I am an amateur photographer who until now has been mainly interested in
sports. I have had some success with sports (I actually got some work
published), but I am looking to get into landscape/nature/flower
photography.
I have started reading up on this and realize I have a lot to learn. The
comments from people who have done this before is very valuable. To that end
I have posted 4 photos of flowers that I took at a recent trip to our
botanical gardens. Your comments and critique is greatly appreciated,
especially in the area of composition, angle, color, etc.... And please, if
you don't like them - say why. I won't learn anything from comments like
"they S%$#%".
Thanks in advance,
Joe
All pictures were taken with a Nikon D100 and Nikon 80-200mm f2.8 lens @
f2.8
http://www.jmatecharch.com/photo/img_001.htm
http://www.jmatecharch.com/photo/img_002.htm
http://www.jmatecharch.com/photo/img_003.htm
http://www.jmatecharch.com/photo/img_004.htm
In article <AIbg9.7332$EZ2.2...@wagner.videotron.net>,
caddi...@videotron.ca says...
I would agree. Though with plants you can't always do this (they tend to
grow where they want to, not where you want them to). Obviously looking for
better blooms composition-wise is the best idea - but sometimes this clashes
with the quality of blooms - i.e. a good one in a good composition space
might not be a good flower - it could be slightly damaged or dying or
whatever.
Some subtle touch-ups in post processing can sort this out - the clone tool
in your phot editing program (for getting rid of unwanted background
clutter - though obviously this doesn't always work - in the case of
composition errors or prettying up blooms in the case of petal damage) is
your friend ! I went to a botanical garden this weekend and have a few shots
that need abit of tweaking in this area. I find the more I do this sort of
editing the better I get at it - so give it a whirl (if you haven't already,
this is) and see how you get on. It can sometimes turn a good shot into a
great shot. Getting rid of the background clutter in your shots would
certainly improve them no end, IMHO.
Rachael
Always an interesting point, is "art", in photography of static things. What
is art ? How do we define it ? What makes a picture have "art" over one that
isn't ?
I often wonder if I'm getting any "art" in my shots. Is it the same thing as
"having the eye" ? Some people say I "have the eye" but I'm not sure. How
would I know ? I think I know something with "art" when I see it, but I
don't exactly know how to define it.
What do you guys think - what do you define as "art" in photography ? Could
you look at two pictures side by side and say "That one has art, the other
doesn't" and then say why ?
Discuss !
Rachael
"Joe Addona" <caddi...@videotron.ca> wrote in message
news:AIbg9.7332$EZ2.2...@wagner.videotron.net...
"Joe Addona" <caddi...@videotron.ca> wrote in message
news:AIbg9.7332$EZ2.2...@wagner.videotron.net...
> Always an interesting point, is "art", in photography of static things. What
> is art ? How do we define it ? What makes a picture have "art" over one that
> isn't ?
>
> I often wonder if I'm getting any "art" in my shots. Is it the same thing as
> "having the eye" ? Some people say I "have the eye" but I'm not sure. How
> would I know ? I think I know something with "art" when I see it, but I
> don't exactly know how to define it.
Art is anything that's displayed in an art museum or an art gallery.
If you can imagine your picture being in a display in an art gallery,
then it's art. Hint: a picture of your kid playing soccer ain't art.
Neither is a picture of Sunday In The Park By George, unless . . .
--
Frank S
Tom P.
"Joe Addona" <caddi...@videotron.ca> wrote in message
news:AIbg9.7332$EZ2.2...@wagner.videotron.net...
It COULD be, if it communicates something beyond the representation of the
specific object. Much of what is art is in the eye of the beholder.
--
Ron Hunter rphu...@charter.net
> Always an interesting point, is "art", in photography of static things. What
> is art ? How do we define it ? What makes a picture have "art" over one that
> isn't ?
I'd say that any picture that evokes reflection and/or emotion in the
person looking at it is art.
> I often wonder if I'm getting any "art" in my shots. Is it the same thing as
> "having the eye" ? Some people say I "have the eye" but I'm not sure. How
> would I know ?
If enough people tell you that you "have the eye" then I'd say it was a
fair bet that you do.
> I think I know something with "art" when I see it, but I
> don't exactly know how to define it.
Art is that which disappears when you try to define it. ;-p
> What do you guys think - what do you define as "art" in photography ? Could
> you look at two pictures side by side and say "That one has art, the other
> doesn't" and then say why ?
I think a picture can be interesting to look at and have a documentary
value without managing to be "art". The photos I like most have both
documentary and artistic value (to me).
Unfortunately if I ever manage to capture one of those it'll probably be
down to luck and practice rather than any natural ability.
> Discuss !
...and of course art is subjective, what is one mans (or womans) chalk
is another persons cheese...
Rob.
--
I didn't get Gordon's post so I'll quote it through this one.
"Rachael Nex" <often...@theendofthebar.com> wrote in
> message news:<r4kg9.4892$7x3.2...@newsfep2-win.server.ntli.net>...
> >
> >
> >>Always an interesting point, is "art", in photography of static things.
What
> >>is art ? How do we define it ? What makes a picture have "art" over one
that
> >>isn't ?
> >>
> >>I often wonder if I'm getting any "art" in my shots. Is it the same
thing as
> >>"having the eye" ? Some people say I "have the eye" but I'm not sure.
How
> >>would I know ? I think I know something with "art" when I see it, but I
> >>don't exactly know how to define it.
> >
> >
> > Art is anything that's displayed in an art museum or an art gallery.
Eeeum - that wasn't exactly what I meant. I meant what is art *in*
photography - the orignal poster who prompted my comments said there was "no
art in" the pictures under discussion. He didn't say "they are not art." You
see the difference ?
> >
> > If you can imagine your picture being in a display in an art gallery,
> > then it's art. Hint: a picture of your kid playing soccer ain't art.
<chuckle> I don't have any kids. Now, a pic of my dog playing football is
another matter entirely....
>
> It COULD be, if it communicates something beyond the representation of the
> specific object. Much of what is art is in the eye of the beholder.
>
That's what I was trying to ascertain, yeah, but what gives "art" in an
image rather than what *is* art (I think there is a difference as explained
above) - what was an individual's idea of art in photography. What makes one
shot have art yet not another ?
Rachael
That much I agree with for sure.
> > What do you guys think - what do you define as "art" in photography ?
Could
> > you look at two pictures side by side and say "That one has art, the
other
> > doesn't" and then say why ?
>
> I think a picture can be interesting to look at and have a documentary
> value without managing to be "art". The photos I like most have both
> documentary and artistic value (to me).
>
> Unfortunately if I ever manage to capture one of those it'll probably be
> down to luck and practice rather than any natural ability.
Oh, I dunno - the infamous emu face shot fits both those requirements as far
as I'm concerned.
>
> > Discuss !
>
> ...and of course art is subjective, what is one mans (or womans) chalk
> is another persons cheese...
>
Indeed. I suppose if we could exactly define it absolutely the world would
be a pretty boring place.
Rachael
The eye of the beholder.
Art is extremely subjective. If you see art in a photograph, then
there's art in the photo.
If you don't see art there, that doesn't mean it's not there, just
that you don't see it.
Contradictory in a sense, but not in another, simply because art
itself is so subjective. Each person sees it differently.