Voting - Earth

[peachy]

Voting for three pictures this month.

Here are my thoughts to my voting - please, as ever, take them in good faith.

Mercia Black Cat 2

I can see quite a lot of thought and effort went into this and it is quite an unusual take on the them but as a photo it just misses for me. Theme 2, photo 0

Mackemlegend 0

I didn't think it met the theme that well, and the photo was full of messy leaves and highlights.

Ghost of EH7 2

I quite like your interpretation of the theme but I don't like the composition, but a well taken photo. Theme 1, photo 1

DsOrco 2

A nice tree clinginging to the earth, but the sky is too light and the picture doesn't grab me theme 1, photo 1


Roger 3

Love this photograph, the only possible thing I could suggest would be a crop at the bottom so the man falls on a third. My picture of the month. Theme 1, photo 2

Taipeisafc 1

Don't like this picture, sorry, I like the actual "scene" but the sun is too bright and the sky too dark theme 1, photo 0

Keeps21 3

Picture looks good to me. theme 1.5, photo 1.5

Clyde 1

Sorry but you had a really good idea it seems (an expanse of sand for earth, yes?) with what appears to be a sunlit pier. Lovely. Then you went and spoilt it with mauve and mustard and blur! A tad overkilled? (and there is a funny white block up in the top right corner) theme 1, photo 0

Royston Vasey 1

A chance shot? Lovely colours. Theme 1, photo 0

Amnoorageordie 1

Good spot/grab shot. The horizon is sloping!
theme 1, photo 0

Not Spavin 2

Love the red spade, like that you can nearly see the face. Don't like the "moon", it seems too small theme 1, photo 1

grrwoofwoofgrowl 1

This picture meets the theme, but sorry there is nothing about this picture I like, it seems overexposed and has nothing to hold the viewer's interest. theme 1, photo 0

Crazylegs 3

Do like this, theme well met! The only criticism I have is the grey blur at the bottom right of the picture. Theme 2, photo 1

Mine

Taken in my front garden - currently have about 50 bags of dirt/rubble dug from back garden awaiting a skip. Luckily was able to photograph on only sunny day of month (even if it did make neighbours think I'm madder than they already think I am) - tried the wrought iron gate casting a shadow on the black bags, but ended up using the blue ball as a prop instead. I don't like the dark area to the bottom left.

Robinp 0

Really like the colours but not the execution. I would have stood somewhere else for a "neater" silouette perhaps? It isn't quite dark enough to be a proper silouette, and not light enough to be well lit (the photo). Theme 0, photo 0

APB 2

I (nearly) love this photo. The colours are beautiful. The downside is that it doesn't (for me) meet the theme and I possibly would have waited for the middle animal to have at least lifted it's head. I'd have cropped the straight line from the right too. Theme 0 photo 2

Cartman 2


This meets the theme and has classic lead in lines but there is something missing, it doesn't hold the attention. Theme 1, photo 1

JanieP 2

An unusual photo that I quite like. Theme 1, photo 1

WillD 1


I like your title. Weren't there any diggers or men shovelling dirt? I don't really like this picture it is a bit pale and nothingy. Theme 1, photo 0

Thankheavenforshed7 2

You say you are new to photography? I think it is a very good photo but for me it doesn't meet the theme theme 0, photo 2

 

[fyl2u]

I should add... I almost went for Shallow Grave until I noticed it was called Shallow Grave.

If he'd left off the title he'd've got my vote.

 

[taipeisafc]

In a violation of my principles I voted twice this month (and then realised I missed a vote for Clyde - sorry mate). I voted for Cartman and RobinP - I am a sucker for landscapes anyway and just like the pics (particularly the colours on Robin P's). I was tempted to vote for Not Spavin but he'll probably win most months anyway! Sadly I cannot view 5 of the photos (as pointed out in another post) so apologies to those posters but I cannot vote for what I cannot see. Some cracking photos this month.

In a violation of my principles I voted twice this month (and then realised I missed a vote for Clyde - sorry mate). I voted for Cartman and RobinP - I am a sucker for landscapes anyway and just like the pics (particularly the colours on Robin P's). I was tempted to vote for Not Spavin but he'll probably win most months anyway! Sadly I cannot view 5 of the photos (as pointed out in another post) so apologies to those posters but I cannot vote for what I cannot see. Some cracking photos this month.

Some really good analysis and comments on here, really appreciate the effort people have made to look at and comment on photos. Both the positive and negative comments are really useful.

 

[APB]

APB 2

I (nearly) love this photo. The colours are beautiful. The downside is that it doesn't (for me) meet the theme and I possibly would have waited for the middle animal to have at least lifted it's head. I'd have cropped the straight line from the right too. Theme 0 photo 2

Thanks Peach, Unfortunately when I shouted "look at me you... f'ing animal" it wouldn't look up So I took what I could. The reason for not cropping in further from the right was purely to make sure that the Gazelle looking at me remained central in the image.

I have the night sky, and animals feeding from the land. For me that is earth but I guess it is down to interpretation.

Thanks for the comments, appreciate any feedback.

 

[clyde]

Voting for three pictures this month.

Here are my thoughts to my voting - please, as ever, take them in good faith.


Clyde 1

Sorry but you had a really good idea it seems (an expanse of sand for earth, yes?) with what appears to be a sunlit pier. Lovely. Then you went and spoilt it with mauve and mustard and blur! A tad overkilled? (and there is a funny white block up in the top right corner) theme 1, photo 0

well i'll take that on board mate but your completely wrong with just about all that you said....the shot was taken at night, so no sunlight and the reason for the colours in the sky and the blur is cloud movement and is down to the fact that it is a 173 second exposure, i cant overkill nature can i? anyway cheers.

 

[not spavin]

well i'll take that on board mate but your completely wrong with just about all that you said....the shot was taken at night, so no sunlight and the reason for the colours in the sky and the blur is cloud movement and is down to the fact that it is a 173 second exposure, i cant overkill nature can i? anyway cheers.

fwiw fella I thought it was probably this month's best shot from a technical / artistic perspective, and the only reason I didn't vote on it was that I thought others answered the theme better.

 

[Mercia Blackcat]

I should add... I almost went for Shallow Grave until I noticed it was called Shallow Grave.

If he'd left off the title he'd've got my vote.

The title put me off a little although it is a great photograph.

Not Spavin has a good illustrative style when you consider both his entries so far.

I voted for Mercia.

While I thought there were technically better photographs, I felt his captured the "Earth" theme the best.

A lot of the others were a bit too "specific" for me... if the theme had been "tree" or "leaf" or "landscape" then I would've voted differently but for "Earth" it was Mercia all the way for me.

Thanks fyl2u.

Unfortunately when I set it up it turned out the best angle could be achieved by standing in the middle of my posd and I didn't fancy that.

It was the first post and rather gloomy, the message was important to me, but the entries finished with A New Hope which I thought was excellent and the opposite of my more complicated composition.

ThankHeavenForShed7 was a good example of effective minimalism.

My posd is my pond by the way

 

[not spavin]

The title put me off a little although it is a great photograph.

Not Spavin has a good illustrative style when you consider both his entries so far.

Thanks - what was off-putting about the title, out of interest? Must admit I'm guilty of not giving titles much thought.

 

[Deleted member 5265]

Thanks - what was off-putting about the title, out of interest? Must admit I'm guilty of not giving titles much thought.

For me the title tied it too narrowly to one particular film and so told the viewer what was going on. It would have been more intriguing, in my personal opinion, to leave it without a title and let the viewer create the story themselves.

But it was a great photo.

 

[Mercia Blackcat]

Thanks - what was off-putting about the title, out of interest? Must admit I'm guilty of not giving titles much thought.

It seemed to wander from the topic and thus the meaning but this is just my personal interpretation.

If it was for a front cover of a book for example, and that is not a derogatory remark, it would fit the bill perfectly.

I have a friend who does work for an artist that involves photographing couples dressed in Victorian costumes hired from the BBC. The artist then uses the photographs to produce paintings for romantic historical book covers so I've seen a bit of illustrative photography. My son is also a Graphic Designer & Illustrator.

So far I think from your entries that you have a knack for this style and the photographic technical ability to execute your creative and illustrative ideas very well.

My overall favourite pic was APB's but peachbum's was an outstanding interpretation of the theme.

 

[not spavin]

Thanks both, fair comment. I suppose I chose that title to make it clearer what was going on in the shot, though it retrospect that was probably not necessary.

 

[Mercia Blackcat]

Thanks both, fair comment. I suppose I chose that title to make it clearer what was going on in the shot, though it retrospect that was probably not necessary.

I'm not familiar with the movie by the way but the Slade School of Art prefer each image to be titled and an explanation provided from the artist so worth considering titles mate.

 

[youmademerealise]

Thanks both, fair comment. I suppose I chose that title to make it clearer what was going on in the shot, though it retrospect that was probably not necessary.

Police informed

 

[Mercia Blackcat]

So in line with that an explanation of my own pic.

The clock is ticking and on one side the Dragon that represents the forces of nature and on the other side the Wizard that represents science and a possible solution as the Wizard is connected to the circuit board behind him that is the modern wizadry of science.

The concrete block at the bottom represents the foundations of civilisation and the direction it is taking is blocked by the burnt earth that is topped ever more by our waste products of food and technology with a green slime making its way to the ground where rusted pipes amid the ashes also lead. The reset switch in the foreground of the upper waste is waiting to be pressed or has it been discarded like everything else. Overall an impression of a grave of our own making.

The weather was shit and the light dull but that suited the overal mood for me.

Unfortunately, I made a classical error and forgot to look behind where my pond was located but forgotten so that limited the angle I could take the pic from. Another error on my part was to not consider the background away from the picture where a couple of disracting objects are in the way but I took the shot and that was it....

The final entry A New Hope was very appropriate and welcommed by me.

 

[fyl2u]

Thanks - what was off-putting about the title, out of interest? Must admit I'm guilty of not giving titles much thought.

You've got a photograph of a bloke with a spade, and the theme is Earth.
This is almost perfect as it is... you can't see what he's digging so it could be anything, and it lets your imagination run wild.

Putting the title "Shallow Grave" takes away that mystery and basically says "The bloke with the spade is digging a grave, and not only that, it's a shallow one" thus eliminating all other possibilities.

It's like shooting a horror film but giving a full-frontal daylight shot of the monster in the opening credits.

For me the title tied it too narrowly to one particular film and so told the viewer what was going on. It would have been more intriguing, in my personal opinion, to leave it without a title and let the viewer create the story themselves.

But it was a great photo.

^^^ Ah, someone's already said it.

 

[not spavin]

You've got a photograph of a bloke with a spade, and the theme is Earth.
This is almost perfect as it is... you can't see what he's digging so it could be anything, and it lets your imagination run wild.

Putting the title "Shallow Grave" takes away that mystery and basically says "The bloke with the spade is digging a grave, and not only that, it's a shallow one" thus eliminating all other possibilities.

It's like shooting a horror film but giving a full-frontal daylight shot of the monster in the opening credits.

:-D Yep, fair point. A bit like naming a movie "The Sixth Sense (BRUCE WILLIS IS DEAD)".

 

[fyl2u]

So in line with that an explanation of my own pic.

The clock is ticking and on one side the Dragon that represents the forces of nature and on the other side the Wizard that represents science and a possible solution as the Wizard is connected to the circuit board behind him that is the modern wizadry of science.

The concrete block at the bottom represents the foundations of civilisation and the direction it is taking is blocked by the burnt earth that is topped ever more by our waste products of food and technology with a green slime making its way to the ground where rusted pipes amid the ashes also lead. The reset switch in the foreground of the upper waste is waiting to be pressed or has it been discarded like everything else. Overall an impression of a grave of our own making.

The weather was shit and the light dull but that suited the overal mood for me.

Unfortunately, I made a classical error and forgot to look behind where my pond was located but forgotten so that limited the angle I could take the pic from. Another error on my part was to not consider the background away from the picture where a couple of disracting objects are in the way but I took the shot and that was it....

The final entry A New Hope was very appropriate and welcommed by me.

You see, I knew there was more to it than just "a picture of some junk".

:-D Yep, fair point. A bit like naming a movie "The Sixth Sense (BRUCE WILLIS IS DEAD)".

Yes exactly!

 

[Mercia Blackcat]

I still think it's good to give an image a title so don't let our criticism put you off from doing that.

 

[not spavin]

I still think it's good to give an image a title so don't let our criticism put you off from doing that.

Not at all - find it very useful feedback tbh. The titles of my shots are usually a afterthought, as confirmed with a cursory look at my Photostream.

 

[Mercia Blackcat]

You see, I knew there was more to it than just "a picture of some junk".

I was trying to strike a balance between the two as it were.

Originally I intended to make a mush using beans to give me an orange colour in addition to the green from mushy peas.

The orange mush was going to lead from slightly up to the left to flow into the basin area at the very bottom of the pic.

I also intended to use mustard to produce something flowing from the ends of the rusty pipes that dripped into the orange mushy sea.

I have some broken red bricks that I was going to make a small mound with on the concrete base to represent derelict buildings with red tomato ketchup dripping from the concrete base into the orange mush to represent the spilled blood of humanity.

However, I wanted to strike a balance between a pile of junk and a construct and felt that was maybe going too far for a photographic competition so never bothered in the end although in retrospect I wish I had as that was the image in my head and I doubt if I will ever be arsed to construct it again being the lazy git I am.

Organic 3D painting I like to think of it as.