Paul Strand Two Meditations On Paul Strand

[Rob MacKillop]

I posted these elsewhere, but have dragged them kicking and screaming into this themed thread.

I took Strand's pear and bowls image as the starting point for some exploration of same. Not in the style of, but influenced by...

I have a large book of his images, so will spend some time with that before adding more.

DP2Q

Here I set the pear in the centre of the frame, with the curves and light reflections of the plates spinning around, trying to distract you from the pear. I don't know what your experience is, but my eye keeps coming back to the pear.





Here I went for more of an abstract. I like the scarred-skull quality to the pear, like a scene gone wrong from the end of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

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[John Allen]

The top one is very good. The bottom one is just a bit too dark for my taste, although I can see why you like it.

 

[Brian Moore]

They're both very good in my view. Indeed, I think I prefer the mystery of the 2nd.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Mystery? It's a pear in a bowl

Thanks, lads.

John, it might be too dark on your screen. The line between just dark enough and too dark is a fine one in this kind of image, and add to that screens being calibrated differently, then it becomes impossible to control. Even my iMac and iPad disagree. And then there are differing aesthetic values. One does what one can.

 

[John Allen]

I know that only too well, Rob. That was more of an observation than a criticism.

 

[Pete Askew]

I still like them, and the way you have explored the theme so far. Did you lighten the 'skull' a bit?

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Ah, the burning question. Yes, I did. Glad you still like them