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LF: The Beauty of Age (minimalism)

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Dawid Loubser

Member
Sometimes I am drawn to extremely minimalist compositions. The 10-minute process of composing an image like this (taken at an angle, had to use a combination of camera movements to get every grain in sharp focus across the frame) forces me to play with the subject, and "home in" on the proportions that I find pleasing, that I can "see" in a print in my mind's eye.

The Beauty of Age
the_beauty_of_age_by_philosomatographer-d45rxnt.jpg

(Ilford FP4+ film (4x5in), Linhof Technika V, Schneider APO-Symmar 150mm at f/16)​

The two things that I like about this image, is
  • The magnificent irregularity of the end-result of the micro-destructive forces of nature
  • The independence of scale: this could be a 4:1 macro, or an aerial photograph, both illustrating the ageing process.

What do you think?
 
M

Maris Rusis

Member
It's always exciting to see another bold essay into minimalism.

I think it is the part of photography where success lies but a razor thin gap from failure. Minimalism thrives on the premise "less is more" but mostly things turn out to confirm "less is actually less". That's a high stakes game.

Looking hard at "The Beauty of Age" doesn't tell me any more than looking at it casually. I suspect the picture is not about the subject but rather about the process of looking and then thinking. So far it has got me beat but I'll return to it often in case I get an insight. That's more than I can say about a lot of pictures.
 
D

Dawid Loubser

Member
Maris Rusis said:
Minimalism thrives on the premise "less is more" but mostly things turn out to confirm "less is actually less". That's a high stakes game.

Looking hard at "The Beauty of Age" doesn't tell me any more than looking at it casually. I suspect the picture is not about the subject but rather about the process of looking and then thinking. So far it has got me beat but I'll return to it often in case I get an insight. That's more than I can say about a lot of pictures.
Click to expand...

Hi Maris,

Thank you for your opinion; I agree with your every statement. This was just a spontaneous little celebration of mine for the aging process - no less, no more. It is "about" the subject, though (and not my process - much as I enjoy it), but the subject is rather minimalist :)
 
Asher Kelman

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Dawid Loubser said:
Sometimes I am drawn to extremely minimalist compositions. The 10-minute process of composing an image like this (taken at an angle, had to use a combination of camera movements to get every grain in sharp focus across the frame) forces me to play with the subject, and "home in" on the proportions that I find pleasing, that I can "see" in a print in my mind's eye.

The Beauty of Age
the_beauty_of_age_by_philosomatographer-d45rxnt.jpg

(Ilford FP4+ film (4x5in), Linhof Technika V, Schneider APO-Symmar 150mm at f/16)​

The two things that I like about this image, is
  • The magnificent irregularity of the end-result of the micro-destructive forces of nature
  • The independence of scale: this could be a 4:1 macro, or an aerial photograph, both illustrating the ageing process.
    [/LIST

    What do you think?
Click to expand...



  • I like your idea and its execution. However I'd prefer that the picture is allowed to react with and dominate its surrounding white space without the barrier of a black border.


    the_beauty_of_age_by_philosomatographer-d45rxnt_1.jpg


    Dawid Loubser: The Beauty of Age (minimalism)

    No border    ​


    Isn't this a purer form of minimalism and more fitting to your work?

    Here, Dawid, the picture takes on a different prominence and is now relating to the surrounding space and this alters our perception The experience is very different. I wonder how you feel about this presentation. Do you need your black border or might you even prefer the openness demonstrated here.


    Asher
 
D

Dawid Loubser

Member
Asher, I do like your rendition without the border... I must chop the borders off the print and see what it looks like. I am soon getting some bigger processing trays, I will make a bigger, borderless print to evaluate.

Thanks for the idea!
 
Asher Kelman

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Dawid Loubser said:
Asher, I do like your rendition without the border... I must chop the borders off the print and see what it looks like. I am soon getting some bigger processing trays, I will make a bigger, borderless print to evaluate.

Thanks for the idea!
Click to expand...


Dawid,

Looking at your picture now, without the border, we agree is different. Describing the altered experience is hard. How do you feel the picture changes?

Asher
 
D

Dawid Loubser

Member
Asher Kelman said:
Dawid,

Looking at your picture now, without the border, we agree is different. Describing the altered experience is hard. How do you feel the picture changes?

Asher
Click to expand...

Hi Asher,

It's difficult, as you say. Borders are, in my opinion, largely a matter of personal preference. On theory is this: If the picture represents a visual "space" within which subject are "confined" or "framed", the image often looks better still with a real frame surrounding it. On the other hand, if the image itself has minimalist - but uniform - subject matter (such as my texture here), perhaps any border is "overbearing". One should not bound an image representing a boundless subject (as far as the photograph is concerned, in anyway).

There is already so little in the image, any "additions" are potentially distracting. I find certain type of music to be similar: There is a certain "critical mass" which, if crossed, causes one to either want "more", or "less". Some music is "almost" minimalist, but spoilt by one or two structural elements which one would also rather have ripped out - like you have done to my frame here.

Biosphere (Geir Jenssen, from Norway) produces minimalist electronic soundscapes. His work is so delicate, gentle, that one could not possibly add the musical equivalent of a "picture frame" to the music - one wants even less, in fact. On the other hand, a band like Juno Reactor (basically invented the Goa Trance genre) produces such vivid, often overbearing electronic music works, that one cannot help but lust for even more "heavy structure" to the music. I would see this as analogous to framing, or not framing, a photograph.

I am not well-enough versed in classical music to point to specific examples, but I have certainly experience the same in that genre also.
 
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