Blakester's 52 for 2021 - Week 9 added - Reflection

[CliveH]

Loved the old B&W Batman series with Adam West and Burt Young, good shot.

Great idea and well done!
Fuji Dave are we the same age?

 

[Fuji Dave]

Great idea and well done!
Fuji Dave are we the same age?

1961, so 59.

 

[CliveH]

1961, so 59.

1959 so 61!

 

[d00d]

Batman! ... don't suppose there's anything more instantly recognisable. Well done!

The other one is adorable.

 

[blakester]

Batman! ... don't suppose there's anything more instantly recognisable. Well done!

The other one is adorable.

Thanks David, much appreciated.

 

[Nostromo]

Film
Well I didn't have to use too many brain cells guessing what the film is, which is good.
A clever use of shadow and light. I don't have any issues with the sharp or not sharp bits, it all works pretty well.
I do wonder if an elongated shadow would work too.
Your second shot is also very good.

 

[Harlequin565]

For me, Silence of the Lambs wins out (if that's what it is?). I think the inventiveness in it stands out over Batman.

Really nice lighting control on both. I got a few polystyrene heads for lighting tutorials at college. Since that job went bang they're just cluttering up the house making people think we're weird.

 

[vanishedbob]

As much as I like the Batman one, the Silence of the Lambs one is breathtaking.

 

[blakester]

Film
Well I didn't have to use too many brain cells guessing what the film is, which is good.
A clever use of shadow and light. I don't have any issues with the sharp or not sharp bits, it all works pretty well.
I do wonder if an elongated shadow would work too.
Your second shot is also very good.

Thank you Dominic,
When I initially cut out the shadow 'template' it had longer ears and the shadow was longer but the ears lost most of their definition when the shadow was cast.
It didn't really look right with the eyes being sharp and the ears really blurred. As mentioned above, I wanted the viewer to know it was a shadow, hence why I left the template in and didn't crop the bottom off.

For me, Silence of the Lambs wins out (if that's what it is?). I think the inventiveness in it stands out over Batman.

Really nice lighting control on both. I got a few polystyrene heads for lighting tutorials at college. Since that job went bang they're just cluttering up the house making people think we're weird.

Thanks Ian, I prefer the Silence of the Lambs one over Batman too.

I did consider getting a colourful butterfly prop from ebay and asking either my wife or daughter to be the 'model' for a more accurate depiction of the film but decided to take my chosen route as it was more my interpretation rather than a copy (not that there is anything wrong with that). I have had the polystyrene head out in the shed for years so went with that. It was a simple lighting set up, I used an led 'strip light' which is designed for portrait work and played around with the positioning of it. The 'risk' was blowing out any detail on the bright white coloured head, so I just played around with brightness on the light until I got a reasonable exposure, nothing fancy or clever haha.

Excuse my wittering on here, I'm not trying to teach you to suck eggs, just thinking out loud in relation to your comments.

Thanks again.

As much as I like the Batman one, the Silence of the Lambs one is breathtaking.

Thanks David, such kind comments.

 

[StuartPearson]

Film title
It's always interesting to play with light and shadow creating something that doesn't exist. The sharpness of the bottom edge breaks the simplicity of the shadow image, for me anyway. Butterfly image is fantastic, a great use of your already proven skills with the wire. I might pick up one of those head's for a future theme, though I've got that much material I've kept a hold of just incase, it might not be a good idea. I've regularly stopped something going in the bin as I see potential in its re-use!!

 

[NickD]

The Batman shot it brilliant in it's simplicity (of the graphic, not the shot.... I bet it took ages). Just the iconography and the mood. Direct and foreboding.

 

[blakester]

Film title
It's always interesting to play with light and shadow creating something that doesn't exist. The sharpness of the bottom edge breaks the simplicity of the shadow image, for me anyway. Butterfly image is fantastic, a great use of your already proven skills with the wire. I might pick up one of those head's for a future theme, though I've got that much material I've kept a hold of just incase, it might not be a good idea. I've regularly stopped something going in the bin as I see potential in its re-use!!

Thanks Stuart, I get the point about the different sharpness in the shadow, some others have mentioned it too. I think it would be difficult to change that to be honest because of the way the shadow falls off as it gets further away.
I have a few of these polystyrene heads (don't ask ) and you are quite welcome to have one or two (male & female) if you wish. Just private message me your address and I will post them on to you if you like.

The Batman shot it brilliant in it's simplicity (of the graphic, not the shot.... I bet it took ages). Just the iconography and the mood. Direct and foreboding.

Thanks Nick

 

[blakester]

Week 8 - Half

Week 8 - Half by Iain Blake, on Flickr

This one maybe needs a bit more explaining.
I'm not intending to say what it is supposed to be, I hope people can make their own minds up about it and come to their own conclusions/interpretation.
It is however part of a little project I have dabbled with over the past few years. The image is created from a single photograph. I take some of the component parts of the photograph and create the alternative image. The donor photographs have been predominately architecture, static objects, 2 dimensional in a photograph. My intention with these images is to add movement and hope to make them a little more dynamic.

I appreciate it won't be to everyones taste but it's certainly something which has caught my imagination.

The principles of it is based on Suprematism.
Suprematism is an art movement focused on basic geometric forms, such as circles, squares, lines, and rectangles, painted in a limited range of colours. It was founded by Kazimir Malevich in Russia, and announced in Malevich's 1915 Last Futurist Exhibition of Paintings 0.10, in St. Petersburg, where he, alongside 13 other artists, exhibited 36 works in a similar style.[1] The term suprematism refers to an abstract art based upon "the supremacy of pure artistic feeling" rather than on visual depiction of objects.

I have attached the donor photograph below for reference.

 

[Harlequin565]

I can't really offer anything more constructive than "I like it" I'm afraid.

I think it's quite interesting in that one knows that the artist has chosen to display these elements in this arrangement and thus there is not really any element of randomness that usually accompanies a traditional photograph. I'd probably go so far as to say it's not really a photograph any more even though it "came from" one.

Inventive, and as you say, thought provoking...

 

[blakester]

I can't really offer anything more constructive than "I like it" I'm afraid.

I think it's quite interesting in that one knows that the artist has chosen to display these elements in this arrangement and thus there is not really any element of randomness that usually accompanies a traditional photograph. I'd probably go so far as to say it's not really a photograph any more even though it "came from" one.

Inventive, and as you say, thought provoking...

Thanks Ian. It probably doesn't really sit well in here as a photography forum as it is not a conventional photograph but that's ok with me.
Can I ask, what do you actually see? What do you think it represents, purely out of curiosity.

 

[Harlequin565]

I guess it kinda looks like a knife cutting something into two pieces. That was my first reaction before I read your summary. But whether that was because I was coming into the thread expecting "halves" I don't know. When I read that it was something you'd constructed, I went back to it for a bit longer but nothing more triggered. The colours are pleasing, and I like the sharp edges and angles, but it doesn't "speak" to me like (for example) that other piece you did a while ago which was an arrangement of architectural abstracts.

But I'm no art critic that's for sure!

 

[blakester]

I guess it kinda looks like a knife cutting something into two pieces. That was my first reaction before I read your summary. But whether that was because I was coming into the thread expecting "halves" I don't know. When I read that it was something you'd constructed, I went back to it for a bit longer but nothing more triggered. The colours are pleasing, and I like the sharp edges and angles, but it doesn't "speak" to me like (for example) that other piece you did a while ago which was an arrangement of architectural abstracts.

But I'm no art critic that's for sure!

Thanks again Ian, that was exactly my intent on this. Sometime down the line I hope to put a panel of these together. I think they probably sit better together as opposed to individual images.

 

[susiejb]

Well I thought knife cutting paper on first glance Iain, as far as the image goes I really like it, I think simple clean lines can be really effective.

I followed your link to Kazimir Malevich. I’m not sure if I actually get it, I think the images are pleasing on the eye but I feel there is little resemblance to anything other than abstract shapes in the final result. I hope I’m not sounding too negative, I love the way you think outside the box and present something so different each week.

 

[blakester]

Well I thought knife cutting paper on first glance Iain, as far as the image goes I really like it, I think simple clean lines can be really effective.

I followed your link to Kazimir Malevich. I’m not sure if I actually get it, I think the images are pleasing on the eye but I feel there is little resemblance to anything other than abstract shapes in the final result. I hope I’m not sounding too negative, I love the way you think outside the box and present something so different each week.

Thanks Susie.
The link to Malevich is probably not the best example in that case.
It was more the suprematism definition I was getting at. Using geometric shapes to create the image.
You're not sounding negative at all. As a lot of things in photography, art etc, it's all a matter of one's personal taste eh?

 

[Boots]

Iain, when I first saw your photo for this week, knowing that the subject was half or halves, I thought it must be some kind of fraction depiction, with the numeric parts replaced by coloured shapes.

Having now seen your explanation, I must admit to being even less clear on quite how the image fits the theme - but I'll be honest and admit that I haven't referred to the linked website on Malevich. The only work of his I know is the black square.

I suspect this beholder's share is lacking.... sorry

 

[blakester]

Iain, when I first saw your photo for this week, knowing that the subject was half or halves, I thought it must be some kind of fraction depiction, with the numeric parts replaced by coloured shapes.

Having now seen your explanation, I must admit to being even less clear on quite how the image fits the theme - but I'll be honest and admit that I haven't referred to the linked website on Malevich. The only work of his I know is the black square.

I suspect this beholder's share is lacking.... sorry

No worries Paul.
My artistic intention was that the diagonal orange piece represented a knife, the green parts are something (nothing specific) that the knife has cut in half.
I do appreciate that I have missed the mark with this to the viewers though.
I have a fondness for the abstract and perhaps this one would have been better staying in my head as an idea haha.
I have another image that I will post up which with a little explanation should fit the theme better and it ticks the tech 'filling the frame' box too.

No apologies necessary

 

[blakester]

Double half-hitch knot - filling the frame.

Double Half Hitch by Iain Blake, on Flickr

 

[Boots]

I do like a nice knot shot!

 

[Bebop]

Excellent idea and well executed. I really like the depth of field and colours.

 

[blakester]

Excellent idea and well executed. I really like the depth of field and colours.

Thank you

 

[rpn]

Don't know much about knots even though I like fishing. I like the shot very colourful and vibrance.

 

[d00d]

Iain, that knife thing is certainly intriguing, nice to study, with classy colours.

The rope is striking too. But doesn't fill the frame .

Mrs d00d's just walked in, saw your Half, said "ooh that's nice"

 

[blakester]

Don't know much about knots even though I like fishing. I like the shot very colourful and vibrance.

Thanks Stan, I don't know much about knots either, just remembered there was one called a half hitch.

Iain, that knife thing is certainly intriguing, nice to study, with classy colours.

The rope is striking too. But doesn't fill the frame .

Mrs d00d's just walked in, saw your Half, said "ooh that's nice"

Cheers David. Fill the frame....a wee bit of artistic licence
Was it my initial shot that your good lady liked?

 

[d00d]

Was it my initial shot that your good lady liked?

Yep, I don't know what she saw in it. But like me, she likes the colours and the simplicity/minimalism.

 

[blakester]

Yep, I don't know what she saw in it. But like me, she likes the colours and the simplicity/minimalism.

That'll do for me David

 

[Fuji Dave]

Half stitch knot for me, as easier to understand.

 

[blakester]

Half stitch knot for me, as easier to understand.

Thanks Dave

 

[StuartPearson]

Half
The abstract image certainly makes me think. The green parts look a bit like bird wings, although that vision doesn't work with the brown thin slice. Can you use any part of the donor image or just the physical elements? I see an interesting image using the triangle of sky with the two adjacent slim triangles, one of which you use in the image

 

[blakester]

Half
The abstract image certainly makes me think. The green parts look a bit like bird wings, although that vision doesn't work with the brown thin slice. Can you use any part of the donor image or just the physical elements? I see an interesting image using the triangle of sky with the two adjacent slim triangles, one of which you use in the image

Thanks for looking Stuart.
Yes, my intention behind it is to use any of the elements of a single frame.
I have quite a few which I have created before on my flickr.

 

[Bebop]

I've just spotted your other half, so to speak. I had thought it looked like a chopstick that had split a pane of green glass in half - and thus is on theme.

Fascinating idea and sounds like a fun project.

 

[SteveSc]

Two good images for half, for quite different reasons.

#1 Growing up, art was always taught as being quite literal and it's only really been recently that I have got into more abstract forms of art. This is partially due to my son being very frustrated by art at school being largely about accurate drawing which he finds very hard. We have been trying to encourage him to look at other representations of art that he might be able to express himself in. While I didn't really get the theme through your image I did appreciate the thought and background that has gone into it and do like the image overall.

#2 Nice bright and vibrant and a knot that fits the theme. I also love a nice thin DOF which this has yet still shows the detail in the important parts.

 

[HelenC]

Interesting concept although probably not my cup of tea - too much of a "purist photographer". My first thought was a butterfly.
The colour and light on the second image is really vibrant.

 

[blakester]

I've just spotted your other half, so to speak. I had thought it looked like a chopstick that had split a pane of green glass in half - and thus is on theme.

Fascinating idea and sounds like a fun project.

Thanks BeBop, your interpretation of the image is most welcome.
I find it a fun project as well as being challenging at the same time. I like abstract and try to bring that out of what are straightforward 'record' shots.

Two good images for half, for quite different reasons.

#1 Growing up, art was always taught as being quite literal and it's only really been recently that I have got into more abstract forms of art. This is partially due to my son being very frustrated by art at school being largely about accurate drawing which he finds very hard. We have been trying to encourage him to look at other representations of art that he might be able to express himself in. While I didn't really get the theme through your image I did appreciate the thought and background that has gone into it and do like the image overall.

#2 Nice bright and vibrant and a knot that fits the theme. I also love a nice thin DOF which this has yet still shows the detail in the important parts.

Thanks Steve, I missed out on art at school in my later years there as I went down a more technical route in order to get the qualifications for my engineering apprenticeship.
I have come back to it through my photography and in creating props/subjects for my photography.
You not getting the theme is fine, I didn't want to tell people what they should interpret from the image as everyone will have their own views/opinions.
Thanks again.

Interesting concept although probably not my cup of tea - too much of a "purist photographer". My first thought was a butterfly.
The colour and light on the second image is really vibrant.

Thanks Helen, I like your interpretation of it I must say.

Thanks again.

 

[LC2]

I think that's really cool. From your post you would never know the geometric shapes were parts of a building, the long object actually puts me in mind of a (styalised) chop stick.

 

[blakester]

I think that's really cool. From your post you would never know the geometric shapes were parts of a building, the long object actually puts me in mind of a (styalised) chop stick.

Thanks Tim, I find it an interesting concept, it's caught my enthusiasm. Trying to pick elements out of a straightforward shot is surprisingly tricky.