gessman Loc: Colorado

Tell me what you'd do with these, please... Any reason for them to exist? This blizzard and then fog occurred on the 7th of February, 2009 and was the 2nd coldest day in Denver's weather recording history. Some of us won't enjoy seeing this with winter coming on but what I'm looking for is the concensus of opinion as to whether they have any decorating merit, like perhaps in a home where there is an "all-white" freak. What do you think - honestly. Let me have it. These are not black and white. All were shot with a Canon EOS 5D MkII and an EOS 70-200, f2.8. All 3 were shot at f5.6 @ 1/80th and 100iso, handheld

Bridge over a little stream on a walking path through a park


The walking trail runs along side this tree...


A cool willow...


Here's the willow tree in Spring...


Idealized via ye olde clone tool...

manna Loc: Australia

the cool willow looks fantastic! the top two im not to sure of, I wouldnt hang them in my house, but they would look great printed up as writing paper design.

gessman Loc: Colorado

Thanks manna. Hadn't thought about writing paper. Not a bad idea. Those first two would most likely have a very narrow audience. I've seen people who, everything they have in their house is white. Can't figure that one out, since we have 3 sons and grandkids in and out, I don't think in terms of white everything but for those who like all white, maybe.

tilde531 Loc: Seaford Delaware

My favorite is the Willow in the blizzard!
THAT one I'd hang prominently in my home!

The foot-bridge might be better if there was more contrast and a little cropping... just a leeeeeetle teensy bit. ;)

Just my opinion... 'cause you asked.

My snow shots always have a bluish-tint to them (without me doing anything to them... likely due to not having my light setting done right in the camera.)

I kinda like that, though.
I don't get pristine white pics like these.

gessman Loc: Colorado

If you have a little extra time, please pull it in and crop it where you think it needs cropping and put it back out there. I have a little trouble with my cropping sometimes. When I've seen a scene through the camera I only snap when I 'feel' it and then if the outcome evokes me in that same direction later, I have a hard time ever seeing the balance any different later. I know some things want cropping to convey a spirit of calm and whatever, but I normally never feel the same about a scene after that first introduction to it. I'm working on that. Still, I do most of my cropping in the viewfinder and sometimes what appeals to me at the time and what I'm trying to convey needs to be compromised but I have a hard time with it. Had I been trying to get a shot of the bridge as the primary subject, I would have done it much differently. That I was trying to convey a sense of cold open space with something to break it up just enough to keep it from looking like a sheet of white paper, in my mind, diminished the sense of the bridge as a main subject and the bridge served as a mere prop in the greater scheme of things. If a viewer misses the point of my intentions, then I am playing with my own mind, but... if the the point is being properly conveyed but the balance is creating some level of tension in a viewer then it needs fixin'. Two questions then, a. can it be fixed, and b. how? What do you think? I struggle with this all the time. I appreciate it.

tilde531 Loc: Seaford Delaware

*nods as she reads*

I totally understand what you mean about the feeling of a shot and once done, you'll forever feel it's perfect the way it is.
And it IS!

I DID experience the photo with the feeling that the bridge is not the be-all end-all part of the photo. In fact, it exudes a feeling of cold, insignificance (hope that's the right word, as my thoughts are a little jumbled right now). It was during a blizzard and I would expect that to be the "feeling" behind the shot anyway.

Rarely are my personal impressions in step with "the norm", however. I prefer the unusual.

Most viewers will likely appreciate it just the way it is. As long as YOU'RE happy with it... if it does FOR YOU, what YOU want it to do... then that's all that really matters, I think.

I will be happy to accept your invitation to make that teeeeny weeeeeny tweak in positioning mentioned before and present it back here to you. Thanks for the chance!
I think you'll be surprised at how teeensy weensy the change will be... but it's enough of one for me... one of (hopefully) thousands of subjective viewers who will be blessed by having experienced your photography.

gessman Loc: Colorado

Hey, don't let me intrude in your urge to be jumbled. There's no rush. With no formal directed training, I fly by the seat of my pants and often on site am fraught with confusion about precisely how to frame my subject. Often, as a result of that, I shoot multiple shots, changing it all up, as I'm sure many of us do, and then try to decide which one I like best. Often I don't have a fav and more often I don't get the feel I thought was there from any of the choices. Film shooting was very expensive for me and somewhere out there, there are landfills full of...

I don't have a sense that I have an artistic leaning - it's all just mechanical. Born out of that is a tendency to resort to the old "hunter-gatherer" ways. Once I've gone out and shot the meat, it's somebody else's job from there. I'm done. And I almost never, I mean never, am in anyway completely satisfied that any shot I get is "perfect," "just right," or "doesn't need changing." I truly don't have a sense of that. Maybe I need to take some courses. That might help. So, sensing that you might be one of those kind folks who do see things differently or unusually, and are unreluctant to say so, based on your so obvious mental agility and quickness, I immediately had the urge to know your take on that shot so I could compare it to the other shots I took and see if we had some semblance of mental unity going there in at least a part of the broader spectrum of my thinking when I was on the spot doing the shooting. It'll help me to know. Thanks again.

tilde531 Loc: Seaford Delaware

Okay... please don't hit me... but this is what I came up with when I did the little tweak.

There is a little less, severe, white space and the bridge is still (nicely) not-centered, just as YOU had it.

I am partial to the little creek running under it, so wanted to keep as much of that as possible.
But I'm a nobody... not a pro... just know what I like better than other things. (can't be more honest about that!)

This was a really GREAT exercise in reverse learning for me and I learned a lot by it. Seriously... thank you for inviting me to try it.

I really liked your original, as I said... but that little extra white space was hard on my eyes.

The winter willow is still my FAVORITE and I'd like to... please... if I may... copy and save to my computer for use as a wallpaper? (I change out seasonally if not more often)

Respectfully,
T~

tilde531 Loc: Seaford Delaware

*grins*
We have a similar "fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants" style, then. I've no formal training at all. None. I know what looks nice to me and I learn by the critiques of my own work and that of others (even the harsh ones) what the well-trained, professional eye looks for, so that maybe I'll someday, be able to make a little money at this in ADDITION to just doing what makes me feel good.

gessman Loc: Colorado

[quote=tilde531][quote=gessman]

"I know what looks nice to me..." Therein lies some of the conflict in dealing with visual issue, be it fine arts, photography, or whatever - "everything beyond the absolute, rocks, earth, sky, etc., is force of personality." Which meant to me when I read that, if you can out argue me then you're right and often it's "right or fight." You get a chance to convince me then we debate. I'm going to pull in your edit and sit it side by side with my in-camera crop and see how each one hits me. Thank you for lending me your vision and "let's get ready to rumble."

I'll let you know my reaction to our varying tastes.

tilde531 Loc: Seaford Delaware

[quote=gessman][quote=tilde531]

*quivers*
Yay... I think!
*blush*

Based on your way of thinking; I really HOPE I'm "right" then...'cause I just don't "fight" worth a darn. :)

gessman Loc: Colorado

[quote=tilde531][quote=gessman]

Okay, I'll wear the big soft gloves and give you the first punch.

tilde531 Loc: Seaford Delaware

Uh-Oh... means "fight"... and ya kinda-sorta like mine but still REALLY like your own and you're bein' nice to me... right!?
*snickers softly*

Like I said, there wasn't anything inherently "wrong" with it... just a personal preference... and a teeeeeensy weensy change.

You'd laugh at my punch!
I punch like a girl! LMAO

(scary fist, isn't it! HAHAHAHA I can't even MAKE one!)

gessman Loc: Colorado

d. None of the above.

Either one works well. I'd say "looks good" but you know, humility and all that. Your's makes the bridge look bigger although it actually isn't when I reduce the original to 600xwhatever. One of those optical thingees, uh, I guess, uh, illusions. About your wallpaper, unless you have some way to pump up the pixels you might enjoy a little bigger copy. If that's the case and you'd pm me your email, I'll send you one. Deal? You gonna use it to cool off in the summer or confirm your gripes about winter?

...but my, what small hands you have. Must be about a 600x460 or something.

tilde531 Loc: Seaford Delaware

YAY!
*beams*

You spared me the humiliation of havin' to use it!? LOL
You, sir... are definitely a gentleman. :)

And yup... gonna use it to pine away for winter for sure!
(It's my second fave season to take photos in, too!)

Thank you so much!
(may I share these with you? As a thank you in advance, maybe?)

TINY icicle hangin by a thread


Ice-coated red stems


frozen Wheels