Let's Do Eggleston Shots! I thought it might be fun to open up a thread in the Photo Critique section for a month for everyone to post their William Eggleston style shots. If you don't...

Nightski

I thought it might be fun to open up a thread in the Photo Critique section for a month for everyone to post their William Eggleston style shots. If you don't know what I'm talking about visit this link. It is an excellent read, and it will get you on your way to taking an "Eggleston".

http://erickimphotography.com/blog/2013/04/01/10-lessons-william-eggleston-has-taught-me-about-street-photography/

I will leave this thread open through the month of July to anyone who has an "Eggleston" that they would like to share or to anyone that would like to try an "Eggleston" and post it.

I would love to see a discussion about the shots get under way. Suggestions and observations about the shots will be welcomed. Please be courteous and stick to the subject.

I will post the first one. I've never tried this before, so please tell me whether or not I've captured the spirit of the "Eggleston", why or why not, what could I do better, which elements did I get right, what doesn't belong ... etc ... lets have fun.

Eggleston Attempt 1

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10MPlayer Loc: California

In yours I see the complementary colors, the simple theme of a woman tending her flowers. the blues and the purples work together.

In mine I liked the warm feel of the light together with the ethereal feeling the steam gives the shot plus the juxtaposition of the self-absorbed young woman next to the bored older guy. Overall I take away from the scene a feeling of contrasts. But then it's my picture. I'm interested in what others may think.

Selfie Girl with GoPro

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minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Taken at Hopson plantation, Clarksdale, MS, 20 miles from Sumner where Eggleston grew up.

I love this kind of thread.

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St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

I read the link and was having trouble deciding how to decipher the mundane from an Eggleston. What separates a delete from a keep?

Then I read these -
William Eggleston http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Eggleston
- Eggleston's aesthetic
and
William Eggleston's Big Wheels http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/william-egglestons-big-wheels-17143399

The closest I've come to understand is that Eggleston was a storyteller of the mundane, of everyday things.

"Grandiose is big, but life is beautiful." S-

Nightski

10MPlayer wrote:

In yours I see the complementary colors, the simple theme of a woman tending her flowers. the blues and the purples work together.

In mine I liked the warm feel of the light together with the ethereal feeling the steam gives the shot plus the juxtaposition of the self-absorbed young woman next to the bored older guy. Overall I take away from the scene a feeling of contrasts. But then it's my picture. I'm interested in what others may think.

Hi 10M. I think you've hit on one of the important aspects of Eggleston's work. You've photographed something that is iconic to our time. Eggleston said that the things he was photographing at the time didn't seem that special, but that he was thinking of how special these images would be in the future. That is a brilliant point of view.

Nightski

minniev wrote:

Taken at Hopson plantation, Clarksdale, MS, 20 miles from Sumner where Eggleston grew up.

I love this kind of thread.

Geez, Minnie ... where do you get all this great stuff! This is just like a page out of time. Don't you just love the freedom of photographing a scene without worrying about the phone lines? All ugly stuff is welcome in an Eggleston. I very much like the rust and subdued blues and greens in this shot. I think the colours fit right in.

Nightski

St3v3M wrote:

I read the link and was having trouble deciding ho... (show quote)

This was my question exactly when I started this thread. We all know what mundane is, but how did Eggleston make it special? What does separate a delete from a keep? I hope to gain more insight into that question.

10MPlayer Loc: California

Nightski wrote:

Hi 10M. I think you've hit on one of the important aspects of Eggleston's work. You've photographed something that is iconic to our time. Eggleston said that the things he was photographing at the time didn't seem that special, but that he was thinking of how special these images would be in the future. That is a brilliant point of view.

Thank you for the kind comments. I originally titled the picture "Vanity" when I posted elsewhere on this site. I reconsidered and decided it's not necessarily vanity that drives it but people wanting to share their life with their friends.

Thanks again for the kind comments.

Terrym9 Loc: Hillsboro, Oregon

Nightski wrote:

I thought it might be fun to open up a thread in t... (show quote)

Sandra, I read one of the links last night and have to admit I don't think I really get it, do we need a critique with each comment? I am posting a pic of a small café at the Oregon coast. I liked the colors.

Terry

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Terrym9 Loc: Hillsboro, Oregon

minniev wrote:

Taken at Hopson plantation, Clarksdale, MS, 20 miles from Sumner where Eggleston grew up.

I love this kind of thread.

The look of this is perfect no matter the format, the truck you might see sitting in any small town.

Perfect Minnie!

Terry

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

The shots posted so far are all good but seem over elaborate for Eggleston. His stuff always strikes me as on the simplistic side or maybe that's the ones my memory retains? Anyway my take on an Eggleston shot. Im not the greatest fan of his, struggle to have a meeting of the minds with a guy who can stare at a tea set for hours on end, but I do like his often total disregard for the rules of composition and way that he often framed his main subject right in the middle of the shot.

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AmyJ Loc: Maryland

The architectural style of the Baltimore row home of the 40's, 50's. The faded posters, saturated colour and obvious abandon tells a familiar tale of this city.

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Nightski

Billyspad wrote:

The shots posted so far are all good but seem over elaborate for Eggleston. His stuff always strikes me as on the simplistic side or maybe that's the ones my memory retains? Anyway my take on an Eggleston shot. Im not the greatest fan of his, struggle to have a meeting of the minds with a guy who can stare at a tea set for hours on end, but I do like his often total disregard for the rules of composition and way that he often framed his main subject right in the middle of the shot.

This is very well done, billyspad. The unbalanced horizon of the top of the building adds a nice tension to this shot. It is indeed very simple and very Eggleston in my opinion. He did have some more complex ones, but it is true that many of his shots were very simple, just like this.

Nightski

AmyJ wrote:

The architectural style of the Baltimore row home of the 40's, 50's. The faded posters, saturated colour and obvious abandon tells a familiar tale of this city.

This is excellent, Amy. I especially like the 3 colours. It is simple and yet intriguing.

Nightski

Terrym9 wrote:

Sandra, I read one of the links last night and have to admit I don't think I really get it, do we need a critique with each comment? I am posting a pic of a small café at the Oregon coast. I liked the colors.

Terry

I like the colours too, Terry. I like the reflection too.