Going from "Lurker" to Contributing Photographer with a Vision

I like the artistic issues Martin touches on, so I though that this is an opportunity to provide my own personal view of how one moves towards some artistic space of one's own! So below is acduplicate of Maritn's origirnal post in the Architecture forum. Asher


Following the discussion on Members w/ Zero Posts i'll give it a shot and illustrate with an image..

I enjoy OPF and see a lot better pictures then my own. For me learning grounds and the quality of the shots & level of discussion is enough reason to be humble ..

Picture below is in Spain in a village near Cadiz. The attempt is to get a symetrical subject. However shot with a 18mm on film it remains a challenge.



Although I like the results I also see area's for improvement. It is not symetrical - level yes, but the poles are not centered in their domes. The fuji superia 400 gives the image quite some grain. And some more aspects that will change into plans for next attempts..

So i'll keep lurking for now and speak up if a can add to the discussion

Martin, newbies, lurkers and everyone else!

I would like to share some dangerous ideas on art!

So take this with some skepticism as this is not coming from Mount Sinai with the Tablets of Stone. These are just my own perspective based on an honesty and loyalty to one's inner creative self.

I could give a hoot myself about symmetry, rules of thirds, not having rods coming out of people's heads, getting the subject in focus, not having motion blur, having the eyes sharp or anything else that one might advise for or against. Not that any of these ideas are not pretty well based on esthetic values, but you, the artist needs to make your own creative space and attitude!

You better have a damn good reason for going against the grain of people who are experienced, successful and concepts that have good track records in art and photography. Still, you cannot slavishly follow prescriptions or styles and hope to make your own personal success. This means first acquiring skills that everyone expects of a photographer, getting to know at least one lens like a part of your body, the work of artists who you admire and then making your own path.

Here on OPF, we have a very broad license of what is good art and photography. This is because we respect the intent of the photographer if he/she has one! We get to know people's work gradually and are thrilled as photography becomes more expressive. For sure, we admire, love and desire great photographic lighting and technic. However, great technic or brilliant ideas do not make art on their own. Great ideas are in fact 10 a penny! Anyone can learn the technic. You'll also make gurus happy and rich taking their courses. Without developing your own vision and working to get it to a final print, everything is just "could be", "should be" and a bag full of expensive lenses!

Only go to a course as a reward for a new body of work!

Here, we don't care what level you are at as long as your work is serious and you don't take offense too fast! If that happens, cool off and send a note to Nicolas, myself or someone else here you feel you can trust!

If you are not sure of your work, put it on Layback Cafe, or send it by PM to one of us for a preview, although that is hardly needed! The fora are pretty well described and there's a place for anything you might come up with.

If it's in the wrong place, we'll find the right home!

Just jump in and post and please don't feel shy as each image or issue has something to learn from. For photographs, just pick your best and if there's more than one, they should be related or else comment is difficult.

Asher

Martin Kuivenhoven said:

Although I like the results I also see area's for improvement. It is not symetrical - level yes, but the poles are not centered in their domes. The fuji superia 400 gives the image quite some grain. And some more aspects that will change into plans for next attempts..

Click to expand...

Hoi Martin,

As an mere observer of your image, I have no first hand sense of dimension of the structure. You mention an 18mm lens (I assume on 35mm film), so I assume it's a huge thing and that's part of what you remember when you look at the image. If that is part of what you wanted to convey, huge - impressive - lots of (symmetrical) detail, there may be ways of improving the image although in a different way.

The 18mm and your vantage point produces a given perspective, which actually requires a large print being viewed up close to get true perspective back.
As a first try to bring some 'tension' back, you could clone out the palm tree on the left, but keep the palm leaves coming from behind the roof (they might add an interesting asymmetry). If you also clone out the two pole stubs, the structure becomes more detached from the bottom, as if it were floating. That could create an interesting feeling of lightness, fragility (in contrast with the actual dimensions).
Alternatively, you could try cropping most of the sky areas (left/right and top, maybe bottom), and isolate the details into a more abstract subject.

These are just some personal thoughts, based on what's presented. You are the one that creates the final look that best conveys the feeling you want to get across.

Bart

Bart,

Excellent ideas!

Reworked on Barts suggestion (the cloning of the palm tree will be redone) I think it works and improves the image!