Bob Yankle Loc: Burlington, NC

I've always been fascinated with the term "an artist's eye". Now I'm quite sure that it's probably more accurate to say an artist's imagination, but without the eye admitting light and color to our internal processor we would probably never arrive at the art.

I have about 7 or 8 different photo "styles" in my processing toolbox, and I have to admit when i choose a subject, I usually have one of those styles in mind. Or, more accurately, when I see a subject, I ask myself, will this image work well in any of the genres I have at my fingertips.

This chicory is a good example. I took this photo on the same day I had photographed some ravens sitting on a wire against some impressive clouds (published in this forum a few days ago). In point of fact, the was on the other side of the very same road. I very often have this crazy urge to see if I can create something artistic out of some rather ordinary raw material. Around here chicory falls somewhere between a wildflower and a weed - rather ordinary. When I looked at the chicory I already had an idea that I would like to create a high contrast, softblur effect that would make the flower blossoms pop against a muted background. Soooo ..... the artist's eye looked for a composition where the flower blossoms were in full bloom with wide rays and an unobstructed view, and an interesting grouping pattern.

This is what I came up with.

(Download)


(Download)

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

And a wonderfully appealing vision it was, Bob. Beautiful!

FrodoBaggins Loc: Texas

Perhaps this is where I jump into this category.

For me the approach is to avoid as much PP as possible, not because I consider my work not needing it but because I do not enjoy it as some artists enjoy. Don't get me wrong I absolutely love and highly respect those photographers who take the photo and work it so beautifully. I understand your approach Bob because that is your passion... In the same way I walk downtown or drive or hike a trail and my eye is constantly looking at everything to choose my vantage point. Sometimes obbsessively I might add!

I believe my approach has changed over the years and is best defined as an effort to step past Documention of what I have seen to Exploration and Expression of what I "see". This is not unlike you seeing the subject already in one artistic format or another. While I love to see beautiful places, I love even more seeing it showcased and presented well. ( Nothing new here for most of us but I needed to state the obvious) This very passion is at times so alluring as to compel me to either zoom in and shoot some meaningless angle that later I toss or to crop too closely out of the composition what I thought was worthy when I viewed from the eye of my camera lens. This I have too often done at the expense of the overall impact of the composition. Many times our temptation is because we believe the closer and finer detail is the only thing that gives merit to the image. I (We) take photos of clouds with no landscape or reference point for beauty I'm certain (I've taken them myself) but I must remind myself that what I see as beauty is often due in part to the surroundings. A landscape is such an example.

Having said all of this, I believe that I stepped fully into photography when I became more passionate about expression than documentation.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

What a lovely description of the joyful hobby we share. So glad you "stepped into" this shiny new forum, Michael!

FrodoBaggins Loc: Texas

Thanks for the initial invite Linda.

Bob Yankle Loc: Burlington, NC

Thank you Linda. What becomes interesting is that sometime while processing the image, it turns out completely differently than I had originally anticipated, and I get taken in a new direction altogether. Luckily, though, this one stuck pretty much to the script.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I enjoy happy surprises in pp :)

Bob Yankle Loc: Burlington, NC

Well put Michael. It reminds of why I learned to be a computer programmer ..... I was tired of being shoe-horned into procedures conceived by someone else when I could perceive a better way of doing things.

I especially liked your point about being in beautiful places but feeling the need to "shoot it differently" or "make it your own". I mean, how many ways can you shoot Old Faithful or the Grand Canyon? Yet I have seen examples at UHH where someone presented those places within a vision completely unlike any other, and it's taken my breath away.

It's a never-ending journey. Just at the point I think I'm getting good, I have an overwhelming urge to make it better.

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

And a keen eye you have Bob. The vast majority of people would never see pic 2 from looking at pic 1. You are blessed with a gift Bob embrace and enjoy it.

FrodoBaggins Loc: Texas

That very well describes the passion and the fury that drives one doesn't it! One cannot accomplish that objective looking only to document!

Chuck_893 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

Bob, that matted and framed chicory is absolutely gorgeous! Very, very, very well done! :thumbup:
I think there are two important points here: the first is that Michael does not enjoy post-processing. I don't know what the ratio of PP lovers to PP haters is (I'd venture that here on the 'Hog the PP lovers are in a majority), but I see lots of folks who would rather have a root canal. And I think it should be emphasized that that's okay! I don't care too much for purists, the crowd that will assert that you MUST shoot in raw or you are not a photographer! Or you MUST post-process or you are not a photographer! Or both! Such discussions are one of the triggers for flame wars. There's a fellow of my acquaintance who got so mad he added JPEG to his username! I honestly think that's just sad. He should not have been made to feel that he had to go to that length.

The other point is Bob's about "shooting things differently, making it your own." From my perspective, that is really hard! I don't have the imagination to get something "breathtaking." :? We were at Grand Canyon and Bryce and a bunch'a others just last year, during what I call "High Summer," mazillions of tourists armed with everything from smartphones to what looked like bazookas. I found myself musing about how far would they reach if you printed a 4x6 of every picture made in a single summer day at Grand Canyon (say, just the South Rim). BUT, all other things being equal, at least in theory every viewpoint is slightly different, every frame is slightly different, &c &c &c... (maybe) :? When the same photographer revisits the same place, the weather is apt to be different. Different clouds, no clouds, or the whole place is full to the rim with fog. There is wind. Or not. There are more or fewer people around (some of my shots I went out of my way to include the scrum of touristas). (Okay, so my train of thought just went off the rails.) :mrgreen:

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Spectacular. Well done, Bob.

Mike

Bob Yankle Loc: Burlington, NC

Thanks Mike. And I know you folks in MI have a lot of this wildflower - it was one of the first flowers I identified in a "Fieldguide to Wildflowers" when I lived downstate from you.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Yes. It is a garden escape that has proliferated and become a big problem. The roads here are lined with blooms right now. Beautiful color, and very interesting and intricate blossom when you look at it closely.

Mike