My wife and I went out a bit just before sunset yesterday. She went in search of Piliated Woodpeckers and Great Horned Owls and I went in search of some interesting photo opportunities.
She found the Piliateds and we heard the Owls.
And I found some interesting compositional opportunities for vertical pans/in-camera motion blurs. The first image is one that I’ve entitled “Blue Light Special”. No, not the K-Mart Blue Light Specials. Remember those? I was just really struck by the blue tonality to the light as it reflected between the tall pines. The color, the contrast, the verticality all seems to really speak to me here.
The second image is one that I really would like to hear your opinions on. The image I have posted here is exactly the image I envisioned out in the field. As I looked at the very thick stand of pines, I noticed the setting sun peeking out among a couple of the tree trunks. I immediately thought that a vertical pan would cause the sun to create streaks descending through the image – like fire balls hurled earthward. And sure enough I got what I was looking for. I like the resultant image but I’m not sure how much appeal it has to others. That’s where I’d like to hear your thoughts. I entitled this one “The Fire Gods Have Spoken”. It was nearly sunset and I really like those beams of light/fire reaching down toward the earth in what is an otherwise subdued scene.
Images were made with my Canon 50D and 70-200 2.8L IS lens, handheld.
ADDENDUM: I posted these images in the “Out-of-the-Box” forum on BPN where comments to “The Fire Gods Have Spoken”, similar to those made here, led me to make the following response. Trust me, this should not be viewed as defensiveness. Rather I would like it to be viewed as opening a discussion of “abstract photography” and the creative process underlying it.
Here is the brief critique from a photographer whom I greatly respect and my response:
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…the hot streaks really overpower the rest of the image. Your other blurs have seemed more precise and controlled – this one seems more “out there.”
And my response:
There are really two issues here, artistically speaking. But they are related. Let’s take the second first – the “out there” aspect of this image. It is indeed a pretty radical departure from the “order”, if you will, that is exhibited in my other blurs. One only needs to look as far as “Blue Light Special” to see that tidiness or neatness or orderliness in an image. This image is meant to bring a sense of chaos in that orderliness – to capture hellfire and brimstone, if you will. I wanted the juxtaposition of chaos created by the light superimposed over the quietness and neatness of the twilight seen in the background which Denise pointed out as what she really liked. Creating that feeling of bringing chaos into order was my purpose in panning the sun that was peeking through the trees.
Which brings me to the second (first) point. If the “hot streaks really overpower the rest of the image” as you say then the juxtaposition is lost because the background get lost and all we have is the chaos without the orderliness. In that regard, the image has then failed to create the “tension” in the viewer that I had wished to create. I think what we are discussing here is the very nature of abstract art. In many respects a bird on a stick is a bird on a stick and a sunset reflecting on a lake is a sunset reflecting on a lake. I’m not saying capturing either is easy. But when I look at it, it is what it is. Abstractions are, I believe, different. Your thoughts? |
So glad you got what you were setting out to get! LOVE when that happens for myself!
They are very interesting to look at … and Yes! I so remember “blue light specials” (funny)
Hi Ed, I like both titles, they are matching images very well. The first image is wonderful to me as first sight, the contrast between warm light on pine trunks and cool blue light next to them is really amazing. The second one is not so likeable at first sight but it is the kind of “how is this done?” image and I like these because it makes you think about it more, not just pass it by and forget it. After looking at it for awhile it still doesn’t have much appeal to me but it is interesting experiment anyway
I’m really glad that you keep experimenting with these light paintings and am looking forward seeing more.
Tomas said it well. The first image works! Great color contrasts, design, composition. The second image is less appealing to me. However, I consider it a huge success since you achieved what you previsualized. Congratulations!!! It is fun seeing your experiments.
I love the repetition and regularity of the first image. The vertical lines have no beginning and no end and thus work well for me too. It looks very artistic and would be well suited in an expensive gallery.
The second image looks as if you dropped your camera
I am kidding of course, but it looks like a happy accident rather than a carefully planned work of art.
The first one however is a jaw dropper. Keep it up. You have something great going here, developing a style that is very uniquely yours.
Hey Andre, I must be confident in my work because I am willing to admit here that you are NOT the first person who said “The second image looks as if you dropped your camera.” You have any idea how tough it is to create an image that looks as if I dropped my camera without actually dropping the camera? The first image above was the result of a single shot. The second took me about a dozen to get the look I wanted… as if I dropped the camera!
And please this comment has been made in the best of humor!
Being basically a straight documentary type wildlife photographer I have not had any experience with making these kind of images and have not seen many of them.
That being said, I am not a strict traditionalist and I do find the images very appealing. The first is more appealing in the sense that it stretches across the entire frame with an orderly pattern, but the second stands out for the dramatic quality of the rays of light. Both images are thought provoking-especially if one had not read how they were taken and was trying to analyze them from that point.
Ed, you know that I am a abstract kind of guy, and I certainly enjoy this type of imagery.
The first one is more traditional yet it has striking lines and contrasting colors. This is excellent!
And yes, the second one gets me thinking. It’s interesting, … cool!
Really like what you have been doing lately Ed, and hope you keep on creating images in this area. Love them!
Oh, … and yeah, … I never really knew if you were a young guy or a tad older guy.
Blue Light Special?
Now I know!!