Another Tree

I think you should title it " The Pride and Prejudice Tree" Robert

I vote for

Stooped

oh by the way, still waiting after several years of shooting wet plate for a landscape image that good. Bastard.

Monty

Yeah! What Monty said...Bastard...I've been walking around for the the last 7 months explaining to people why my fingernails always look like they all have been smashed with a hammer and he posts things like this almost every week. lol.....Robert

Kirk, I have done both sunsets and quaking aspens in color no less, and yes, I have stooped in many other areas as well. My intentions were not mean spirited, and only meant to motivate thought. I apologize to those I have offended.

I would like to edit my bastard comment. It was intended as a joke as to Kerik's great plate and me not being able to match it in my own work and was directed at him for creating an image that I find stunningly beautiful. Maybe my all time favorite of his. Being able to transcend a cliche IS TALENT as far as I'm concerned, this image does that in my opinion. It was not intended at Steve for making his critique, afterall the image was in the critique gallery. I don't agree with the critique but then I love lonely images. I would never refer to someone in a derogatory manner for having an opinion however. After rereading my post I apologize to you Steve if you felt that was intended for you, I can assure you it wasn't. My twisted sense of humor gets in my way sometimes.

best,

Zebra

Coming back to this thread I'm a bit surprised by all of the posting in regards to stooping. I think Steve was merely speaking his mind, and the image is, after all, in the critique gallery. Do we put images there to hear people speak their minds or comment on how nice everything is? I agree it could have been done in a better way, though, but he tried beyond what most people would offer here, including myself. In one way or another, that's something that should be encouraged, in my humble opinion.
I disagree with the stooping, however, and find this a very beautiful simple composition with things going on in the sky I dream of. It really is a nice plate, Kerik. One of my favorites of yours.
- Thomas

Hey Zebra,

Words are funny things with different meanings for each of us that can lead to wars to say the least. Lots of misunderstandings, but good intentions on both sides.

No harm done on either side. I look forward to more lively debates with you and all of the other wonderful talented APUGers.

I was commenting offline with another APUGer about submitting my work to the gallery for criticism, but was concern that the comments were to polite to encourage improvement. My wife said that the only place I can expect to get meaningful feedback is at very good art school. She has been in the art world all of her adult life. I have not.

I will be posting some of my stuff in the near future. I hope that you will feel free to run with your first impressions without fear of offending me. Those first impressions are usually dead on.

My best critic to date is my wife. I get to close to my work most of the time and loose my way so I hand it off to her. And then she lets me have it with both barrels and she very rarely misses. So back into the darkroom or out in the field I go to find my way again and again and again trying to make it better.

I should also clarify the basterd comment. I've studied under Kerik, so it was poking fun at him on a personal level. He has amazing talent, so it was just a blue collar comment out of envy. I hope Mr. Willard didn't think that term was directed at him, and if so, I humbly apologize if that was the way it was taken. Also most of the time my lack of literary prowess doesn't allow my sense of humor to come across very well. Robert

For the record, I like the posted image very much, and I'm not a landscape person.

I am going to chime in very briefly on the post(s) above and point out that critique is valuable, but needs to be worded well. I don't think Kerik was necessarily irked by what was said as much as how it was said. Any time critique is worded in such a way that the giver implies greater artistic conscience than the receiver, it's going to ruffle feathers. A statement such as "shame on you" NEVER belongs in a critique.

Art school and instructors frequently confuse stinging insults with valuable critique. Such is the case here. Criticism does not have to be caustic to be honest and valuable.

- CJ

Cheryl sums it up well. I know Monty and Robert personally and took their comments with the humor that they were intended (you bastards!). Since I don't know Steve, "shame on you" did rub me the wrong way just a bit and I consider critique a 2-way street. So, as is my way, I fired back. Although I did so with a smile on my face, not in anger. As much as I love photography and art and the images I make, I don't take any of it that seriously. Life is to f-ing short.