Vase & Sheets

[Paul Lange]

These are two images I worked on just before my last trip. While I don't consider these to be the final images in the project they do have some elements about them that I would like to see in more photographs. I thought I would post them in case anyone would like to see the progression of the project and how the imagery is changing (hopefully developing) as time goes by. I see this as a bit of an extension to the figurative photographs and hope to make the two converge.

This one seems like it is the most successful in this respect. The red sheet has a sensual feel about it as if it could be a figure laying there rather than an inanimate object. The soil is to do with the idea of putting still life into different environments; this one was taken in the garden (not too sure about the soil).


_DSC0315-Edit.jpg by Paul R Lange, on Flickr

This one doesn't necessarily have the same sensual feel about it but I like the bold shapes and colours although they may be a bit too much. Also the soil (the black smudges in the foreground) remains something I am not sure was a good idea.


_DSC0309-Edit.jpg by Paul R Lange, on Flickr

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Paul what is striking about the photography you do, I can relate to with ease. This personally is from a painters perspective, where light is for a better word created, where as in photography it is recorded.
Not certain if the soil works and would not have known it was soil if not mentioned.The rest of the image although being quite enigmatic does have clarity, the soil itself does not have any clearly defined qualities?
Really looking forward to seeing how this progresses.

 

[Pete Askew]

I agree with Ahmad, it is not clear that it is soil. But I like the texture of the textiles very much. For me the second one works better - is that hair?

I'm glad you said they were shot outside. There was me thinking, aye-aye, first it was clingfilm in the bathroom and now it is soil and a vase in bed!

 

[Paul Lange]

Cheers Ahmad and Pete. What you say Ahmad makes some sense, when I left school I studied fine art painting, photography was something we were taught just so we could record our paintings. Yep the soil has to go I think, it just doesn't work. Pete the "hair" are some whisps of grass sticking through the fence.

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Am I missing something

 

[Brian Moore]

The soil in the first one looked like coffee beans to me, Paul. Love the colors in both but the second one for me is a better composition. Not sure I understand the garden location, though. The soil doesn't look like soil and, as Pete's question suggests, the grass in the second one doesn't look like grass. Also, (and I hope I don't sound hypercritical or negative), I don't think that lovely vase or those colorful sheets work as garden still life objects unless the garden itself--or objects from it--are shown as clearly contrasting elements of the image, as if to jar one's reality with their unanticipated juxtaposition. (Perhaps I'm projecting a cliche kind of imagery that you're trying to avoid,...but it's what pops to mind.) I just realized this image isn't in the critique forum. Sorry about that Paul.

- - - Updated - - -

Am I missing something

I'm not sure, Ahmad.

 

[Pete Askew]

I think it is more that Kerri has banished him to the garden Brian!

 

[Brian Moore]

I think it is more that Kerri has banished him to the garden Brian!

That explains everything, Pete. Thanks for the update.

 

[Pete Askew]

And Paul, cling-film over the toilet is neither clever nor funny, let the lesson be learned! OK, so it's funny but you take my point...

 

[Paul Lange]

Goods points Julian (who apparently is not Ahmad), Brian and Pete. I agree with what you say Brian, the soil and other garden stuff needs to go. In the photographs with the brass box the setting is a little less cryptic but here with the tight crops the items of interest are too far out of context in regards to there position. I also agree with Pete and I won't be stretching cling film over the toilet or smearing Deep Heat cream over the first few layers of toilet roll either for that matter.

 

[Paul Lange]

I've been tweaking both images but think "Sheets" just needs to be done again but without the soil, in fact probably both images do but to give some idea of "Vase" without the soil......


_DSC0309-Edit-Edit.jpg by Paul R Lange, on Flickr

These or something along the sames lines but hopefully better will be shot again anyway.

Here's another

_DSC0319-Edit.jpg by Paul R Lange, on Flickr

The soil makes a bit more sense in this but I think I would have preferred no soil and the vase a bit more side on. Comments are always welcome, it can be hard to step back sometimes.

 

[Ahmad Bhai]

I just said the fabric and vase was as a portion of a Romantic era painting (then i deleted )

 

[Pete Askew]

I think these are definitely more pleasing Paul. Again the soil doesn't add much but the tones work well. It would be nice to tone-down the reflection on the vase though.

 

[Paul Lange]

Yeah I know the soil has to go!! It seemed like a good idea at the time but it turned up looking like indeterminate black stuff in the photos. I think what I need to do is weigh everything up and then re shoot but with a better plan. I might even buy some more coloured fabric just for the occasion.

 

[Pete Askew]

Can you find something with a lower sheen?

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Paul The second image with the rose plant, the soil would make a lot more sense if perhaps you included the roots of the plant, tying it together more.

 

[Paul Lange]

Some of the fabrics are shower curtains from Argos that are a synthetic fabric and definitely have a sheen. I feel like relegating these to the airing cupboard as I am not 100% happy with how they come out in the images. The roots is a good idea but I do wonder if just having the roots or some dirty roots maybe would be better.

I have to say (I may have said this before already) that what I like about this place [RPF] is that you can get sensible comments and feedback. I do tend to produce the odd image that I am not completely happy with and not exactly mainstream and the feedback really does help, not necessarily for the image in hand but the ones later on.