From his profile Paul King states, he is a student of Fine Art Grimsby Institute whose studio practice work is Photography. " Such is the
power of education, doors open and close until you find the path to
what really interests you. In my case it was returning to something I
have been involved in for many years."
" These images are part of a wider body of work for use as part of my Fine Art Practice degree coursework. I would like my audience to consider more deeply the environment in which they find themselves, recognizing the beauty of small (relative to the overall size) details. I am drawn to structure and form, repeating patterns and interplays between juxtaposed elements.
All my images are digital and are shot using RAW format files. I used to use Photoshop for post-production editing, but now virtually all images are processed exclusively in Lightroom 5. From this peer review process I would like to get a cross-section of comments in which people, in their opinion, can tell me what works, what does not work, and why. I am less interested in reviewers using other photographers work, as a comparison tool, because then they do not describe their own feelings towards my work."
Welcoming comments....
Posts
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ReplyDeleteI see pattern and form but no meaning. I was hoping that the opportunity to show the images would be accompanied by an explanation of the work, a description as to why these images were photographed in the first place. I am missing the understanding why, beyond being compositionally proper, these images offer anything special or a reason for my emotions to be touched. It would be helpful to know what the larger body of work is all about. Replacing the sentence that explains the software that processed the images (which is irrelevant) with one explaining why these images are special to the photographer would have, perhaps, made a world of difference.
ReplyDeleteGeorge, I thank you for your comments. As a student I have much to learn in how to present my work to others.
DeleteYour comments about software are correct, it is somewhat uninformative.
I really respect the simplicity of your vision. Yours is much more of a postmodern rather than a structural approach. Meaning lies in the eye of the beholder. Not all photography must have a moral, a meaning, or even a narrative. To quote Gertrude Stein, "a rose, is a rose . . ." etc., etc., etc. If one wishes to add more meaning to the rose as an avatar for something else, that's strictly up to them. But that doesn't necessarily mean that in replicating a rose, you meant to do anything more than replicate a rose as such.
ReplyDeleteI agree with George. What is missing in my opinion is a personal touch. You are talking about beauty, which is indeed, Peter, in the eye of the beholder. For this beholder it doesn't work, to me it's simply a registration of a situation: I don't feel moved in whatever way.
ReplyDeleteCasper
Casper, Thank you for your comments.
DeleteThe comments of Peter of course fit much tighter to my stance than do yours, but I respect both opinions.
As a person who does not look to create an emotional response in the manner, that for some people, the word "beauty" implies, I am not unhappy with your comments.
I shall have to consider the question of a "personal touch' and all that may imply to different people.
All I want is for people to be aware of the details that can be found within our environment, and to see them as more than a background 'noise' to life.
Paul
Fragments of "Dead planet" and what continuation...
ReplyDeleteThese images seem to be of designed architectural details which good architectural/design practice endeavors to produce, taking into account and "recognizing the beauty of small details."
ReplyDelete"....the structure, form, repeating patterns and interplays between juxtaposed elements" are part of considered design practice that's taught at design schools/schools of architecture. Detail images like these usually become part of the designer/architect's presentation portfolio or brochure or website, so I'm not sure how these images add to or differ from the original creative intent or how they claim any new artistic ground. I can't comment on the rest of the images in this series, but these to me are pointing out the obvious in someone else's creative work.
Zintis, I think you are 'spot-on' with your observation of the normal presentation of such architectural details; however most people do not see such representations, nor study them in their daily life. It is my hope that my work may rectify this in some very small way.
DeleteI question whether the photographing of a designed structure is any different from photographing any organic structure. I suppose I am asking why some people separate the lines of a well constructed building from those of a well defined body, as an example. In this question I am not talking about how well I may photograph the subject (I have much to learn in that respect), rather the principle of what makes one photograph acceptable, and another unacceptable, purely because of the subject matter.
Looked at more from an abstract point of view, I think these photos would benefit if the lines formed separate planes. In the first photograph, a strong horizontal line down the middle divides it in half. If there were similar line horizontally across the middle it would be a stronger composition. Similarly, if that horizontal line in the second photo were straight and in the center it would be a better, stronger photo.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a way to show you here, but if you take a look at http://www.jamilhellu.net/55613/486098/work/darrin , check out the 51st photo. Some of his work is a little explicit for me, but his compositions are strong. This photo in particular is in the library. If you notice the shelves on either side are lined up so that they form a straight horizontal line exactly across the center of the photo. There are other things going on there too, such as the square around his head. But that is the main element that makes this photo work.
Lines are one of the first things I look for in a photograph. Even with a person, does it form a diagonal line, does it make an X., what about the horizontal and vertical lines in the center?
Debbie, I really appreciate your comments, especially the fact that you counted so far down the list of 'Darren' pictures.
DeleteWhereas others have contributed on the emotional responses to these pictures you have given me something concrete to look at. I too look for lines, as shown specifically in the first photograph. Sometimes I wonder if I am too obsessed with lines and symmetry and therefore will deliberately upset the balance as partially indicated in the second image.
My photography seldom includes people as the main subject but when it does I think in terms of the shape, and negative spaces, created by the body.
Again, many thanks. I will consider your remarks much further.
Paul
I hope its not unfair to bring up a remark you made elsewhere that your aesthetic options are constrained by the biases of your tutors. Until your own satisfaction is the principal responsibility of your work, possibly even including subject matter, the criteria for excellence is really conformity to existing standards, which may even include obsolete architectural concepts, rather than creativity, which is essential for art. For that, you need to develop an entirely independent project or body of work. Make photographs, and see where they lead you.
ReplyDeleteCary
Cary, Nothing is unfair in feedback, other than personal attacks, or so I have been taught.
DeleteThank you for the very positive comments. Yes, my coursework does impose certain restrictions. My course is not a photography, nor Fine Art Photography, course. It is Fine Art Practice and all other students are painters or sculptors. Consequently, until recently, I felt I had to fight the corner of Photography as an art form on a number of occasions.
Because my work has to keep to my initial theme I am now locked into completing this current body of work. However I am constantly looking for new ways to interpret my ideas, not always successfully.
Once graduated I will be developing other bodies of work. But architecture will still feature in my work because I feel it offers so many photographic opportunities.
Regards Paul.
If you want to quit smoking, the word for you is "No". Every time you're tempted you have to disallow yourself the ability to say "Yes" to a cigarette. If your only answer is "No" you'll find that you can't cave in to a craving. No cigarettes, no "Maybe", leads to no smoking!satta king
ReplyDelete