artsy shot - DPChallenge Forums

01/15/2004 02:05:10 PM · #3

I'm not sure why this is should be considered an "artsy shot". It looks like a standard low light silhouette photo. I love the subtle light on the sign and the elements on the horizon. On the other hand, I feel the tree(?)on the left very distracting and there is too much darkness in the bottom.

soup

Canon EOS-30D

01/15/2004 02:09:07 PM · #4

the darkness at the bottom is about 1/3 the frame...

i didnt vote this photo too highly given the others in that challenge

but i did spend some time soaking it in... i think it works as is
by letting the darkness focus your intention on the subtle details.

if the dark ground were parallel to the horizon it wouldnt work.

admart01

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

01/15/2004 02:11:36 PM · #5

Lynn, I felt this was a creative and innovative shot as well. As in "stock" shots, you can have a separte technical discussion on how well lighting, editing, etc was done. I like your idea of calling out shots that may have the "artsy" quality you spoke of. By their very selection as artsy, not all will agree.

ellamay

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

01/15/2004 02:17:59 PM · #6

One of the distinctions I feel (rightly or wrongly) the difference between a bad and artsy shot is that artsy shots (and i call them this for lack of other term), are obviously not 'rushed' , they have the feel that the photographer took some time with it, both in the set up and post processing, not just 'oh heres a snapshot i just took'. I think soups comment on 'soaking it in' is the right idea, it caused me also to stop and pause. To me that makes the shot 'have something' perhaps artsy is not the right term. Perhaps others could post a shot of something they feel is artsy to further discussion.
(it is not the purpose of my post to have people agree with me, just to discuss and name what is it or is not it that makes a shot)

01/15/2004 02:29:44 PM · #7

I think it is an "artsy" shot in that it makes you think. It's contemplative and moves you inside yourself, but it's got a subtle effect. There is irony here and opposing forces of movement. A tableau is usually a graphic or vivid description of a striking scene (got that straight out of the dictionary lol). But the photog presents us with a flat, uninteresting scene. The flat horizon is contrasted with the more undulating and blackened foreground. The tree trunk also contrasts with the tableau and the flatness of the shot. Being that it cuts off it takes your mind up to the heavens, as well as, to the earth below. Is the purpose of the shot to take us deep within our psyches, to take us beyond the surface to deeper meaning through the most mundane and uninteresting of subject matter? I guess it's a "Zen" image, in more ways than one.

It could even be considered a spiritual image.

Message edited by author 2004-01-15 14:35:09.

soup

Canon EOS-30D

01/15/2004 02:32:04 PM · #8

i dunno if artsy necessarily is the right term, creative maybe.
meaning the image doesnt present its purpose w/o a close inspection.
a stock photo by nature - gives the veiwer an immediate sense of a specific feeling/emotion that the photog is pushing at you.
a creative photo leaves some deducing to the viewer even though the photog may have had a specific goal of his/her own, the photo itself is more open to interpretation.

maybe this isn't aren't what you mean, but.. anyhow comments welcome...

GoldBerry

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

01/15/2004 02:34:22 PM · #9

Technically and emotionally I'd score it low, often a photo means much more to the photographer because they have an attachment with the photo and dont' realize what they see isn't what others see - since they're remembering the emotion of being there to see it in real life...as opposed to being a stranger just viewing it for less than a minute. The challenge is to evoke in others what YOU felt when you saw it...and try to see it for what it is, not what you think it is.

Message edited by author 2004-01-15 14:36:41.

magnetic9999

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

01/15/2004 02:37:03 PM · #10

the terms 'artsy' 'arty' 'artistic' all have begun to carry way too much baggage.

How about if we call it 'breaking away from traditional ideas about what makes a good image' or 'experimental' or 'unconventionally approached'?

I think all of those are far better , more precise, and more useful descriptions than 'arty' or the others in that genre . . .

soup

Canon EOS-30D

01/15/2004 02:39:36 PM · #11

being creative...

Originally posted by :

'breaking away from traditional ideas about what makes a good image'

01/15/2004 02:42:27 PM · #12

Hi Ellamay,

before reading the rest of my very critical post, remember that you are among my fav photographers since a long time ago. =)

Let's be serious now.

The shot is a complete miss because it is Art (not artsy) when there is something about yourself in it.

Just the fact that you call it 'artsy' shows it pretty clearly how far are you from that shot and that is easily perceived by the audience.

Without tapping from your real attitude 'artsy' becomes a vane exercise.

Hope this help.

jonpink

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2

01/15/2004 02:43:31 PM · #13

I for one would like to see the word 'artsy' banned for life. I hate it ;)

01/15/2004 02:52:37 PM · #14

Artsy fartsy schmartsy...that's semantics. I don't really care how it's labled.Get back to the picture at hand. What was the photog's intent and did he accomplish it?

Message edited by author 2004-01-15 14:54:08.

01/15/2004 03:05:28 PM · #15

On second thought, I have no problem with the term "artsy" when it's used to distinguish between photographs that are meant to depict or express some kind of genuine humanistic experience as opposed to an image that is meant to sell or has some other ulterior motive.

And Tableau is not selling anything.

Message edited by author 2004-01-15 15:11:01.

01/15/2004 03:12:20 PM · #16

Originally posted by Olyuzi:

yep. But isn't that re-cooking my previous post?

I mean... Art does exists since thousands (!) years ago...
If we need to call it 'artsy' just because salesmen have blewed it during the last couple of centuries that means to give way too much power to commercials (like if they need more..).

Regardless our age gold is still gold and shit is still shit.

bjallen

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

01/15/2004 03:22:07 PM · #17

Opinions? this image is haunting me.. something about it... Any comments? Boy am I brave!
click here

Message edited by author 2004-01-15 15:23:36.

01/15/2004 03:22:25 PM · #18

By what definition or standard do you hold art up to? Where is the dividing line?

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

01/15/2004 03:24:42 PM · #19

Originally posted by bjallen:

Opinions? this image is haunting me.. something about it... Any comments? Boy am I brave!
click here

faidoi

Pentax K10D

01/15/2004 03:25:25 PM · #20

For the POV challenge I made artsy shots and stock photo shots. I decided to enter the artsy one because it was different and original. From the comments so far everyone feels the same way. The stock one had some really good depth of field but it was "blah".

Probably the main reason that I haven't joined yet is because I enjoy taking and looking at artsy shots, but it seems frowned upon in the challenges and DPCprints.

Message edited by author 2004-01-15 15:33:51.

01/15/2004 03:30:56 PM · #21

Originally posted by Olyuzi:

By what definition or standard do you hold art up to? Where is the dividing line?

it should not be too much of a shock (even risking to shift into sci-fi) to reckon that artists were able to capture the feelings, dreams and fears of their Age (not rarely looking ahead) and because of their 'psychic powers' they had a quite a damned living (ellamay is living too well - good for her - that's why she speaks of 'artsy').

That's the history so far (of course there is another theory which says that salesman were waiting for the very poor artist to die and then start speculating on their works and most people feels it more realistic - but what's reality after all?)

magnetic9999

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

01/15/2004 04:14:31 PM · #22

I think people should do whatever they do to express whatever it is they are trying to express, and stop worrying about whether or not it's "real art".

;P

01/15/2004 04:17:20 PM · #23

Originally posted by magnetic9999:

I think people should do whatever they do to express whatever it is they are trying to express, and stop worrying about whether or not it's "real art".

;P

I agree 100%

01/15/2004 04:19:59 PM · #24

I think another difference between art (artsy) and what's not is also the depth of feeling or communication being expressed, and how well it accomplishes it's message. On the surface, Tableau appears too flat and uninspiring, but I think the real message behind it, if I may, is reality has cycles, seasons and up and downtimes. I'm sure that in another time of the year/season or perspective, that view that Zeuszen presented is probably beautiful, if nothing else, as evidenced by the fact that there is in fact a tableau there, although we don't necessarily know what it describes. This is alot different than an image who's sole purpose is to draw attention to itself with glitter and glitz, although I'm not demeaning that either. Everything has it's place and time. In that sense, Tableau is probably artsy.