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Compassion is the desire that moves the individual self to widen the scope of its self-concern to embrace the whole of the universal self.


Two (non-cute kiddie related) images today, and it continues my tendency to (either)
  1. Equivocate due to an inexplicable loss of confidence in my ability to judge the merits of a photograph; or
  2. Actively engage my audience into the creative process.
Both photos were taken this morning on my way to work. Not dissimilar to an image that I’ve featured before. Now, I really do like that photograph, but wasn’t satisfied with the reflection of the flag, which kind of ruins the shot. I narrowed down to two favourites from an original batch of nine. Originally, I felt that the image above was the clear winner, as it continues my fascination with getting down low into the shot and utilising a perspective that (wankery alert) “challenges orthodoxy”.

[There are a multitude of examples just in the last two months. Perhaps I feel it might hide the deficiencies of the camera (or its operator!)]

But, I dunno. In the shot below, I know that the colours and detail on the rope and chain are all washed out; but conversely, the reflection is far, far better. I thought about going black and white to minimise the muting of the colour, but then I lose much of what I like of the reflection.

I know that a lot of keen photographers follow this blog (many, if not most, far better than I), and am very much interested in your opinion. Are the flaws in that second shot beyond salvaging? And is the first shot as good as my gut tells me?

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USelaine said…
I like 'em both. Keep the color. But that's just me.
9 October 2008 at 19:31
Layrayski said…
Not that I'm one of the keen photographers but I must say I like the second one better. Actually they both look ok =) But I must say I seem to have the same problem about judgment and photography. But I still maintain about my judgment on the second one =) Its kinda abstract(-like).

Lyra
9 October 2008 at 20:14
Benjamin Madison said…
Top one gets my vote. Low perspective and fuzzy foreground pull you into the picture and then there is a long space to move through before you get to the end of the chain. The second picture is relatively flat - if you go into it you end up in the water very quickly. I'm no expert but I usually know what I like (although some of my favorite photos don't seem to have wide appeal.)
10 October 2008 at 06:56
freefalling said…
: ;ole tje, bptj/
I hate it when I do that - fingers on the wrong keys.
I like them both.
I liked the second one more this morning than this afternoon (??)
The first one is a bewdie.
10 October 2008 at 17:33
Kris McCracken said…
Uselaine, fair enough.

Layrayski, well said.

Ben, I must admit, I like number one too.

FF, as long as you don't mix up the brake and the accelerator, we can cope!
13 October 2008 at 16:10
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