Rail fence. some merit or none?

[tbob]

I was visiting my mom on Hornby Island. We went to a gathering of her friends and co workers from the Island Free Store (a recycling building/site on the island). A fairly artsy bunch; however mainly potters, textile artists and written word types. I was quite taken with the rail fence adjoining the house and asked for permission to come back to photograph it. This was met with bemusement, no one seemed to see any merit in it. Which surprised me. Maybe a photographer thing? Or maybe they are right and it is solely my idiosyncratic and weird liking for weathered wood that attracted me.

Any opinions or critique welcome.

[Donald]

... and asked for permission to come back to photograph it. This was met with bemusement, no one seemed to see any merit in it. Which surprised me. Maybe a photographer thing? Or maybe they are right and it is solely my idiosyncratic and weird liking for weathered wood that attracted me.

Have faith in your own judgement. They see creativity in the things that they do. Doesn't mean that they have sole rights to thinking or seeing creatively.

[chaman]

These seem to be over sharpened and over saturated to me.

[tbob]

These seem to be over sharpened and over saturated to me.

Good eye; least on the saturation. i warmed up the image overall (the grass was overly pale and washed out )plus it was shot at sunset so the light is naturally warm An artistic judgment, i will admit, and not to eveyone's taste

The sharpening is actually reduced from as shot, to overcome the clarity and structure adjustment which made the wood and grass overly sharp. The wood and grass show up as appearing very sharp due to it's nature, highly reflective with fine structure.

[Geoff F]

For me: yes they also look a bit over saturated which is most noticeable in the sea and sky.

#1 doesn't quite work for me.

#2 has potential but I would like to see just a fraction more sky and less of the out of focus foreground.

#3 works OK, apart from the over saturated sky and sea. Not quite level on the horizon as well.

#4 has potential and almost works. Maybe a slight crop from bottom and left side to lose the larger clump of leaves in that corner, perhaps something around 10% of the scene. At the moment, those very bright leaves are distracting my wider view. The smaller leaves look fine for me.

[tbob]

For me: yes they also look a bit over saturated which is most noticeable in the sea and sky.

#1 doesn't quite work for me.

#2 has potential but I would like to see just a fraction more sky and less of the out of focus foreground.

#3 works OK, apart from the over saturated sky and sea. Not quite level on the horizon as well.

#4 has potential and almost works. Maybe a slight crop from bottom and left side to lose the larger clump of leaves in that corner, perhaps something around 10% of the scene. At the moment, those very bright leaves are distracting my wider view. The smaller leaves look fine for me.

Thanks
I have taken Oscar and your suggestions and will muck about with the images Already decreased the saturation and leveled the bit of sea horizon in upper left for #3
Believe me, you do not want more sky in #2, a pale white mess. The Foreground deserves a second look however.

[rtbaum]

Personally....I see little merit in pottery and textile art........

[tbob]

Personally....I see little merit in pottery and textile art........

I am afraid we photographers are regarded as the idiot child of ART (note the caps) and as such are best not seen or heard. Like all artistic endeavours pottery and textiles span a bell curve, some are brilliant and some I truly despair of. However even the worst are regarded as more worthy as creatives than we poor simpletons.

I have ceased to fight this battle (Besides, I am on the board of the local Arts Society: I will not say vengeance is mine; BUT)

[wilgk]

Sorry to be late to the thread, but I really like images #2 & #3 in this series
It is almost abstract to me, but still recognisable as the structure that caught your eye.

[Shadowman]

The first image has potential as presented, the others are a bit too busy and might have a more subtle presentation if in black and white.

[rtbaum]

I can tell you that the things that I treasure most from loved ones lost are the photos that keep those memories fresh

[zen]

Hi Trev,

Weathered wood and weathered ppl both show character; that's what makes their images so special and meaningful and evocative.

I agree with the over-saturation comment. I find that I often reduce sat in many of my images, especially in grasses and other greenery.

Almost impossible to clone out the greenery along the fence in #4, and I'm sure most think it's fine as is. But for me, the green interrupts the golden colors of the drying grass and the handsome weathered wood, and I wish it wasn't there. I suspect the images would look pretty good in black and white, and wonder if you tried that treatment.

In any case, I like the shots and appreciate your sharing them with us.

Zen