonnit

Guest		20-Jun-2006 05:42
Very cool textures in the street. The shadow, tilt, and perspective are all sufficiently exaggerated to make this work well and it's fun. Yeah, you could get rid of the crane but it's not grabbing my attention in any negative way. -Michael

Canon DSLR Challenge		19-Jun-2006 16:49
I agree about the crane, Cat. I should just remove it, but I tend to "fix" my images as little as possible and I think I forgot the crane there (or was just too lazy) -Arn

Canon DSLR Challenge		19-Jun-2006 16:21
Arn, Looks like a shot from the country-western genre! Nice treatment. Not sure if the crane at the end of the road adds anything. -Cat