Unexpectedly, this humble photo has opened me up to several avenues of thought this morning about the nature of photography itself.
I find it to be a well executed photo, and a creative composition of a fairly mundane and forgettable subject. The light and tones add an extra visual element that are unique to this exact moment in time that might change an instant later.
This kind of photo is important to create and to share. It is honest and represents the thinking of the photographer, who chose this specific thing to capture from whatever other things were going on around them.
Perhaps a few years ago, that didn't say much, but these days, in the emerging push and pull between human photographers and generative "photography", it says a lot.
Can someone type in, "Black and white photo of rusty dock cranes with half shadow and half light" and get an image like this? Would they ever want to? Probably not! And thus the uniqueness of this moment and the photographer's inclination to make a photo of it becomes more poignant.
Even before generative AI, the fast and free appeal of social media has trained a generation of expediency, dosing out visual stimulation in tiny drips before moving on to the next thing. The idea of pausing a moment to ponder the meaning of something is nearly lost.
From the hundreds of photos we create in a week, we might not give much thought to any deeper meaning. In the absence of conscious intent, some meaning might still be there, just under the surface at a subconscious level. A thought form from the photographers state of mind that is embedded in the image.
Take this photo for example. Is it a study on the beauty of decay? Or perhaps a nostalgia for another time when whatever industry was supported by those rusty cranes had thrived.
Once created and set free in the world, a photo can take on a meaning to the viewer that is wholly independent from the photographers intent. This meaning can change and mold over time, in every moment where it is seen anew.
To me, that is the power of photography.
Coming back around, I find that this photo is interesting for a moment's glance. Its not the most exciting photo I will see today, or the most boring, but it does create an opportunity to ponder the nature of photography, and for that I'd say it was thought provoking.
Thanks Marcel and Stefan for inspiring my coffee thoughts.
photo is well executed, i like the lines and the way they lead the eyes from one crane to the other but the photo fails to do something for me: it lacks the wow factor, it doesn't make me "i want to go back to it"
It's a nicely composed photo, it has a visual appeal that makes it different to a random snap. It actually ticks all the boxes for a Modernist style of photograph. I'm only curious as most of the times in this instances, about the intention of the photographer and what he wanted to express.
The photo would fit nicely in a photo-essay about abandoned factories, or rusty machinery, or an industrial area of a town.
As a stand alone photo, I don't think it's powerful enough but as I said, it's well executed.
At first glance I thought it was an ok photo that would work better as a part of a series rather than a one-off photo. Then I read the comment by @aminus3 photography and I now see it in a completely different light. Such is the subjectivity of photography and why I like these weekly reviews.
I really want to like this more, with the way all the lines work in the image. It's thoughtfully created. I'm just not strongly intrigued or moved by it. I do want to scan it, which makes it more engaging than many images. Aminus3 makes good points as well.
One more thing - I find myself making images like this quite frequently, where there's something I think is in there... and I haven't quite determined whether I was wrong in the first place about the subject, or if there was a different way to unlock it... the result is partially what I seek, but not quite. So among other things, this work reminds me of my own experiences. The flip side is, sometimes the outcome is spectacular. You just gotta keep playing with things.
To be sure, this is MY honest, unfiltered opinion, and NOT truth. I hope it occurs that way to the photographer and other readers.
The photograph is a stunning graphic image, enhanced by the almost cloudless sky. The positions of the two cranes in the frame are well-chosen, and it's nice to see the cables interlocking. While I don't know the original colours, I think the choice of black and white is effective. However, as perfeclight mentioned, the photo doesn't quite capture the viewer's attention.
Unexpectedly, this humble photo has opened me up to several avenues of thought this morning about the nature of photography itself.
I find it to be a well executed photo, and a creative composition of a fairly mundane and forgettable subject. The light and tones add an extra visual element that are unique to this exact moment in time that might change an instant later.
This kind of photo is important to create and to share. It is honest and represents the thinking of the photographer, who chose this specific thing to capture from whatever other things were going on around them.
Perhaps a few years ago, that didn't say much, but these days, in the emerging push and pull between human photographers and generative "photography", it says a lot.
Can someone type in, "Black and white photo of rusty dock cranes with half shadow and half light" and get an image like this? Would they ever want to? Probably not! And thus the uniqueness of this moment and the photographer's inclination to make a photo of it becomes more poignant.
Even before generative AI, the fast and free appeal of social media has trained a generation of expediency, dosing out visual stimulation in tiny drips before moving on to the next thing. The idea of pausing a moment to ponder the meaning of something is nearly lost.
From the hundreds of photos we create in a week, we might not give much thought to any deeper meaning. In the absence of conscious intent, some meaning might still be there, just under the surface at a subconscious level. A thought form from the photographers state of mind that is embedded in the image.
Take this photo for example. Is it a study on the beauty of decay? Or perhaps a nostalgia for another time when whatever industry was supported by those rusty cranes had thrived.
Once created and set free in the world, a photo can take on a meaning to the viewer that is wholly independent from the photographers intent. This meaning can change and mold over time, in every moment where it is seen anew.
To me, that is the power of photography.
Coming back around, I find that this photo is interesting for a moment's glance. Its not the most exciting photo I will see today, or the most boring, but it does create an opportunity to ponder the nature of photography, and for that I'd say it was thought provoking.
Thanks Marcel and Stefan for inspiring my coffee thoughts.
photo is well executed, i like the lines and the way they lead the eyes from one crane to the other but the photo fails to do something for me: it lacks the wow factor, it doesn't make me "i want to go back to it"
It's a nicely composed photo, it has a visual appeal that makes it different to a random snap. It actually ticks all the boxes for a Modernist style of photograph. I'm only curious as most of the times in this instances, about the intention of the photographer and what he wanted to express.
The photo would fit nicely in a photo-essay about abandoned factories, or rusty machinery, or an industrial area of a town.
As a stand alone photo, I don't think it's powerful enough but as I said, it's well executed.
Nice post Marcel!
At first glance I thought it was an ok photo that would work better as a part of a series rather than a one-off photo. Then I read the comment by @aminus3 photography and I now see it in a completely different light. Such is the subjectivity of photography and why I like these weekly reviews.
Claus von Ronnex-Printz perfectly crystalized my thoughts:
"Too busy for my taste. Lacks a focal point. Love the motif and BW presentation though."
I really want to like this more, with the way all the lines work in the image. It's thoughtfully created. I'm just not strongly intrigued or moved by it. I do want to scan it, which makes it more engaging than many images. Aminus3 makes good points as well.
One more thing - I find myself making images like this quite frequently, where there's something I think is in there... and I haven't quite determined whether I was wrong in the first place about the subject, or if there was a different way to unlock it... the result is partially what I seek, but not quite. So among other things, this work reminds me of my own experiences. The flip side is, sometimes the outcome is spectacular. You just gotta keep playing with things.
To be sure, this is MY honest, unfiltered opinion, and NOT truth. I hope it occurs that way to the photographer and other readers.
The photograph is a stunning graphic image, enhanced by the almost cloudless sky. The positions of the two cranes in the frame are well-chosen, and it's nice to see the cables interlocking. While I don't know the original colours, I think the choice of black and white is effective. However, as perfeclight mentioned, the photo doesn't quite capture the viewer's attention.