[Leica] Just learning with new M

[afirkin at afirkin.com (afirkin at afirkin.com)]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/100968452 at N04/10060731805/in/photostream/


> Please comment and critic.
> Learning to play with new Toy called M
>
> vipul

Vipul. Happy to comment on this one. Now before I do, remember this is my
opinion only, and that it is the opinion of someone who is also untrained
and in the process of learning himself. That said, for me this breaks some
of the 'rules' I have in setting up images. Remembering that rules are
meant to be broken from time to time, I think most images need to 'stand
on their own'. That means you have to forget the 'story' behind the image.
It might have been the most difficult image to obtain, but that alone does
not make a good image. Next the image needs a central theme or subject.
This is, for me, very important, though it is also a bit of a nebulous
concept at times. Many of my favorite images are abstract and would not
seem to have any 'subject' matter at all. Next, even when I don't like a
'subject', I try to identify if the image of it has 'artistic' merit.
Usually that means-- does the image satisfy some graphic or stylistic or
colour based pattern/composition which is above a casual 'grab' of nature.
Here is where I can judge abstract images usually.

An example of this occurred recently at the Ballarat Bienale. Geoff and I
were looking at 'selfie' images taken for facebook by a Dutch "artist",
which normally would have been classed 'self-porn'. Ignoring the subject
matter, I asked Geoff if he could see any graphic or stylistic aspects of
the work which may help us understand why this artist was on show at all.
To both of us the answer was NO. The composition was random the exposure
lousy the images poorly presented etc etc. In the end, for me the exhibit
was self promoting provocative 'porn'. So we moved on.

So firstly I think your subject is confused. Are we looking at the lady or
the flowers. If both that's fine, though I would say I gain little
information on both from this image. If the lady, I would like to see more
of her, particularly her face. As most people here know, I usually
disregard images of anyone from behind (of course there will be
exceptions). If the subject is the flowers, then I am not satisfied with
the composition either. The gesture is quite interesting, so I do like the
sense of movement and the story that evokes, the composition is nice and
there are no real distractions, both very strong positives. If you had
concentrated on the 'story' of her reaching out for the flowers with such
a tender gesture, and captured the that in her look and face, then I think
you would be telling a complete story with the image, one that would stand
alone without 'explanation'.

Hope that makes some sense.

Cheers

Alastair