The Completely True Adventures & Lamentations of OctoGal & OctoPup in Highlands

Guest Shutter – BRC’s Texture Gallery

BRC needs our help…

In the past couple of weeks I have become obsessed with abstract photos. I recognize that this is an acquired taste and not everyone appreciates this type of photography. I am just exploring and experimenting with it. What I find interesting about it is that I look at things more carefully now. I try to see beyond what the object is and look for interesting patterns of color, line or texture. Anyway, here is a selection of shots that I have taken recently. I’d be interested to know your thoughts. Do any of them appeal to you? If so, which and why? What do you think of abstract photography in general?

Now after, AND I MEAN AFTER you have looked at some of my feeble attempts. Please check out the link below to see how a pro does it. I can only hope to achieve someday what this man has acheived… Now don’t cheat and look there first because then my stuff will look like total garbage!

adamphoto.com>

Go visit brc’s section in Our Web Gallery and discuss.

I will be winging my way to Chi-town…so most likely won’t be able to comment much…but don’t let that stop you all!

shrewspeaks

15 responses to “Guest Shutter – BRC’s Texture Gallery”

  1. brc Avatar
    brc

    Did you photoshop the above photo? It looks kind of like a leaf sangria 🙂

    Also a correction. I referred to the photographer in the link as a man. It is, I believe, a woman.

    How long are you in Chicago?

    Reply
  2. shrewspeaks Avatar
    shrewspeaks

    Yes…I played…and I failed. (I think I need glasses. I use my laptop downstairs and it looks great…then I look on my upstairs puter and viola sangria!)

    I am in Chicago…Thrusday night and flyout home on Friday

    Fly back in on Tuesday the 27th and back home on the 29th…
    THEN Flyout to Rosemont on Monday the 3rd and home on Tuesday on the 4th
    THEN I am in NYC on the 6th and 7th
    THEN I fly to Denver on 11th I think I fly home on the 13th but maybe the 12th…

    Lastly…I fly back to Chicago on Dec 17th…one day trip.

    Do I need to say it?

    Yeah I am going to anyway
    SDJ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (So glad my 75 year old parents understand and don’t mind dog sitting. Well, don’t mind until I fall asleep in my mashed taters at Christmas Dinner)

    Reply
  3. music maven Avatar
    music maven

    Sangria? Did somebody say Sangria?

    Reply
  4. brc Avatar
    brc

    Yikes… so much travel. Let me know if you have any free time the 27th or 28th when you’re in town. I’ll take you out for lunch or dinner.

    Reply
  5. ivoryhut Avatar
    ivoryhut

    Brc, don’t sell yourself short! I think that with very minimal processing and tweaking, your shots are every bit as good as that photographer’s work. And, by the way, my very technical review of your images is (to borrow from Jenfera) Holy cow goat lamb chicken pig alpaca, Batman! (Somehow, “cow” just wasn’t enough.)

    I really like those shots. I am wondering if perhaps a leaning towards macro photography predisposes one to abstract photography? I’d start listing some favorites, but I like them all. If I had to list my top top picks (yes, I said “top” twice), I’d say (from left to right, top to bottom) #2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15. (I know, I should have just listed them all.)

    Shrew, believe it or not, I am envious of all that traveling. I love just going everywhere.

    MM, you crack me up! 🙂

    Reply
  6. brc Avatar
    brc

    Thank you for the encouragement Ivory. Not to make you do any more work, but I am interested in why people are attracted to certain abstract photos. If you had to pick one photo that you liked best out of the ones you liked, which would it be and why do you like it? What is it that appeals to you?

    And from a processing standpoint (since I know nothing about Photoshop), what is it about the professional pictures I see on websites that makes their pictures look more “finished?”

    Also for those of you who are overwhelmed by trying to go back and forth to see the photos and comment, I typically either write my thoughts on a piece of paper while in the gallery then go back to the blog and write OR I open the gallery in a new window and put them side by side.

    Reply
  7. jenfera Avatar
    jenfera

    Okay – my favorites are 6028 – the orange and red leaf with the macro on the serrated edge. Very artsy fartsy, yet you can still tell what it is.

    6520 – light patterns on brick with shadows – very interesting. It’s hard to tell if you are looking up or down or sideways or what. Very m.c.escher.

    6152 – looks like a close up of a tree trunk with a nut or something sticking out of it. I like the off-center placement of the nut.

    5780 – the giant leaf, off to one side. Again, I like the unusual centering, and cropping here too. It makes the leaf larger than life.

    Reply
  8. ivoryhut Avatar
    ivoryhut

    I think that for abstract photography, I respond most to the palette of colors, unusual edges, or just really cool subjects. For colors, often I find myself thinking, “hey, it’d be nice to do a room with that color theme.” Or something like that.

    I like the 681 rust thing. I like the rough edges and the colors. The 170 shot with blues made me think of Mediterranean colors. I like all those photos that Jen picked, too. The tree trunk with that nut thing on it has really interesting edges and, again, texture.

    I also like the way you frame your shots. They add to the interestingness (it’s a Flickr word) of your photos.

    I think a lot of the professional shots simply benefit from skillful processing. Some white balance adjustments, color correction, and sharpening can really go a long way. But like I said, I’d pit your SOOC shots against their SOOC shots any day.

    Reply
  9. brc Avatar
    brc

    Thanks for your thoughts. I think with abstract photography (like any art) it comes down to what a person viscerally responds to. Sometimes it’s color. Sometimes it’s texture. A photo that I really like, someone else might not see.

    BTW, the tree trunk with the nut is actually a rusty bolt in the top of a picnic table. That is one of my favorites too. While it’s a very simple composition there’s a lot of interest there. The 170 is a close-up of some graffiti. I don’t feel like the camera really captured the richness of the colors. I was also bothered by the slight reflected light shining off of the surface.

    681 is the riser on a rusty metal staircase. In fact 520, 660, 665 and 681 are all the same staircase. I have to go back and check it out at different times of day to try to get the right light. The color palette is just beautiful. I really think the 665 segment of the staircase has a lot of potential, but the hole in the metal lets a lot of light through and I think that messes with the exposure reading the camera takes.

    Reply
  10. karmardav Avatar
    karmardav

    I don’t remember the numbers of what I was looking at, but my favorite 2 are: the one that looks like a skinny gnarled tree trunk; and the shadow one. I think I’ve mentioned my penchant for shadows before so that explains that one. The gnarled one I’m not sure exactly why I respond to that one. Maybe it is similar to my twisted way of thinking at times!

    Reply
  11. Sherweld Avatar
    Sherweld

    At first glance (of the thumbnail above) I was determined to stay out of this one, because it seemed a bit “busy” to me, and I personally don’t like blowing smoke.
    After taking the time to look at the larger version in the gallery as well as the rest, in my humble opinion, you’ve done very well indeed. Well composed, well executed, each one telling a unique story, very well worth a visit to your gallery.

    Everybody has a “hero” they would like to emulate, or be “as good as”, but then, all our work would look the same. Keep it up with your style, in my opinion, you’ve got a winner. 😎

    Reply
  12. music maven Avatar
    music maven

    Yeah, what he said. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

    Um, and what, dear BRC is this paper you speak of.

    Shrew….show ’em that beautiful bubble picture you fixed for me.

    Reply
  13. brc Avatar
    brc

    Paper. Tee hee. MM is funny 😉

    Reply
  14. brc Avatar
    brc

    Oops I hit submit too soon. Now MM I’m not gonna let you off that easy. What do you think about abstract photography in general? And which of my photos, if any, do you like best and why? Just pick one and tell me what it is about it that strikes you. I am seriously interested in what people get out of abstract photos.

    Reply
  15. music maven Avatar
    music maven

    Well, while I am a complicated mammal, abstract is usually not my thing. However, several of your photos appeal to me, so here goes…

    6028 – Love the color and the texture. It reminds me of a flag.

    6170 – Again, nice color and texture.

    6229 – Pre-sangria looks better to me. Love the different colors (again).

    6506 – Redundant,but color and texture.

    6665 – The hole is reminiscent of an eye with a tear. I like the lighting and the texture.

    You do a great job capturing texture. I almost feel like if I run my fingers over the picture that I’d feel the roughness.

    Reply

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