Blue & Orange Abstracts (BESP - P2)

[kundalini]

Bitter's Evil School of Photography - Project 2 - Lines in Abstract.

We're supposed to give an intent. My intent was to satisfy the assignment..... 2 shots of lines in an abstract form. We're also supposed to ask for specific C&C. Well........, what do you think?

REPLACED ORIGINAL PHOTOS..... SEEN HERE and HERE

Apeture f/20, Shutter Speed 8s, ISO 200, Focal Length 105mm, -2.0EV

Apeture f/11, Shutter Speed 1/30, ISO 200, Focal Length 105mm, -2.0EV

I reserve the right to exchange photos until the deadline has passed. ​

Thanks for looking. Comments always welcomed. Critique always appreciated.​

 

[Olympus E300]

I dig the 1st shot! The center rust line remains centered throughout the photo...You're eyes have no choice but to follow it up to the top of the silo and focus on the object on the top...I also appreciate the detail (pattern) that you were able to capture in the galvanizing. If your assignment was lines in abstract, then I think you've done a very good job. The horizontal lines created by the ribbing in the sheet metal work well against the vertical rust lines while coupled with the upward perspective of the shot.

Just my $0.02
- Dan

 

[iBats]

The DOF on 1 is really distracting and I believe this could be cropped a bit to get rid of the long DOF that is out of focus.

The second one is a cool pattern but it doesn't really grab your attention and could use something that makes you more interested in the subject. Although this is abstract im still wary of it.

Abstract should be attention grabbing and make you think about all the possibilities that there are in a photo. These (at least the second one) make you think: oh look, a roof, and then you walk away.

 

[Ron Evers]

I know it is to be abstract but shingles on a flat roof???

I guess that maybe considered abstract.

 

[er111a]

mmmm not really a fan of number one prolly because I have a pic very simular too it lol but the second one it pretty cool

 

[Battou]

These hold some potential but it still fail. One key factor in abstract is the unknown...Abstracts work because we can't recognize what they are. As soon as we can spot the pattern and identify what it is it ceases to be an abstract. Sadly I can clearly see that these lines in the first are the corrugation of the steel tubing and the second image are roofing shingles.

The first one holds potential but not as shot, I would suggest backing up a few steps, lowering your shot angle to a field of view below the point where you can see the pieces sticking out the side and shooting with as deep a DOF as you can muster. Fill the frame with nothing but the lines cast by the steels shadows and possibly the one rust line.

 

[cnutco]

I agree with Dan. I like the first one. Great shot.

 

[Olympus E300]

...One key factor in abstract is the unknown...Abstracts work because we can't recognize what they are. As soon as we can spot the pattern and identify what it is it ceases to be an abstract...

This is something that I neglected to consider when considering the purpose (or exercise). I like the shot as a shot...However...I am affraid that Battou might be correct. Perhaps as an abstract, it does not work...

 

[Battou]

...One key factor in abstract is the unknown...Abstracts work because we can't recognize what they are. As soon as we can spot the pattern and identify what it is it ceases to be an abstract...

This is something that I neglected to consider when considering the purpose (or exercise). I like the shot as a shot...However...I am affraid that Battou might be correct. Perhaps as an abstract, it does not work...

I had a good teacher....This was a lesson I learned some time ago when I was working with extreme macro. I had a shot where I wanted to create a guess macro photo. Them in and of them selves require some element of abstract however there is a point where the photo can go beyond a guessing game and into the relm of true abstract. This image did just that, Overshot macro guessing game material and straight into abstract. When I asked about why it failed, what he told me was what abstract was. I just thought I would pass along the knowledge.


The personal opinion that my experience has lead me to is that abstract lines are easiest to find with good macro equipment and deep DOF's. Though not necessary, it is much easier.

Example #2
Example #3
Example #4

 

[Tulsa]

I think it was touched on above, but I will give my opinion.
Abstract is not what these shots are. These are shots of a silo and roof with lines, but it seems you did not get in depth on this project.
IMO, abstract needs to leave the viewer thinking, What am I looking at? It can take thought to get that sort of shot, but if thats what the assignment is, then I think these images do not pass.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I had a good teacher....This was a lesson I learned some time ago when I was working with extreme macro. I had a shot where I wanted to create a guess macro photo. Them in and of them selves require some element of abstract however there is a point where the photo can go beyond a guessing game and into the relm of true abstract. This image did just that, Overshot macro guessing game material and straight into abstract. When I asked about why it failed, what he told me was what abstract was. I just thought I would pass along the knowledge.


The personal opinion that my experience has lead me to is that abstract lines are easiest to find with good macro equipment and deep DOF's. Though not necessary, it is much easier.

I guess I am a bad teacher.
But at the same time, not one person has asked me to define what is and isn't abstract. This project was to teach you to look at the world around you in a different way. In this case to look for compositions made up of line(s). I disagree with it being "easiest" with a macro lens. I know it's your opinion, and I don't mean to be "combative", but interesting abstract compositions are all around you. You need to look at the world differently, though. None of the following examples were taken with a macro lens, at close focal distance.

Black Sun
Focal length:250mm

The Saw
Focal length: 250mm

Burnt Toast
Focal length 179mm

I'm with Stupid
Focal length: 100mm

The purpose of this project was to think purely about composition. It isn't to teach one to become an abstract photographer, but the value of this exercise lends itself to many other styles of photography.

 

[iBats]

I had a good teacher....This was a lesson I learned some time ago when I was working with extreme macro. I had a shot where I wanted to create a guess macro photo. Them in and of them selves require some element of abstract however there is a point where the photo can go beyond a guessing game and into the relm of true abstract. This image did just that, Overshot macro guessing game material and straight into abstract. When I asked about why it failed, what he told me was what abstract was. I just thought I would pass along the knowledge.


The personal opinion that my experience has lead me to is that abstract lines are easiest to find with good macro equipment and deep DOF's. Though not necessary, it is much easier.

I guess I am a bad teacher.
But at the same time, not one person has asked me to define what is and isn't abstract. This project was to teach you to look at the world around you in a different way. In this case to look for compositions made up of line(s). I disagree with it being "easiest" with a macro lens. I know it's your opinion, and I don't mean to be "combative", but interesting abstract compositions are all around you. You need to look at the world differently, though. None of the following examples were taken with a macro lens, at close focal distance.

Black Sun
Focal length:250mm

The Saw
Focal length: 250mm

Burnt Toast
Focal length 179mm

I'm with Stupid
Focal length: 100mm

The purpose of this project was to think purely about composition. It isn't to teach one to become an abstract photographer, but the value of this exercise lends itself to many other styles of photography.

1 is sick lol

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

To critique...

#1 Representational. This subject has a lit of potential though.

#2 It's lines, yes. Can you convince me that you gave composition any thought?
#2 could become interesting if there was some sort of pattern break. Instead it's all a bunch of sameness. Your brain quickly realizes this and becomes bored.

 

[Battou]

I had a good teacher....This was a lesson I learned some time ago when I was working with extreme macro. I had a shot where I wanted to create a guess macro photo. Them in and of them selves require some element of abstract however there is a point where the photo can go beyond a guessing game and into the relm of true abstract. This image did just that, Overshot macro guessing game material and straight into abstract. When I asked about why it failed, what he told me was what abstract was. I just thought I would pass along the knowledge.


The personal opinion that my experience has lead me to is that abstract lines are easiest to find with good macro equipment and deep DOF's. Though not necessary, it is much easier.

I guess I am a bad teacher.
But at the same time, not one person has asked me to define what is and isn't abstract. This project was to teach you to look at the world around you in a different way. In this case to look for compositions made up of line(s). I disagree with it being "easiest" with a macro lens. I know it's your opinion, and I don't mean to be "combative", but interesting abstract compositions are all around you. You need to look at the world differently, though. None of the following examples were taken with a macro lens, at close focal distance.


[IMG - pulled for space]

The purpose of this project was to think purely about composition. It isn't to teach one to become an abstract photographer, but the value of this exercise lends itself to many other styles of photography.

Wile it is true that a good teacher will know exactly what they are asking their students to accomplish, it is human to misscommunicate. When I orginally replied to this thread I had absolutely no clue what the "Bitter's Evil School of Photography" was about....infact it was whay I looked at this thread, I was curious as to why I had been seeing (BESP) so much lately. Afther reading the OP's statements I opperated on that assumption that this was about true abstract works. It was not untill after I had made my second post that I actually went and looked into the assignment. Out here in open forum my statements still hold any merrit they held when I posted them as the OP was looking to get abstract.

Once I had read the assignment, I understand how we have come to this conversation. I did also notice you had a disclamer in the group discription that covers you in just this sort of instance. So I'm not going to say you are a bad teacher, we've just encountered one of those moments you've been looking for your self when you said something about learning about the things you don't know by teaching the things you do. Internally with the group this likely would not have occured because as you said no one asked.

But since it has come up, The statement pertaining to abstract was.....poorly placed for lack of a better phrase. One does not need to create abstract art to use lines nor does the image need to be representational. You are right, lines are everywhere and can be used in a couple different ways artistically. Artistic does not necessarily make or require the image to be abstract.

A few of my artistic uses of lines that I would not consider abstract:

eg.#1 O'Da...I Mean - Focal length: 50mm

eg.#2 Please Share - Focal length: 400mm

eg.#3 A Life on the Line - Focal length: 400mm

But here is the real contradiction to the abstract statement. One often finds that artistic thought and vision are needed to provide artistic use of lines in non artistic representational works.

eg.#4 Black Capped Chickadee - Focal length: 400mm

This shot was composed before the bird even landed, The bars from the feeder maticulously placed at both lower corners specifically to draw the viewer to the bird...Thus is why the bird is out of focus :neutral:

Some times you need to think artistically during composition to see the one line that will bring them all together.

eg.#5 Proximity - Focal length: 35mm

Without that pole the powerlines would have been scattered and intruding, incorperating that one pole provided all of those lines a home and gave them some leading qualities to account for the additional space needed to incorperate the pole and still help the viewer find both of the subjects in the one photo.

But anywho....it's after two thirty in the morning and I need to start shoring up for the night because I have to be up by eight in the morning....

 

[kundalini]

Interesting discussion fellows. Please carry on.

Okay, I admit it..... my execution is this past excercise was lacklustre to say the least. I'm not gonna say the resubmitted photos are any better, but I did put a wee bit more thought into it this time.

I've replaced the original submissions.