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Working Instruments

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
For some time now I have been photographing working instruments so I can make a project out of it.
This time all images will be square. Easier composition, good results.

I am not sure if it will be in pure black and white or some duotone I may have already...
Today, I have been selecting some photographs that can be incorporated in the project. Later, I will make another crop until I reach at least 20 nice images.
Slowly I will get there...


i-FPx3NDp-X2.jpg

But the aim of this thread is not restricted to the subject above but to something else.

Last Saturday afternoon I went to a local photographic exhibition where five photographers were represented.
Three of them worked as a team under the same concept. Indeed, the images presented - all with the same size and "treatment" - could not be in visual terms visually separated one from the other. So, it was not possible to identify it's author by the look: They all were alike.

Here is an option I would never adopt if ever I was integrated in a small group photographing under a theme. I think each person should have his own identity and mean of expression.
-
I had a talk with two of the photographers.
They told me that the treatment of the images had been done by the lab, not by them. They just moved to the lab with the photographs on the cards, downloaded them with some guide lines to the person in charge, came back to check the work a couple of days ago and ordered him to print the images.
How different my work is. :)
I do everything from the beginning to the end ! Only the frames and canvas are out sourced...
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I like this project, it's interesting and this first one is executed tastefully and with good craft......and yes, Antonio, you're absolutely correct about defining your own identity. It should not merely be the distinctive frames you use!

When your photographic style, itself, is experienced immediately, felt and is familiar to the viewer, you're ahead of the game! A great point. In an OPF gallery, however, we'd have uniformity in the arrangements, but the inherent esthetic values, motifs, subject matter, style, composition and presentation of the picture should be your "personal coding" to spark our ability to see your work as something unique to you and not generic. I can recognize most of your portraits at a glance. However, if the pictures were birds in the trees or marshes and we had a ten such photographers here, then likely as not, I'd fail to recognize who did what!

For group exhibit in a gallery, each photographer's work should be presented as unique and significant.

Asher
 

James Lemon

Well-known member
You are like a master builder Antonio! What kind of paper do you like to print your Black & White images on... if you don't mind me asking?
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
Thank you james for your comment. :)
I use Ilford paper on EPSON R3000 (always original inks for consistency of results)
I print in A5 because I have some folios ready made, A4 a few times and A3+
This time I am working very carefully (as always) in order to get consist results all over the images.
I am right now in this process. I do not know how long it is going to take. :)

i-4srtKx7-X3.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
How has life been added to a picture of a tool for weighing things?

i-FPx3NDp-X2.jpg


Doug asked about the sense of life in an inanimate subject. Yes that's a considerable challenge and Antonio, you've succeeded here. I think the way it might work is that the scales are meticulously images and immediately capture one's main attention, but then below, the streaks of blurred reflections pull our eyes downwards and to the left bringing movement and life to the scene.

This sense of action is supported by an arrangement of sympathetic diagonals of varying strengths, that encourage activity of the eyes, to explore the field, again and again and again.

Anyway, that's what I think is happening! Any other ideas? :)

Asher
 

James Lemon

Well-known member
i-FPx3NDp-X2.jpg


Doug asked about the sense of life in an inanimate subject. Yes that's a considerable challenge and Antonio, you've succeeded here. I think the way it might work is that the scales are meticulously images and immediately capture one's main attention, but then below, the streaks of blurred reflections pull our eyes downwards and to the left bringing movement and life to the scene.

This sense of action is supported by an arrangement of sympathetic diagonals of varying strengths, that encourage activity of the eyes, to explore the field, again and again and again.

Anyway, that's what I think is happening! Any other ideas? :)

Asher

The inclusion of the other elements are key to the composition, the different shapes and sizes and of course the mixture of different lines all add to this wonderful composition. Well done Antonio!
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
Why intriguing Fahim ?
The picture you have used in your comment is pure black and white which I do use use that often as I like best this one applied through LR.
I do not know now if this preset is the exact copy of LensWork's. I have introduced slight changes meanwhile.
The image is better in duotone.
i-7tfDFNJ.png
i-V8gfTTw-X2.jpg
 

fahim mohammed

Well-known member
Intriguing, because there are so many things that come to my mind when I considered how i would approach such a project.

What working instruments...will the instruments, should the instruments imply some environment, some time period, some state of my mind of the culture that uses/used them.

Should they somehow be incomplete without a hint of the those that use them?

Should there be a social statement subliminally injected into the viewers?

To me a project such as this is intriguing as there might be so many directions it would/could take.
It would be not an easy one for me. And hence I commend you for it and wish you all success.

I like what I see, and am intrigued by what might follow. Taken individually or as a whole.

As to the tonality, just wanted to know what you would use, and where...and why?

Thank you for sharing this project with us.

Kindest regards.
 

Jessica Little

New member
Love the series. There's obvious craft in each picture, which goes nicely with the subject matter.

Couldn't agree more with your point about making your work your own and going through the entire process yourself. Not only does this make you feel more accomplished, it makes you a more complete photographer who understands what actually goes into producing images worth looking at.
 
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