War

[Wirefox]

A bit morbid I fear but I could not resist trying this. I am not sure which works better, the close in or the more distant....or does it just not gel? C&C most welcome as always

Steve

Disclaimer: No throats, wrists or kittens were slashed in the making of this image

[arith]

Good stuff; I don't know about the height of it or putting text underneath, maybe very faint watermark behind.

[nanook]

The first one, no text. If text, use another font and just one instance of word. Your image is great, the contrast between a rose and the blood is perhaps a classic, but contradictory - punchy. So should the font be if text - don't use a font that is so ... warlike/industrial. Could you blacked the background completely?

[ScoutR]

#1 as is - Excellent
on #2 the thick stream of "blood" at the top and congealed on the petal is too much. Otherwise also Excellent. I like the spatter pattern coming off the rose in #2, but the single line of drops in #1 also works.

[carregwen]

I prefer #1. I think the blood in #2 is too much like strawberry jam! Great originality though.

[The Blue Boy]

Interesting image. I'd get rid of the watermark and deepen the red of the blood.

[Nik]

i like #1... mostly. =)
i think that the rose looks like it's floating though, which i don't like.
so i'd like to see the stem brought back into it.
i also second what a previous poster said regarding the font.
i totally think the font used should be something more classic.

great idea.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Steve,

I agree with Nik regarding the lack of stem in #1.

Not sure I 'get' the "WAR" association, something like "Love you to Death" might be more in keeping with the pink rose.

The cute puppy blood in #2 is a bit "strawberry jam" and should be darkened as Rob and Mark suggest, but I'd also agree with Wendy about loving the splatter in #2 (if not the 'continousness' of the incoming stream).

Cheers,

[rick55]

Hi, Steve;

Very provocative images. I agree with the trend of comments, and I prefer #1, but (like Dave) the rose/blood association doesn't evoke war or concerns about war for me. If going for an anti-war motif, might another white flower work better, like a lily or other funeral flower? One other thought about the existing #1: the background shadows almost seem to be shadows of a splash, not the splash that a drop of blood in the shot would make. Therefore, it seems disconnected.

I certainly think you're on the track of something interesting.

Cheers,
Rick

[CNelson]

Interesting theme and image. I think #1 works best and with the text as is. As some others have suggested, perhaps with a bit of stem showing.

Chuck

[Donald]

Stupendous. What a statement.

I go with the flow. #1, but include the stem and lose the text. I don't think it needs the text to help us understand. And I know I have no right whatsoever to suggest it but, if you wanted to have the title help make the statement, what about, 'The Futility of War'

[Wirefox]

Well it was definitely worth posting these. It took me ages to decide on presentation so all you comments have really helped. I am going to rework these around your suggestions. Obviously I took a dozen or so just to get the drops frozen so I will also go back to some of the others (re. Wendy's comment about No2 having to much 'blood'). The likening to Jam is hardly surprising since I used food colouring mixed with water and couldn't seem to get it right. I will have to tone it down in PP. I will take the watermark off. It goes against the grain with me to 'tell' someone what they are supposed to see in an image. Much better they see whatever they see. Not sure why I did it really...getting tired and tacky I suppose.

Thank you again for all your comments. Not sure when I will get round to this now. I have a trip to Cholmondeley (don't you just love that name) Castle tomorrow. My youngest daughter is taking her 450D so it should be good. I am not holding out any hopes of any decent images since we will be shooting between 11:00 and 15:00 (the visiting hours are restricted because the Cholmondeleys still live there)

Steve

[Colin Southern]

How about ...

- Keep the "zoom factor" of the 2nd image, but ...

- Lose the stream falling onto the rose, and

- Thicken the water slightly with something

Great lateral thinking