For me there is a sense of normalcy but with a twist – an aha moment that the viewer get when the image is examined for a few moments.
When I was thinking about this topic I hoped to get a series of images that were different to but in the same vein as, and even could feature in a second work in a series of books by Chris Van Allsburg Take a look at this first book published 25 years ago “The Mysteries of Harris Burdick”.
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick: Chris Van Allsburg: 9780395353936: Amazon.com: Books
Below are my interpretations and reactions to the images submitted this week – subjective as always. Thank you all for participating.
Tessfully: reveal (ice and late grandmother).
I enjoy the sepia rendering and the disquieting similarity of the underlying image to a portrait of the young Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain. The distortion down the left side of the image and particularly around the right cheek is interesting contrasting with the relatively undistorted right side makes for a unique image.
Atupdate: Empty Nest Syndrome (Poly pipes and birds nest)
This is a strikingly composed image with the potential recognised at taking point rather than something worked on after the image was made. I like the colour and contrast, and balance with the highly symmetrical circles of the pipes contrasting with the messiness of the empty nest. Colour choice highlights the contrast
Jmschrei: Right arm and shoulder
An intriguing subject with the cast marks still apparent and sitting on a grid rendered in high contrast chocolate tones. The image raises more questions as the subject matter looks truly odd and dynamic and stressed and almost butcherly.
Charliezap: Kodak Moment (sunrise on Niagara falls mist)
For this competition the choice to render in black and white is very appropriate. I have seen your thread of Facebook images from Niagara and the high colour images are great but to get the dreamlike image to work in an almost post-apocalyptic fashion works for me. As far as composition the artificial structure in the middle distance is interesting and marks a boundary point for the eye as it wanders up stream. The framing clouds and mist provide the interesting surreal effect that would have passed in the light later in the day.
Itsahabit: Orchid Glow (Bottom lit white and yellow orchids)
Bottom lighting a subject only, is a recognised technique for suggesting ghostly connotations or unsettling a subject due to its being an unnatural look to the human eye as natural light is mostly from above or beside the subject. The choice of orchids as a subject is interesting as these are viewed usually as beautiful and benign at worst and uplifting in most circumstances. The light accentuates the textures and puts the white petals into a very dark palette. Very eye catching.
Mattb123: Morning after snow fall.
The other worldly blue and magenta hues in and around this reflecting lake do indeed make for a surreal image. Beautifully composed and sharply rendered this image is a great entry to this competition.
Whk1992: Columbia Tower Seattle
I enjoy the cross grid effects and the receding lines of the high rise against the black sky. With a little imagination it is possible to think of solar panels outside a space lab window in orbit. An interesting image. Perhaps more could be made of the reflections that are subliminally apparent in this version of the image.
LarsW: Hand in the jug
This one makes me wonder if it was photo composited it is so outside what is normally seen in a metal jug, even in a closed down underground military place. Cobalt tones and strobe placement are so appropriate.
Dieterson: Christmas Market Lights
I am glad you provided the commentary above the picture as I had to look at it for a while before all the elements became apparent. Once I knew what I was looking at it came clear. I enjoy the colour contrast and the shape and texture contrasts between the prickly sphere and the smooth convolutions of the baroque marble. Nice entry.
Catscradle: Angelic Photographer Hard at Work (Man at Toshiba screen on desk)
Well done on this entry. The surreality of the image lies in the colour rendering, the ‘characterful’ nature of the subject’s face and mostly by the strainer. The somewhat gothic nature of the indiscernible photos on the walls also help. If you had not told me how you had managed it, the effect to me implied a stolen viewpoint through a lace covered window.. truly surreal and unsettling – What’s he doing in there???
Bill2849: Illusion and Reality Feeding off One Another (Birds in shallows)
The painterly renderings and smoothening of the image by the noise reduction certainly make this image. I am not sure inverting it makes it surreal enough for me.
Noelcmn: Bit of Graffiti
A memorable image and nightmarish indeed but for me taking an image from a wall and adding no further personal interpretation to it is about the artist’s work rather than your vision. It is indeed surreal verging on the horrific. I just wonder whether somehow by isolating a portion or by juxtaposing another piece of subject matter such as an accomplice or passer-by with a toddler in the image would have made a stronger personal statement.
Lukulele: A Perfect Juneau Day (Foggy harbour with Buoy)
The contrasting red buoy with seals to provide scale, with the limited palette of the seascape is an interesting sight. Just needs the sound effect of the tolling bell. I like the image and the dreamscape that it invokes for me particularly as I live in the tropics and such a scene is at the opposite end of my current life experience.
Scomatic: Eye in Hand (Open Flesh wound in Forearm)
As a ‘record’shot this is a truly stomach turning horrific image. If this image were in any other thread I think the moderators might have had some input on suitability rating but it definitely works here. Looks like your friend lost a bit of muscle as well. Please assure us that he is okay. I am surprised you and your friend didn’t spend a moment dressing it up a little for the photograph.
ChristianRock: Having the quality of a dream (Specular highlights in a leafy environment?)
I enjoy the colour palette and certainly spent some time attempting to discern the contents. Nice circular highlights made me wonder what the lens used was.
Sealonsf: Portal (Aperture against sky)
The contrast of the distant aperture and the rough stuccoed walls is probably a common feature for too many people in the world. The contrast implies confinement and lack of freedom – a person looking up through this space would see the passing of the weather and the days and nights, the occasional bird or insect and not much else. Interesting image choice and technically well done to handle the dynamic range .
HMs
1. The image by Itsahabit: Orchid Glow
The contrast of the benign flower as something macabre or evil is the catch for me and is a memorable image.
2. The image by Charliezap: Kodak Moment
I enjoyed this image due to its high viewpoint and tonality. Taken through a hotel window it has been provided with the graininess of a pencil or charcoal drawing and is quite compelling. Leads me to lookup more about the areas and buildings surrounding the falls and the mythology that surrounds them.
Next weeks competition organizer and judge:
LarsW: Hand in the jug
This image has the sense of unreality verging on horror that I appreciate in surreal works and is very subtly done. Technically it is well lit and invites a large number of back stories to explain the circumstance of a hand in a metal vessel.