#1375

[Scuba]

Doesn't do anything for me either. Bitter maybe some explanation of what you see here?

 

[Derrel]

Derrel, I think you're being a little harsh. Yes, the image is dark and "usually" moving a similar image to trash, as you say, is a normal reaction. But let's back up a little. David gave us an image which is, using convention, "not pretty". Using photographic terms, we can say that it's too dark, too much dead space, not very sharp, centered composition. All true. And yet, it appeals to me, partly because it is suggestive, and unfinished. It is an incomplete image - it requires us to inject ourselves into the image and explore. There are all kinds of narratives that can be created with the image as a base. My story was what I imagined when I saw it. Obviously, there are other possibilities.

Even the "faults" of the image contribute to its use as an inspiration for a viewer-created story. The dimness gives a feeling that we may be looking through a window. What we see is not very clear, and again, that would be the case if we were looking through a window into an industrial space. The lack of sharpness again supports the window idea. The central positioning of the lit area emphasizes the darkness surrounding it, and the vertical columns and pipes give the feeling of it being industrial. The wash basin obviously is for people to use, and someone thought a mirror would be useful. The floor looks reasonably clean, so we can see it's not a rundown building.

Frankly, I think this image was David's challenge to us to see what we could construct with it. But it does require us to expend some mental energy looking at it and trying to figure it out. It certainly is not a cup of tea that all will enjoy, but I personally like the flavour.

pgriz, if I were to send you a disc full of my culls, would you be a pal and write up some cool stories so people would think they were totes awesome? 'Cause, well, that'd just be totally bitchin'!!!! As Bitter himself mentioned, I frequently have quoted Henry L. Mencken's famous statement that, "No one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public."

 

[pgriz]

pgriz, if I were to send you a disc full of my culls, would you be a pal and write up some cool stories so people would think they were totes awesome? 'Cause, well, that'd just be totally bitchin'!!!! As Bitter himself mentioned, I frequently have quoted Henry L. Mencken's famous statement that, "No one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public."

Well, that would depend on the image, I would think. Many images end up as culls because they just did not work - composition is off, focus is off, exposure is off, etc. They USUALLY were aimed to create a certain effect or idea, and did not succeed. A clear miss, if you will. Then there are images that appeal to some, and leave others completely cold. Some abstracts, concept pieces, pattern/texture studies, various motion blurs, some street photograhy will be in this category, as I think is this image. If this image did meet the criteria of Mencken's statement, then most responses on this would have been "oh how nice", because it would have a superficial attractiveness with no substance. However that is not the common reaction. It IS in the group of images where some "get it" and most don't. I cannot tell you if what I see in the image is the same as what David saw when he took it - but it has enough going on that it does appeal to me. So if you don't feel it works (for you), then that's fine - I don't think anyone is trying to convice you or any other viewer that this image is "great". And truth be told, my initial impression of it was not favourable - but I spend some time looking at it and as I did so, various elements in it became more obvious in a subtle way. That changed my initial impression to a different one, which then lead to the "story".

 

[dSP]

i'm quite liking the edited version, i like the colour and composition.

this is purely my own views though, I couldnt offer any comment on a technical level.