Boring photos....looking for photos in the mall
May 14, 2021 21:00:49 #
I hate to say it, but sometimes I get an overdose of flower and bird photos here. Maybe I need to analyze it......maybe because the photographer lives out in the country and there is nothing else interesting enough to shoot? I know it's spring time and the flowers are in bloom and the birds are out in force. Maybe I'm spoiled because I live in Southern California and there always seems to be something to photograph? Today I took my cell phone out in the local mall and photographed random subjects that I thought were interesting. Now I'm wondering if my photos are boring to you?! To me, they were interesting enough to photograph. Am I being weird? Are they hopelessly boring to you as the flowers and birds are to me? I have a photographic motto: "No snapshots". Do you find any of these photos interesting?
May 14, 2021 21:09:32 #
I'm sorry Brent but they do nothing for me. Not that they aren't good images; the subject matter holds no interest for me. I get it, though. Birds and flowers can get boring after a while. I have to renew my enthusiasm now and then, too. You said no snapshots and they all look like snapshots to me. I know that I am being super critical but I thought I would stay honest since you asked. I have enjoyed many of your posts, though.
May 14, 2021 21:23:25 #
kpmac wrote:
I'm sorry Brent but they do nothing for me. Not that they aren't good images; the subject matter holds no interest for me. I get it, though. Birds and flowers can get boring after a while. I have to renew my enthusiasm now and then, too. You said no snapshots and they all look like snapshots to me. I know that I am being super critical but I thought I would stay honest since you asked. I have enjoyed many of your posts, though.
kpmac, I asked you to be honest and you were! I appreciate your candid comments. Thanks!
I also appreciate your kind comments about my previous work.
May 14, 2021 21:28:48 #
Of the bunch, I prefer #2 and 3. Yes, some are interesting, but would you buy them? You consistently exhibit a high standard in your work, and I've enjoyed the quality and vision of your other shots more. Sorry.
May 14, 2021 21:33:02 #
Brent, there certainly isn't anything wrong with these. I really like the angles and reflections in #3 and I found the headless mannequins in #4 to be very interesting. I don't find them exciting but not overly boring either. There are some interesting patterns and perspectives.
May 14, 2021 23:26:08 #
Brent, boring NO! I equate boring to seeing something so often that I lose interest. To me, none of these really "pop". With some pp 3,4,and 5 have potential. You might explore 3&4 in b/w. I always enjoy your beach/ surfing photos and look forward to them.
Bill
Bill
May 14, 2021 23:53:27 #
Cany143
Loc: SE Utah
I feel an essay coming on. No, it'll have to be a book. Wait! No! A single book won't cut it; it'll have to be a whole set of books, sort of in the mold of that old Time Life series on photography, or maybe --just maybe!-- it could get distilled down to a three volume opus magnum, like Adams' revered three volume set, 'The Camera,' 'The Negative,' and 'The Stuff That Gets Posted Ad Nauseum.' About what, you may ask? About, of course, the subtle shades of difference between What is Boring, What is Interesting, and What has been Done Well Past the Point of Overdone-itude. The footnotes, the bibliography, and the links to Posts will have to be thorough, encyclopedic, and fully accessible to both the neophyte and the pro; it'll need to be be exhausting, all inclusive, and painfully researched. When were you planning to begin that noble quest, Don Brent Quixote? Sometime soon? Please say it'll be soon! As in poste haste style soon!
Chapter 1: A few weeks ago, somebody posted a relatively tame screed that addressed the poster's WTF-itude of the many bird pix. (Flowers were apparently a day or two short of blooming, so flower pix weren't mentioned in the screed, but I digress.....) I read the post and though I found some merit in the poster's existential ptograffic angst, I did not comment since being stung by hordes or hornets is not high on my list of pleasures. Still, I bookmarked the post, figuring there'd be the usual manic range of assents and dissents, cat calls --rrrowrrrrr!--, and threats of public beheadings....... only to find shortly later that the post had apparently been deleted altogether. I suspected that some manner of heresy had been committed, and an exorcism had occurred to cast the devil out. Your post, Brent, indicates That Debbil is still amongst us, and all the angels weep!
Chapter 2: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder..... has to be the most patently inane thing I've EVER heard (or read) uttered with regard to anything vaguely associated with any of the Arts, the Crafts, or Purposeful Intent of any kind. Oh. Wait. I'm getting off topic........
Chapter 3: Wunnerful cell phone pix!!!! Best I've never seen!!!!! Magnificoooooo!
Chapter 4: _______________________________________________________
Chapter 1: A few weeks ago, somebody posted a relatively tame screed that addressed the poster's WTF-itude of the many bird pix. (Flowers were apparently a day or two short of blooming, so flower pix weren't mentioned in the screed, but I digress.....) I read the post and though I found some merit in the poster's existential ptograffic angst, I did not comment since being stung by hordes or hornets is not high on my list of pleasures. Still, I bookmarked the post, figuring there'd be the usual manic range of assents and dissents, cat calls --rrrowrrrrr!--, and threats of public beheadings....... only to find shortly later that the post had apparently been deleted altogether. I suspected that some manner of heresy had been committed, and an exorcism had occurred to cast the devil out. Your post, Brent, indicates That Debbil is still amongst us, and all the angels weep!
Chapter 2: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder..... has to be the most patently inane thing I've EVER heard (or read) uttered with regard to anything vaguely associated with any of the Arts, the Crafts, or Purposeful Intent of any kind. Oh. Wait. I'm getting off topic........
Chapter 3: Wunnerful cell phone pix!!!! Best I've never seen!!!!! Magnificoooooo!
Chapter 4: _______________________________________________________
May 15, 2021 00:34:46 #
vicksart wrote:
Of the bunch, I prefer #2 and 3. Yes, some are interesting, but would you buy them? You consistently exhibit a high standard in your work, and I've enjoyed the quality and vision of your other shots more. Sorry.
Vicki, thanks for your honesty. And guess what? I NEVER intended to sell these photos or any of my other photos for that matter. Thanks for the comment about a high standard in my work.......that really made my day!
May 15, 2021 00:36:13 #
Cwilson341 wrote:
Brent, there certainly isn't anything wrong with these. I really like the angles and reflections in #3 and I found the headless mannequins in #4 to be very interesting. I don't find them exciting but not overly boring either. There are some interesting patterns and perspectives.
Carol, I think you are the kind of person that would always see the glass half full. Thanks for the positive outlook on these "mall" photos!
May 15, 2021 00:37:40 #
wjones8637 wrote:
Brent, boring NO! I equate boring to seeing something so often that I lose interest. To me, none of these really "pop". With some pp 3,4,and 5 have potential. You might explore 3&4 in b/w. I always enjoy your beach/ surfing photos and look forward to them.
Bill
Bill
Thank you Bill. Your reaction to these photos is different than others, but that's what makes the world go around, right!?!?
May 15, 2021 00:42:49 #
Cany143 wrote:
I feel an essay coming on. No, it'll have to be a... (show quote)
Cany, the creativity in writing of your mini essay is mind boggling! I think you could easily write a book on whatever subject you choose and do it with flair! Did you teach English classes earlier in your life? Thanks for making this post a little more flavorful!
May 15, 2021 01:53:39 #
No. I was about to say Sorry Brent but then it occurred to me that I'm not sorry. Those shots are technically well done but they are just not my style or yours. You have defined yourself as a surf photographer with all that entails and at this point I think you are stuck with it. Occasional excursions into other disciplines would be fun to see but IMHO you missed on these
May 15, 2021 03:00:00 #
Pablo8
Loc: Nottingham UK.
I find the 'Mall' pictures interesting enough. Clear, sharp enough, and look true-to-life. To compare with some bird and flower pictures that are submitted, those authors have a 'Blinkered-view' of their abilities. As a former 'Press Photographer' , I was asked to photograph events/people /places, that I had no particular interest in, other than, ...It was my job.
May 15, 2021 06:36:40 #
Brent, I definitely understand your thoughts. I haven't been a very prolific poster because of time constraints over the past 16 or 17 months (not related to Covid but has not been a good time either). But most photos I am likely to post would be flowers or spiders and insects. I will take many pictures of 'boring' subjects just to try to learn lighting, composition etc.. I really enjoy your surfer photos and am pleasantly surprised by your not surfer photos. Maybe I need to go to a mall for the first time in many, many years and see what photos I can come away with. Very good work with subjects that I would not normally be attracted to.
May 15, 2021 07:09:57 #
tcthome
Loc: NJ
The third could have some potential if shot a little different, maybe with an ultra wide lens from different heights. You never know until you try & take the shot what might grab you.
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