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Abstract Reflection revisited de novo!

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
We started here and got into a great discussion on the meaning of the art term absrtraction and painterly. So I thought I'd clean the slate and focus here in our "Landscape" forum on Charles' image, itself!

Charles L. Webster said:
When I took this picture, I saw the "painterly" effect and was struck by the abstraction. Several of my other photos explore this "reflection" theme and I think this is one of the more successful.

Shot with my trusty 300D with the Sigma 70-300 f/4-5.6 @ 240mm f/5.6 1/800 ISO 200. This is almost full frame, some small amount was lost when I rotated the image to straighten the horizon.

5547030-lg.jpg


Quote=Charles L. Webster]I leave the question of "is it art" to those who care, such as Ray.

Charles L. Webster[/quote]


Congrats Charles,

I'm a sucker for gold, sienna and sunsets! Your picture is very impressionistic and attractive. As it is it seems to lack some clarity but probably the real file prints well.

I tried sharpening and it really does look great that way too. I like the more defined irregular gold reflections broken up by the ripples on the water.

Do you also have shots with the sky?

We know this is a sunset or dawn, but that would be other pictures with different meanings. The lack of sky does create a tension, since we know enough of sunsets to expect the sky and low sun. It is part of the platter we expect mother nature to serve as things are packed away for the day!

So this image is only part of the sunset, a restricted sunset, if you wish. The top of the picture is not fading to anyrhing, rather abruptly disappears, which tells us more is there but we can't see it! So that sets up a question of what was there to see.

Asking that question and the initial attraction is what can take this image on its way to be "art". For me it works as art but I might want to choose such a pciture from a real print of a particular size on the right paper. Then it will make it or not.

All I can say is that I like it, I wouldn'y have framed it that way, so that's another thing I like!

Thanks for sharing!

Asher




Although I'm not a conventional sunset/sunrise/landscape enthusiast I am a bit of a mug for a good reflection image. This certainly falls into that category for me. As Asher noted, very nice color contrasts. The colors and compositions of the best reflected images not only keep the eye satisfied, but they also provoke the analytical brain to wonder what is being reflected. That's the case here, too, although identification is just beyond my imagination.

Nice image, Charles. Thanks for posting it.



Hi Charles,

First let me affirm that I like you picture. Next we need to separate wonderful, informative articles that educate us on the semantics of describing art from the work of an individual who is just looking for reactions on how they feel emotional and think in terms of the actual image as it is, ways of photographing such a subject and choices for getting that idea to a brilliant print that people will enjoy and even pay money for.

Now how do we then deal with both and still have the openness that distinguishes OPF?

My solution is carve out this essay as an article which can be illustrated perhaps by my own pictures.

In any case the I may transfer my respected friend's informed article to a new place temporarilly while I think!

Asher




The ripplies in the water remind me of hammered or carved metal...



This now brings us up to date on real comment and feelings, although since the forum is open, we could get into a discussion of

"The biophysics of tangential-light-energy-transfer to suspended microplankton in in coastal waters with diurnal indistrial effluant."

So we'll be on the lookout!

Now let's discuss the photograph!

Asher
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Ray West

New member
Hi Asher,

You asked me to explain part of an earlier post in the 'sister thread' - the penultimate sentence in this para, I guess -

My jury of one is still out as to where I would place it in my personal view of what constitutes art. I wonder if I would have considered it more artful, if you rotated it 90 degrees, and altered the colours, or carried out some other sort of manipulation, or whatever? As it is, it reminds me of 'basket weave' - a lot of withies around here. Thanks for posting, and 'the dig' ;-)
The shape of the ripples remind me of a woven 'wicker' basket. The Somerset levels, near my abode, are known for their withies, a local name for the pollarded willows, and the long thin shoots which are derived from same, from which the baskets are made.

If you look here http://www.somerset.gov.uk/celebratingsomerset/willow/ then you may get an idea of the weave pattern, and the importance of withies. (click on the buttons at top right - history-growing - etc.

(I have been to a funeral with a wicker coffin - not my own - it creaked and flexed when being carried in perhaps a disconcerting way)

Best wishes,

Ray
 
-snip-

So this image is only part of the sunset, a restricted sunset, if you wish. The top of the picture is not fading to anyrhing, rather abruptly disappears, which tells us more is there but we can't see it! So that sets up a question of what was there to see.

-more snippage-
Asher

So there is a shot with "more." Not, perhaps as much more as some would wish, but I shot this, and several similar, first. The background that is not shown is a messy industrial shoreline along San Francisco Bay. I have many pictures from that location that try to capture the essence of shoreline without the naughty bits, as they say. Here's this

5547032-lg.jpg


Shot as usual with my trusty Digital Rebel and the same crappy Sigma 70-300 @120mm f/10 @ 1/200 ISO 200

I was more interested in the light than the reflection when I shot this, but then realized the reflection was more interesting, and shot the other.

From this, you can see the origin of the other.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I'm stunned, Charles, I did not expect the reflections to have such parents!

I have to get over the shock! I'm glad I saw the first picture first. This is so entirely different but I like it too. Just a different idea entrirely.

This is like having to reset ones watch for daylight savings time or to find a new company to insure your car after an accident! I have to get used to the different reality this second picture brings me.

Asher
 

Marian Howell

New member
i like this shot as well as the other (highly debated LOL) one, or perhaps even more, due to the detail in the wood at the top which contrasts with the rippled reflections below. as asher said, this is an entirely different idea, and i too am glad i saw the less identifiable one first. i'm glad the light continued long enough for you to explore both shots.
here's to further explorations with your trusty rebel and crappy sigma :))))
 

Ken Tanaka

pro member
This image is also excellent, Charles. I won't opine better or worse; it's really a very different image with its own attractions.
 
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