Selection from my Abandoned Books fine art project

I'm not getting that concept from these images. I think part of what fails is the six inch stilettos your model is wearing. And I don't see where this has anything to do with technology unless the railroad tracks are your stand-in for technology, at which point you're talking about a dying 19th century technology, so what are you trying to comment on? And how does a naked model stand for the purity of truth? Or is it the book that means the purity of truth?

TheFlyingCamera said:

I'm not getting that concept from these images. I think part of what fails is the six inch stilettos your model is wearing. And I don't see where this has anything to do with technology unless the railroad tracks are your stand-in for technology, at which point you're talking about a dying 19th century technology, so what are you trying to comment on? And how does a naked model stand for the purity of truth? Or is it the book that means the purity of truth?

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In one of his threads, he posted that this model had literally no idea what film was and that anyone used it.

Even knowing that, I still don't get the series concept from the image. And not to start a flame war, but your comment about the model is neanderthal and juvenile. While the heels turn what I think is supposed to be a conceptual, artistic shot into a glamor shot (I'll give the photographer the benefit of the doubt until he responds one way or the other about his intentions and understanding of the work), it doesn't merit the hormonal response of a 13-year old boy discovering a girly-magazine for the first time.

Hey guys, keep in mind this is a SERIES... there will be roughly 50-75 shoots and then one or two images from each shoot I'll be choosing, you can't expect to fully understand the concept from 2 images from one shoot, and I'm not allowed to upload more until another day goes by. Also I haven't completed the project so it's not like you'll be getting the full scope until you see all the images together in one collection. I just became a subscriber yesterday ... lol

Also, and not that you want to hear this... and don't hate, but I haven't used film for this series yet, and only shot this out of necessity because my 5D Mk II got destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Not that i don't like film, but the series requires a VERY specific lighting look and it's much harder to duplicate properly on film, I'm a purist and don't really use Photoshop or anything, so getting the lighting perfect for what I want is key and much harder to do with film at times when your polaroid check fails completely because the weather is too cold (like in this case, but it seemed to come out ok for what I was looking for) I mostly shoot Landscapes and B&W nudes on film and leave the "fine art./fashion" images to that other medium.I also agree about the heels, she should have taken them off as well I was rushed because she was cold and I wasn't paying attention, it's ok, nothing can ever be perfect, all we can do is try...

TheFlyingCamera, I guess you've never heard this haiku, precursor to the image that conveys it so perfectly:crouching shivering wearing stilettos nakedreading on train tracksNow, you can see the concept is clearly conveying a concrete visual to the imagery.

Stone- I don't object. I'm glad to see you respond. I'm just reacting from a critical analysis point of view to these. I know there's a limit to how much you can post in a day, and you're not finished shooting your series. This is just something to think about when you shoot more, and when you edit - be ruthless in your editing so that if a single image doesn't convey the theme, it doesn't make it in the final project. This is something I have to think about every time I shoot in the studio - as the photographer, I and I alone am responsible for every single leaf, hair, twig, wrinkle of fabric, shoe placement, etc in every frame I shoot. There are plenty of images I've shot that after close examination, I've had to toss them because something was wrong that I should have fixed before I hit the shutter button.

Re-read my comment, was ashamed at how it sounded, and how in one sentence I managed to undermine my own chosen art form, as well as disgrace this discussion. Edited it. My sincere apologies to the author of this work, and whomever read it or was offended by it.

sbattert said:

TheFlyingCamera, I guess you've never heard this haiku, precursor to the image that conveys it so perfectly:crouching shivering wearing stilettos nakedreading on train tracksNow, you can see the concept is clearly conveying a concrete visual to the imagery.

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Thanks, I agree it's not my best work, but hey for a few semi-usable images out of just 20 options is pretty damn good in my opinion. I try to convey emotion and depth, glad you can see some of that.

EASmithV said:

Re-read my comment, was ashamed at how it sounded, and how in one sentence I managed to undermine my own chosen art form, as well as disgrace this discussion. Edited it. My sincere apologies to the author of this work, and whomever read it or was offended by it.

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Don't be ashamed, I wasn't the least bit offended

TheFlyingCamera said:

Stone- I don't object. I'm glad to see you respond. I'm just reacting from a critical analysis point of view to these. I know there's a limit to how much you can post in a day, and you're not finished shooting your series. This is just something to think about when you shoot more, and when you edit - be ruthless in your editing so that if a single image doesn't convey the theme, it doesn't make it in the final project. This is something I have to think about every time I shoot in the studio - as the photographer, I and I alone am responsible for every single leaf, hair, twig, wrinkle of fabric, shoe placement, etc in every frame I shoot. There are plenty of images I've shot that after close examination, I've had to toss them because something was wrong that I should have fixed before I hit the shutter button.

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I was assisting this very successful Vogue photographer a few years ago, and I was on set, and then saw his image afterward and I had pointed out a wire from his power pack and that he had only lit one window and not both windows in the shot and he said "I'll just photoshop it afterward. I used to be so specific, but then found that sometimes you can get more out of a shoot and cary less equipment and photoshop it in post, you cary less equipment and can get more amazing on location shots" I'm paraphrasing, but then I saw his image afterward and he had fixed everything but this one glaring error, when he cloned the window into the other, he never took out the wire and there was a wire coming out on both sides. It bothered the heck out of me. But it also occurred to me that as a photographer we're super picky, but clients don't notice what we notice, and obviously even a magazine like Vogue or Vogue Italia doesn't notice that kind of stuff because they weren't there and they don't know what the image was beforehand.I was very unhappy with the whole shoes on thing, I agree it's a mistake, but a shoe here, an earring there, a necklace left on... out of perhaps 30 scenes and 60 total images in my book, no ones is going to point at the whole book and say "this doesn't make sense, that girl had a shoe on in that one photo, it's crap and this photographer doesn't know what he's doing!". I'm expressing a basic concept, and I DO appreciate the critique, it will encourage me to be even more observant in the future, but I did find your comments to be a bit harsh considering it's only the first day I've shown any images to this group.I'm also SLIGHTLY cautious of explaining the entire concept since most of you are much more successful than I and might perhaps be inspired to create a similar work in a much faster time frame than mine, yes most of you are too busy with your own things, but it has happened before, so I'm not explaining it all for a reason.That said I do welcome constructive criticism, we are all here to learn and teach

I understand your explanation, it's just that I don't think the 'visual text' can support the weight of that 'narrative'. Looking forward to seeing more images from the series though...