Heart and mind - DPChallenge Forums

02/17/2006 06:34:29 PM · #1

I'm testing DPC's boundaries ;)

So my models didn't show up (too much snow), I was left with myself and a friend of mine who had to leave early.

Then we had a blackout the whole day, so I didn't have my lights, I went from 750watts to natural light. Frustrating.

The heart and the brain are real.And I call myself a vegetarian :P, well everything for art, right?

bfox2

02/17/2006 06:39:19 PM · #2

Wow, cool stuff. I think the 2nd and 5th ones are my favorite, the style and processing are really well done.

02/17/2006 06:53:40 PM · #3

Thank you.... I love those two as well.

Nothing else? Too gory? Too whatever?

bfox2

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

02/17/2006 06:56:26 PM · #4

You know, its surprisingly un-gory. In some of the photos its even a little difficult to pick out that it IS a heart/brain, although I imagine it would be easier with a larger print. I think the thing I really didnt like was the blood around the mouth, especially in the 4th picture, it just looks a little weird/clowish/cartoony. Seems like it takes away from the heavier/mature subject.

thegrandwazoo

Nikon D750

02/17/2006 06:58:09 PM · #5

Very Slasher! I like them. The post processing is tasty. Your female model is perfectly vacant.

02/17/2006 07:05:52 PM · #6

I know what you mean about the clown like blood. At first I hated it but then it started growing on me actually. It just seemed ironic kind of.

My female model is vacant... in what sense of the world?

bfox2

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

02/17/2006 07:12:53 PM · #7

Vacant like a zombie, like she actually took out her own brain for the photo - kindof like that

thegrandwazoo

Nikon D750

02/17/2006 07:13:06 PM · #8

"devoid of thought, reflection," as in a blured line between right and wrong.

The look in her eye. I believe her.

02/17/2006 07:27:47 PM · #9

That's a good kind of vacant. It's so much easier to model for yourself.

Artifacts

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

02/17/2006 08:36:05 PM · #10

Originally posted by Ennil:

I'm testing DPC's boundaries ;)
.........
.........

I applaud your stab at creativity. The contrast and tones in the images are good.

I'll start with a general comment. Staged blood pictures almost never work anywhere, including DPC. The reason is that they look staged. If staged for a very funny, G-rated joke it can work but otherwise they normally fall flat with viewers.

In some of the images the heart is small and looks more like a potatoe than a heart and I'm certain that is not your intention. The purpose of the written text in most of the images is obscure at best.

The two most creative images to me are the 1st and the 5th ones.

The first image is setup like a million other standard valentine heart pictures with shallow depth of field, bows and what might be a love letter in the background. EXCEPT, it has a "real" heart in it. That is very clever. The heart is clear and well defined.

In the 5th image, if you take the "potatoe" out of the model's hand and have her holding the TV with it instead, you are left with a creative image that conjures up a lot of interesting questions like,"Why is the model holding a TV on her lap?" "Why is it displaying text instead of video?" "What is she thinking and why?" "Is this trying to make a social comment on the how television has polluted our lives?"

But with the hand holding the heart the most often asked question the viewer will have is,"Why is she holding a potatoe in her hand?" and the more interesting questions get lost.

The second image is typical of the rest. Though well done, it does not have a clearly defined message. The heart looks like a potatoe. The image itself is technically well executed but I get the feeling from it that little more thought than "this might look cool" is how it was concieved.

DPC is a good place for testing limits and trying out new things because it can give you a good idea how a diverse general audience will respond to your photography and is fun to ruffle people's feathers.

Message edited by author 2006-02-17 20:39:16.

BobsterLobster

Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

02/17/2006 09:14:49 PM · #11

Wow, I'm in awe.

sacredspirit

Canon EOS-600D/T3i Rebel

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

02/17/2006 10:00:04 PM · #12

stdavidson, I am entering you into my favorite list after that critique, absolutely astonishing.

Keep on keeping on, with a ton of respect from me to you. Good luck to you in 2006 if I don't get a chance to holler at ya again.

Artifacts

Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8-4.0 Aspherical for Canon

02/17/2006 10:17:46 PM · #13

Originally posted by sacredspirit:

Kind of you to do that, but I'd prefer being added for the quality of my photography. ;)

Rereading that critique reminds me that I could have said a lot more positive things about them. Photographically speaking, they are all done pretty darned good for the most part.

Rooster

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

02/17/2006 11:14:46 PM · #14

um... dude... who's heart & brain is it?

Yes, often the boundaries here can be very limiting, i've found. I do like the mood captured in the shots. very creative. and yes, the post processing of the shots also very good.

But who's heart & brain is it?

02/18/2006 02:14:22 AM · #15

stdavidson: Thank you very much for the critic that's exactly the kind of critic I was looking for, cause I don't agree with anythign you say :P (Except the heart looking like a patatoe, I had nothing to do with that, it's the heart's fault).

Everything I did in these pictures, every arrangement, every drop of blood (except the heart) have been made knowingly. The blood wasn't supposed to be fake, but then when my models couldn't come I just decided to have fun. This sunday I'm gonna try to be a little more serious and try not to use blood.

Does it really look like a patatoe in the second image? Ah damn those hearts. I liked that image.

You shouldn't be positive by the way, everyone needs a good critic. Though be careful, some people are al little sensitive, even more than I! So you might want to leave a positive comment on the side.

Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD

02/18/2006 02:16:17 AM · #16

Originally posted by Rooster:

I have never met the poor cow who lent me his heart and his brain.

MadMan2k

Sony Alpha a6400

02/18/2006 02:29:18 AM · #17

I can't really comment on the pictures, but I can say that whenever I see your stuff I either think "I'm not worthy" or "That's damn weird." And for these it was it was more of the latter.. :P

yanko

Carl Zeiss 50mm ZE f/1.4 Planar T for Canon

02/18/2006 03:33:20 AM · #18

Very interesting series. I really like the emotional impact the female scenes have. The ones involving the guy don't work as well. With him I don't feel the impact of him breaking her heart, which I assume is what he is doing.

Message edited by author 2006-02-18 03:37:10.

Man_Called_Horse

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

02/18/2006 04:26:19 AM · #19

Interesting stuff.

Just remember one thing, you may recognize the heart in your pov, but in the viewers pov it may be a rock for all we know.

Take the time when looking through the viewfinder that everything is what it is supposed to be, and not being something else.

A good start onto your storytelling.

Keep up the good work.

Artifacts

02/18/2006 09:00:54 AM · #20

Originally posted by Ennil:

You shouldn't be positive by the way, everyone needs a good critic. Though be careful, some people are al little sensitive, even more than I! So you might want to leave a positive comment on the side.

Every picture has positives. Many critics at DPC forget that point. A good critique, I believe, points out both the positive and the negative.

From a pure technical standpoint your images are good. Your use of muted colors and sepia-like presentation is an outstanding concept. Linking diverse objects within your images is another of your very creative ideas. It would be wrong if I failed to mention that.

Originally posted by Ennil:

...
Does it really look like a patatoe in the second image? Ah damn those hearts. I liked that image.

Unfortunately, it does. I think the small amount of image space that it occupies in the frame and the amount of it enclosed in the hand contributes to that. I agree with you, though, in terms of technical quality I like that image a lot to. I just do not understand it. What does the text symbolize? What are you trying to say with that image? I don't know.

Your purpose, as a photo artist, may simply be to make the viewer think. That is perfectly fine, but the viewer needs to be directed unmistakably toward what they should be thinking about. You can do that with standard photographic tools like lighting, perspective, leading lines and the rule of thirds for example.

You are already very provocative with your use of color and juxtaposed content. A slight exaggeration of perspective, for example, could add immense drama and interest to an image and unmistakably direct the viewer's attention to the questions or message you want to present. How to direct the viewer's attention cannot be taught in school, just the tools can be learned. The "Why" part can only be discovered through the creative mind and hard work. You are on your way.

Message edited by author 2006-02-18 09:10:45.