Thorny critique?

[wayler]

I have something particular in mind that I like about this, but not something that would immediately translate...any thoughts, please?

 

[jamesbjenkins]

As an abstract, I really like this. I get the impression of a human-like figure falling into a vortex.

Very unusual shot.

I'd like to hear what your vision was here.

 

[Frequency]

really liked this... i thought it was a praying mantise

Regards

 

[Jaemie]

I love these types of plants as subjects and worked one in B&W recently. They have so much personality!

I'm intrigued by the main element of your photo - that long leaf in the center with its stringy explosion. It mesmerizes with its alternating blur and sharpness. However, the two focal points are competing a bit too much for my attention. If I could crop out that upper-right leaf... but I know it's probably not possible without losing some valuable elements. Otherwise, the subject reminds me of a hydra with thin tentacles. There's a lot of implied movement and depth. It's captivating. The colour seems, at first, a bit too cool, but now I'm not so sure. Nice light on the spines! I'd try re-shooting from a slightly different angle to see what else emerges. :thumbup:

 

[wayler]

Thank you very much. All interesting insights with elements that I also see. I am fairly new to photography and have hardly taken any photos with an abstract feel like this, so I wasn't sure how to judge it (other than that I enjoyed it!). I have never thought to name a photograph before, but when I saw how it turned out I thought "singularity" and on a scientific level it reminded me of the big bang and existence springing forth. On a spiritual level it reminded me of the story of "The Humbling of Indra" from the Upanishads.

The Humbling of Indra - a story from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana

It is a little long, but the most relevant part is this:

O king of the Devas, I have known the dreadful dissolution of the universe, turning it into a huge mass of water void of all sign of animate being. I have seen all perish again and again, at the end of every cycle. Who will count the universes that have passed away, or the creations that have arisen again and again, from the formless abyss of the vast waters? Who will search through the wide infinity of space to count the universes side by side, each containing its own Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva? Who will number the Indras in them all, reigning in all the innumerable worlds; those others who have passed away before them; or even the Indras who succeed each other in any given line, one by one, ascending to kingship, and one by one, passing away? O king of the Devas, there are among your servants who maintain that it may be possible to number the grains of sand on earth and the drops of rain that fall from the sky, but no one will ever number all those Indras. This is what the Knowers Know.

Each of the blades shooting out are "universes side by side" and each little spine on each of the blades is another Indra thinking he was the creator of the universe. At some point existence takes on a whole other form by way of the strings shooting out at the end. That also brought me back to the scientific level with ideas of string theory.

Jaemie - I agree about the focal points distracting each other a little. My thought was trying to show that the thorns (Indras) existed on all the other blades bursting out, as well as the one with the shoots. But, that could probably be implied.

Anyway, thanks again for the input, it has helped me look at it in some different ways.

 

[Jaemie]

We studied The Upanishads in grad school, so your statement takes me back in nicely remembered ways. I think your way of seeing this image is refreshing; it's nice to get such depth of thought on a photo.

 

[slackercruster]

Don't like it much. Too abstract for me. Don't matter though. If you like it that is all that counts.

 

[Frequency]

Only those who cross the borders of time(which is not there!!!) and identifies with the Eternity can understand all those Indras... i am not the one.... i am not the one ....
:hail: :hail::hail: