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Archive 2013 · walls

  
 
beanpkk
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · walls


I have a collection of images that I use as computer screen backgrounds (wallpaper) -- usually just patterns or abstracts. Here are my most recent ones. Any possibilities here? Boring? Would additional PP help? If it helps, what I find interesting about them is the lighting (in the case of the bricks) and the detail -- lots of detail.

Brick wall:

brick wall by beanp, on Flickr

Stone wall:

stone wall by beanp, on Flickr

I'm wearing my coat of armor, so if you think they're boring feel free to say so!

Thanks for looking,
Keith



Sep 19, 2013 at 08:49 PM
eeneryma
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · walls


This is certainly a different take on computer screen wallpaper. Most wallpaper I've seen in offices and homes are dreamscapes that take the viewer to another world that they would rather be in: a field of flowers, a majestic view, outer space...you get the idea. I'm kind of chuckling in that I find it hard to imagine that someone would want to look at a claustrophobic brick wall on their computer, but perhaps that is part of your joke?
On the other hand, as a photo and as a statement, I like your second image. Building a stone wall like this is probably a mostly lost art, and I assume it was quite complex to fit all those pieces together perfectly. It is a wall to marvel at.



Sep 19, 2013 at 10:16 PM
RustyBug
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · walls


While Steve is appreciating the craft of wall building, I prefer the texture/lighting cues in the first one. However, the composition is pretty mundane.

I'd likely take a look at using some crop to do two things:

1) Reveal the textural detail more prominently so it engages the viewer (pseudo macro)
2) Find a section that generates some form of interesting geometric

As is ... they look like snapshots of walls. Sometimes if there is something that you are wanting to show your viewer ... they need more help to see it than you might otherwise imagine. I think this is one of those instances where you really need to SHOW US what it is that you want us to see (i.e. the texture, depth, lighting cues, etc.).




Sep 20, 2013 at 05:19 PM
beanpkk
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · walls


eeneryma -- I hear you about the usual wallpaper being something in the way of a scenic landscape and the wall being claustrophobic. Walls, particularly brick ones (as in "the effort ran into a brick wall") can mean the end of things. On the other hand Facebook's "wall" is a place where people post things -- sort of a bulletin board I guess, so there's that aspect too. As for the second (stone) wall I marvel at its construction too. I'd like to know how people build those walls -- we have them all over the place in New England. So perhaps more in the second than the first, the image presents something that can absorb lots of looking and still reveal fresh detail not noticed before. And that can be an interesting sort of 'place' to go (mentally) too, when faced with some intractable problem elsewhere on the screen (documents, photoshop (!), whatever). That is my thinking re these admittedly unusual wallpapers.

Rustybug - I'll look for more interesting crops -- these were pretty much full frame. That's an interesting idea.

Thanks both of you for looking and for your comments. I really appreciate it and them.

Keith



Sep 20, 2013 at 07:04 PM
beanpkk
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · walls


Here is another take on the wall theme...this one from Zion. FWIW I like the horizontal lines and the small rocks at the right side.


sandstone by beanp, on Flickr

Thanks for looking and any critique.
Keith



Sep 20, 2013 at 07:16 PM
RustyBug
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · walls


Much more Zen like with better composition. This is a really nice example of asymmetrical balance. and how the ROT (Rule of Thirds) isn't always all that it's cracked up to be. We have the full frame to use, nice job of using it.

Much goodness here ... the eye can wander and it never really permanently stops in one place, without something else calling it's attention elsewhere. Yet, it can choose to "linger" or "rest" in an area for as long as it wants. That and it doesn't try to "leave the frame" out of the corner before being pulled back up. The striation lines almost act like a highway back & forth between the different areas. A balance of smoother/slower transition areas with detailed higher contrast/transition areas.

As noted, much goodness in a variety of ways. I'd be hard pressed to think this and the wall shots were from the same person if I had just seen them on display ... i.e. the wall shots aren't in the same league, if you've got this much goodness to show. Nice piece.

The small stones and the sand ... all on the sandstone ... pretty sweet stuff as you start to think about the image. Further noting the colors of the sandstone layers and the colors of the small stones ... to me, it is things like this that tell me that the creator had his head in the game @ intent, vision, command and control. Things don't typically happen this way by chance alone.

The brick wall shots, otoh ... a four year old with a cell phone could have taken them (no offense, glad you've already got your armor on ) as it is only a snapshot "recording" that lacks both the ability to draw the eye and/or the ability to present a message. The sandstone image however contains both, which to me is indicative of the thought/vision/intuition it takes to produce such a piece.

Imo, these illustrate the difference between a picture taker (that's me sometimes) and a picture maker (that's me sometimes) ... the maker knows how to draw your eye and/or send a message and does so with intent.



Sep 21, 2013 at 10:44 AM
beanpkk
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · walls


Thanks Rusty.

k



Sep 21, 2013 at 08:42 PM
eeneryma
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · walls


I love your concept, photographing surfaces and making them into computer wallpaper. What interests me most is how people react to different surfaces tactilly, emotionally, and intellectually. In addition to Rusty's perceptive comments and analysis, here are some additional thoughts to consider about your stone wall photo:
1.) Your lighting is flat and therefore the photo tends to be one dimensional. If you compare this to the dramatic lighting in the Zion photo, the bright sunlight enhances the warm, earthy colors and textures that are so eye catching. Perhaps photographing the stone wall with more expressive lighting will make the stones more 3 dimensional.
2.) The Zion photo has patterns and interest areas that the viewer can grab onto. With the stone wall photo showing such a large section of wall, the viewer has a harder time finding a place for their eye to land and little direction how the eye should move through the photo. Like Rusty has suggested, try a smaller section.
3.) The cold, gray surface of the stone wall can be naturally off putting, as compared to the warm, earthy feeling you've created in the Zion photo. You may need to find an "irritant" like a plant growing out of the wall, or some interesting eye catching flaw, that will "center" the composition like what the pebbles do in the Zion photo. One thought is to photograph the stone wall after a rain storm or snow storm to heighten the texture, color, drama.

Here's an example of a smaller section.

Steve







Sep 22, 2013 at 11:14 AM
beanpkk
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · walls


eeneryma -- Thank you for the comments re the stone wall image. I like your crop and the idea of looking for something different in there to give the eye a latching point -- something to look for in photographing textures like these.

kk



Sep 22, 2013 at 06:52 PM





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