Premier and Portal. (Critique Welcomed)

[Adzman808]

Another two from me, but from the other day.

Portal to Another World by Adam Bonn, on Flickr



"Portal to Another World"

It's getting shots like this that keeps my interest in photography strong

(I DON'Tmean that in a wow what a great image way)

While dozens of passers by go about their thang, clutching shopping bags, dogs on leads and slow coach children, they come across the humble amateur photographer crouching down transfixed by a reflection in a dirty puddle!!!! (Adam's hot tip, even for street - wear waterproof footwear ) The strangest thing is that they don't even pause to see what I'm looking at... it's a portal to another world (did I lay that on a bit thick?)

Premier Picnic Spot by Adam, on Flickr

This nearly got binned... but I decided it had a certain charm of decay, dilapidation and juxtaposition. So I stuck it on flickr where it's been (in context of my follower numbers and being in no groups) surprisingly popular!

I do say so myself, but every time I look at it, it grows on me! Instead of my initial reaction of finding the table too central, I find the leading leg fits the 3rds rule, as does the bit of sky... the square table is a shape repeated in the building and it just somehow seems to tie together...

Or possibly it's just a dull green table, in front of a decaying building!!!?

It's perhaps a lesson on waiting a while to review shots and decide on the keepers!

EDIT:
Updated link to cropped shot that was replaced on Flickr

[Wavelength]

I respect your feeling and view point; yet i am doubtful whether your images (these pair and other two in the other thread)make an impact on the viewer make one feel with the same intensity as you had... Let us wait and see how others see them

Regards

[Adzman808]

I respect your feeling and view point; yet i am doubtful whether your images (these pair and other two in the other thread)make an impact on the viewer make one feel with the same intensity as you had... Let us wait and see how others see them

Regards

Again, thanks for the feedback.

I find this a little vaque if I'm honest. What specifically do you think they lack? As noted above, I was pretty ambivalent myself about the second shot... I've perhaps not made it clear, but the piece of prose accompanying the first shot is more centered around the photographer seeing things that others miss.

"To see the world in a grain of sand" is a quote I personally find very inspirational, but I must admit it's nigh on impossible to live up to!

[Geoff F]

For me, Adam, the first image seems to end, at the bottom, as a bit of a confused mess. Maybe crop out a little of the bottom area, perhaps go 4 x 5 ratio? Or possibly crop a little from the bottom and left side to keep the current size?

The second one would have worked OK for me if you had managed get the foreground grass in focus, or removed the problem stems prior to shooting.

[Adzman808]

For me, Adam, the first image seems to end, at the bottom, as a bit of a confused mess. Maybe crop out a little of the bottom area, perhaps go 4 x 5 ratio? Or possibly crop a little from the bottom and left side to keep the current size?

The second one would have worked OK for me if you had managed get the foreground grass in focus, or removed the problem stems prior to shooting.

Thanks Geoff, good points.

It's a bit late for the stems but I'll crop the top one right on flickr now (it won't update here though!)

Portal to Another World by Adam, on Flickr

a bit better?

[xpatUSA]

I found that rotating the portal image 90 deg left turned the pavement into a wall and rendered the reflection to be more surreal. The "wall" being slightly OOF places greater emphasis on the reflected "other world" especially after my heavy sharpening and messing with the hue and saturation

Rotated and cropped a bit:



As to the Urban decay, the sense is there but some might not agree with the composition (taken separately) or the focusing or the DOF.

The "table" looks more like a footstool or stand, judging by the grass height?

[Shadowman]

The first has potential, it just needs a bit more in focus. The second image, the DOF totally kills the trees and dilutes the graffiti which to me is more interesting than the focus on the chair. Not every image has to be pretty but what is clearly in focus is not that appealing.

[Adzman808]

I found that rotating the portal image 90 deg left turned the pavement into a wall and rendered the reflection to be more surreal.

As to the Urban decay, the sense is there but some might not agree with the composition (taken separately) or the focusing or the DOF.

The "table" looks more like a footstool or stand, judging by the grass height?

The rotation idea is interesting, and trust me, it's a table, I was in a seriously derelict piece of real estate!

[Adzman808]

The first has potential, it just needs a bit more in focus. The second image, the DOF totally kills the trees and dilutes the graffiti which to me is more interesting than the focus on the chair. Not every image has to be pretty but what is clearly in focus is not that appealing.

It's starting to seem that my initial ambivalence towards the second image was not entirely misplaced

Good, constructive points, thanks very much

And it really is a table

[xpatUSA]

The rotation idea is interesting, and trust me, it's a table, I was in a seriously derelict piece of real estate!

Thanks, Adam. Long grass, then.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Adam, I really like your first image as is , very creative

[Adzman808]

Thanks, Adam. Long grass, then.

I live in an area of quite significant economic downturn, great people and cheap rent though

[Wavelength]

Yes, after being rotated, it has a different appeal, which i liked too; in the second image the chair is built of synthetic polymer i suppose; plastic is a growing threat to the environment; a tiny mollusk seen on it suggests a struggle for existence upon an unfriendly environment. The abandoned building behind suggests desolation and decay... Now i start liking the image with this new story...