Your Best Photograph from the Previous Month - Critique and Discussion Encouraged

[Steven Ruttenberg]

A picture that normally goes against my usual standards of technical qualities but for me, strikes a chord with my sentimental understanding of a picture. The motion blur here initially angered me but has since grown on me. It encapsulates the existence of my then 2 week old son.

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I like this one. Good tonality. The motion blur doesn't bother me. In fact, maybe a softer focus would work here.

[mmerig]

I've got a couple of long term projects going. One is titled "Divided Waters" and encompasses a series of industrial portraits I'm slowly making of old agricultural irrigation well pumps. These elderly fellows inhabit much of the Arizona arid landscape and have unique characters that I want to preserve before they are replaced by new agricultural technologies. The other project is titled "A Road Less Traveled" and involves me photographing at various locations along the old US Highway 80 as in transects Arizona. A highway that once was the southern Route 66 - from the Atlantic Ocean east of Savanah, GA to the Pacific Ocean at San Diego, CA. Again, these irrigation well pumps can be found along the old route as it crosses Arizona.

Generally, these pumps stand alone, isolated from other infrastructure as they watch over fields of cotton and alfalfa. Many of my photographs of these pumps involve combining a portrait with landscape to give context. This particular site presented a more complicated composition. I struggled how best to frame the various components. I ultimately decided to make a more intimate portrait with only a minor landscape element.

Your thoughts?



Arca-Swiss F-Metric 4x5 w/MicroOrbix | Nikon Nikkor-W 210mm f/5.6 | Ilford FP4+ | 1/8th @ f/45 | EI 100 | Ilford Ilfotch DDX

Thanks for posting such a strikingly good image. I like the strong geometric aspect to it, and the strong lighting too. The only thing I can think of that may improve it is a wider field of view -- I wanted to see more of it's context, like the ditch it was connected to (only a little bit shows), maybe how it delivered water to fields, etc. This may be too much (I don't know what the whole thing looked like), and it may not work as well as what you have here.

[Salmo22]

Thanks for posting such a strikingly good image. I like the strong geometric aspect to it, and the strong lighting too. The only thing I can think of that may improve it is a wider field of view -- I wanted to see more of it's context, like the ditch it was connected to (only a little bit shows), maybe how it delivered water to fields, etc. This may be too much (I don't know what the whole thing looked like), and it may not work as well as what you have here.

Thanks for the kind words. For me, what to include, or not include, in the frame was the most challenging aspect of making this image. I should provide more information on my constraints. The property is posted "No Trespassing", so I'm practically as close as I can get while shooting over the top of a barbed wire fence. Backing away from the scene was limited as a public road is close behind me. Using a wider lens would have allowed me to increase my field of view; however, it would also have brought the barbed wire fence into play and a few items on the right side of the image that I felt were distracting. All the constraints not withstanding, I intend to visit this location again an evaluate my options with a fresh approach.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I've got a couple of long term projects going. One is titled "Divided Waters" and encompasses a series of industrial portraits I'm slowly making of old agricultural irrigation well pumps. These elderly fellows inhabit much of the Arizona arid landscape and have unique characters that I want to preserve before they are replaced by new agricultural technologies. The other project is titled "A Road Less Traveled" and involves me photographing at various locations along the old US Highway 80 as in transects Arizona. A highway that once was the southern Route 66 - from the Atlantic Ocean east of Savanah, GA to the Pacific Ocean at San Diego, CA. Again, these irrigation well pumps can be found along the old route as it crosses Arizona.

Generally, these pumps stand alone, isolated from other infrastructure as they watch over fields of cotton and alfalfa. Many of my photographs of these pumps involve combining a portrait with landscape to give context. This particular site presented a more complicated composition. I struggled how best to frame the various components. I ultimately decided to make a more intimate portrait with only a minor landscape element.

Your thoughts?



Arca-Swiss F-Metric 4x5 w/MicroOrbix | Nikon Nikkor-W 210mm f/5.6 | Ilford FP4+ | 1/8th @ f/45 | EI 100 | Ilford Ilfotch DDX

Thought I posted a response. The hard edges of the pipes/pump and shadows make this image. The tones are rich and blend well. The way the pipes surround the pump leads your eye right to it. I live in East Mesa and this is not too far from me. I love the way things seem to last in the desert. The sharpness and details are quite good.

[Corran]

I haven't really been around here much but I appreciate that this thread has had a lot of good conversations.

My best photo from last month is definitely this image of Toccoa Falls in northwestern GA. I patiently waited for the clouds to part and the people in the scene to get out, and grabbed some excellent light raking across the scene I think. I've printed this to 16x20 and am very happy with the resultant print.

[Vaughn]

Great. The sense of space is working well. Did you consider or try a vertical?

[Vaughn]

...Generally, these pumps stand alone, isolated from other infrastructure as they watch over fields of cotton and alfalfa. Many of my photographs of these pumps involve combining a portrait with landscape to give context. This particular site presented a more complicated composition. I struggled how best to frame the various components. I ultimately decided to make a more intimate portrait with only a minor landscape element. Your thoughts?...

For me it cries out for another image to the right to finish the image (dyptych). Compositionally it does not stand on its own for me, but understandable with your limitations. Sounds like a great project!

[Corran]

Thanks Vaughn - I did do a vertical image, back further in the creek with a longer lens, but it just didn't quite do it for me. Also the clouds were still out and it was completely overcast so the shot doesn't have the same life to it. I might post it for reference though tonight.

[Vaughn]

Well, the light you recorded in the horizontal is sweet

[Corran]

Yep, for reference here is the vertical: