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[SI] XXXV (old stuff) Alan's comments
The "old stuff" SI has yielded some interesting photos. Some of which are very strong in all senses. Some are subtle, and some will suffer my less generous treatment. Bowser - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611087 Another of Bowsers high contrast, dead simple compositions. While there is a lot of detail, the empty sky really begs the question, "what's beyond here?" Regarding the mandate, whether alive or dead, the weather aged elements of this shot, trees and rocks, certainly speak of a long time while in contrast the clean fresh appearance speak of continued renewal. Good shot ... hope you worked over the scene and got more, esp. close-ups. Martin Djernaes* - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611100 This shot is very striking for its simplicity and saturated background color. Not sure how this was lit but there appears to be a lot of yellow on the BG and a bluish source from the left... The whole thing is rather bizarre isn't it? A barbers chair, but no counter for the barbers tools. An ad hoc shoeshine chair? No, doesn't have the right foot rests... I would guess that the shot was made at some sort of museum or exhibition, possibly a stage for a play. Strong image, bit weird. Definitely says something about "old" style... Simon Lee - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611101 Yet another dig at the old film world. (See Nick James' shot in Boundaries). Composition here is a bit too simple for my taste and usually expect something more dynamic from Simon. ( http://www.pbase.com/image/27382282 comes to mind.) In the presented shot there is some selective focus and mild converging lines... the Y&B coloring is strong. A sheet of black paper camera side (with a hole to shoot through) to eliminate the fore highlights, and a flatter/softer light off the to the left/back to produce white-flat highlights would have been more effective and really pops the yellows. Very cool idea, but I don't think you maxed it here... the collection of old Kodak cans is impressive. Vic Mason - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611102 Mixed ideas here. The plane is a carpentry tool and we would expect to see fresh unstained, unpainted wood and the obligatory cliché curls of wood from the plane. The wood that is presented looks like some renovation is underway. Composition has some strength with the predominant lines broken here and there. Shot seems a wee bit underexposed. McLeod* - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611103 The old lady running the old style lunch counter. Says it all. Shot seems a little out of focus or shaky and the pose is very contrived. Would have perhaps been more interesting if she were active, belying her age. One of the finer restaurants in your area, I take it? (jab at Ontario boy). Ken Nadvornick - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611104 Another documentary shot from Ken that is little different in style from his last shot for Entrances and Exists. This one is more interesting and less cluttered than the prev. example. The reason is that this shot is nearly 2D in depth (prev. one had a lot of BG clutter). Here there is some shadow that lifts some elements off of the image in a pleasing way. Shot is contrasty and sharp. I wish that Ken would begin a more 3D and detailed look at the world ... this style shot is getting ... old. Brian Fane - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611105 While you were in WA mode you should have really closed in to remove the headstone on the lower right. I'm guessing you used slide film here or a pretty good digi as the shadow side on the left is almost dead in detail. The blasted blues and the slight vignetting indicate a polarizer. Somehow the notion of old doesn't carry here because the scene is so fresh looking, a pleasant day, fresh. Good shot but I would have gotten in even closer to the stone. Eric Quesnel-Williams- http://www.pbase.com/image/32611106 Neat macro shot, lot's of detail and the use of new stamps as oof background is visually very effective in drawing attention to the detail in the old QV stamp. The close cropping is, of course, another appealing part of this image. Very well done. I'm guessing you had the stamp held by some device some height above the other stamps or possibly, but less likely, on a sheet of glass and very careful attention to lighting. From Eric I expected something more along the lines of a spooky graveyard at midnight ... but Eric surprises again. Brian Baird - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611107 While clearly an old wreck of a barn, esp. with the growth suggesting it has been abandoned, the composition is a bit centered and dull. Muted colors do not appear natural at all. Ah, "desaturated in photoshop" it says below the image... well not only did this not help the image, it is also a violation of the sacred rulz. Please obtain a whip and flog yourself. For the composition, more foreground or skyline to "place" the barn as well as a less centered shot would have certainly helped. Or get in close and photograph some detail. Graham Fountain - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611108 I'll blame a lot on the scan quality here. The shot appears overexposed, on the other hand detail inside is missing, so appears more to be just a bad scan. The composition almost works except for the great blob of tree behind the barn. Shot appears mildly fuzzy, and again this might be the scanning process (look into unsharp mask). A tighter composition, and a lower shooting vantage might have given this very work oriented barn a little more dignity and importance and possibly mask a lot of that damned tree. The tractor with the canted front wheels looks damned old, but the serviceable equipment looks to be same era ... how old is the photo? Doug Payne - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611109 Love the composition and detail. Exception being the blob on the lower left (stone or something). The top 10% could have been cropped out and perhaps more of the post (or whatever) on the right included. The color (pinkish red) looks a bit manipulated. Jim Kramer - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611109 Too simple. The same prop in a contextually supporting scene would have been much more interesting. As such the busy background does not support the simple shot. The flat on view is boring and has little dynamic. eg: The same shot with the weapon held by a yellow leather gloved hand and at a cocky angle would have been a smashing hit esp. close-up to a horse using the hair as background. Alan Browne - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611111 Louisbourg is a magical place. There is nothing modern about it (except the well disguised bathrooms, no signs, you need to ask). And they have folks dressed for the period, and working in roles of the period. Wonderful place. This shot is one of only two that I could take here. There was very limited space for a tripod and people milling about. As it is, I had to ask a couple people to unblock the natural light from the window. The perspective on this shot is a bit too low and the angle of the camera resulted in the distorted view. (Was hard to judge in the dark space working quickly near the floor with tourists stepping on my toes, fingers and bag (photo bag, that is!). A better angle: http://www.aliasimages.com/images/ol...rowne_oldb.jpg but the action too far to the right ... blacksmith moved around quite a lot. Christian Gatien - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611112 Superb composition and selection for the mandate. Only nit is the blob of red from another car in the reflection which disturbs the simplicity of the shot. This same shot should have been done on slide film for greater punch. Al Denelsbeck - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611113 Mysterious. I have no idea what this is. Fossil or ancient imprint? Overall composition is as dull as the colors. Slight relief from the contrasting light. Michelo - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611114 Strangely like Al. D's shot in tone. A lot more "stuff" here, modern fossilization of debris ... possibly near an abandoned semi demolished site? Some of the artifacts look like old fuses from pre-breaker days and bits of other scrap. Composition doesn't hold the eye for very long and like Al's shot, the colors are a bit dull, 'thought he gold/yellow colors against the white-grey grit are appealing. Bob Hickey - http://www.pbase.com/image/32611115 This is the kind of documentary shot that Bob does so well at and of course meets the mandate. Good composition and great lighting. Ruined by poor scanning. I'm sure you had more contrast in the original to work with as well as a sharper shot. Mojtaba Talaian - http://www.pbase.com/image/32613897 Er. What's the old part? Decrepit urban decay, maybe. I do like the alleyway and the way it curves just so at the end. It is a bit too centered in the composition and this is a good opportunity to get down low for the shot and get the dynamics up high (or get way above it which is not as easy to find). Mike Henley - http://www.pbase.com/image/32620513 This shot, while portraying something old, doesn't focus on any one thing. The lighting choice is odd as it doesn't provide contrast where it would have done some good ... statue of Mary on the right. The stone work on the left show some nice detail and lighting ... but not where it was really needed. I think other parts of the same site would have given you much stronger images. Chitbul - http://www.pbase.com/image/32620558 Mixed feelings over whether the clutter supports or detracts from the statement here. The dust is oddly a contributing element to the shot and most of us can remember the smell of these tube radios when they got nice and hot. Shot is too centered and dull... find angles, get closer, bring out the logo (hard to do here...), etc. Possibly the setting of the radio (pull back) would have gotten the message out too... Colm Gallagher - http://www.pbase.com/image/32663387 When I first saw this shot it reminded me very much of Chichen-Itza in Mexico. While clearly old, there is so little information that we can't really place it. Great detail and contrast, ordinary composition, but at least not "flat on" as too many recent contributions from SIers. Steve McCartney - http://www.pbase.com/image/32663393 Very good composition and use of natural light. (in some sense similar to my own contribution to the SI). What is very strong here of course is the social statement appropriate to our times. Here is the small locksmith of a certain age, working amongst his efficient small layout. He's content with his lot in life .... but it is unlikely that his business will survive his retirement... a way of life that is disappearing... I like the way the subject is lit... effective and worthy as a lifestyle documentary. very good shot. R. Schenck - http://www.pbase.com/image/32707419 This shot meets the mandate well in terms of subject (I assume it's fossilized bone...), but the composition is weak. Closer, tighter and without the clapboard background would have been much more effective. The soft lighting is very appealing with the selective focus used. Highlights seem a bit over. That's it. Cheers, Alan -- -- rec.photo.equipment.35mm user resource: -- http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.-- |
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