Feedback on an abstract...is it a keeper?

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

10/26/2005 11:08:26 AM · #1

I know my motion blur abstracts are mostly a miss with voters. But I thought "What" was the perfect challenge for a motion blur abstract. Isn't "what?" what most abstracts are about?

So where did I go wrong with this one? Whereas most my abstracts score in the middle ground and garner some favorites, this one bombed (it did get one favorite, thanks, but not as many as my last, so that doesn't validate it). To take my abstracts further, I need to know if somehow this just bombed because of the challenge theme, the title, the colors, or it's just not an appealing photo.

Feel free to be as negative or as postive as you'd like. Honesty counts (as does politeness ;)).

To give you a concept of what I saw in it:

1) This is a shot that's somewhat recognizable, but the movement distortion makes it a what.
2) It looks painterly, impressionistic (yet it's completely done in camera).
3) It looks like a reflection, so it's "more mainstream" than my usual blur--but in fact it's not a reflection at all. (I thought that was cool, but of course, viewers didn't know enough to realize
4) My title was meant to "reflect" the fact that it looks like a reflection, but perhaps that hurt me given the "other" challenge?

Here's the image.

Thanks in advance. I will try to return any detailed honest critiques with the same...on a slow schedule though...

Apple iPhone 5

10/26/2005 11:12:52 AM · #2

When I saw this I thought you'd entered it in the wrong challenge.

There was no element of 'what?' in it for me. I recognised it straight away, and the title just confirmed what I thought it was.

Apart from the 'meeting the challenge' aspects, I really liked this - The colours and technique you used to produce it really gives it a 'painted' feel.

But I honestly thought it was a reflection.

10/26/2005 01:06:02 PM · #3

Thanks for your responses, John and Courtenay (Dahkota).

Anyone else care to critique?

10/26/2005 05:11:47 PM · #4

Come on people...let me have it...

RonBeam

Minolta DiMAGE 7

10/26/2005 05:38:02 PM · #5

It's got texture. It's got good color. It lacks strong contrasting elements that I enjoy in abstracts. But I feel the real problem here is that there is nothing to wrap one's imagination around.