(Photographer as Sculptor)
Student's Thoughts while on assignment:
Rick,
I just sent my pics for Lesson 5. I'm not thrilled with them. I was really challenged by the settings on my camera. It seems that the more I have to fuss and figure out settings, the more confused I get and then I'm distracted and I loose my artistic eye.
Evening Barn
Well, you gave me choices, and of those choices, I REALLY had to go with two of your night shots. That seems to be where you flourished or were most comfortable. I can relate, btw, completely with you about learning camera settings, but perhaps I can beg you to cut back to only the most manual settings and let all the rest go. You need only aperture, shutter, and focus, perhaps ISO. Stick your camera on Manual exposure and Manual focus and be FREE! Great shot, getting back to it! This 10-minute blue period on most nights is really an amazing time to photograph and capture that color intensity. From this vantage point, were you also seeing a slumbering/sleepy face in the building (this might be how I see everything these days.) It looks like the head of a sleeping monolith. There are some really clever things here: The inclusion of that little rectangle of blue (the window) at lower left to balance out the broader patch of sky. The organic twigs and brush and their clear kinship with the tree as it stretches its fingers through that amazing blue negative space. I also enjoy that mottled/stained stucco on the side of the house.
Daylight
An almost-there picture. The more salient success is the discovery of that liquid light in the shiny marble floor. At first, I mistook it as a waterfountain basis or some such pond. I feel like that might have been one direction to head in on this shot/scene. Taking a bit more advantage of that illusion. I do like that liquid light and how it contrasts with the almost powdery/chalky/faded light scene out the windows. Some nice parts and pieces, but not quite stitched together as fully as some of the others. Though, i have to say, again, there is a certain presence or sense that these marble massings (at right and what exactly are they?) are imbued with power, perhaps sentience. Creepy.
Peace Valley Road
If you don't know Eugene Smith's photograph called "Dream," definitely check it out. Some affiliation with your image, though very different too. I assume this is your car head lamps providing the illumination? And the mysterious white light in the background? Another car coming? Someone or something reflecting white light? The fact that the image is kind of a glowing green, eerie, otherworldly kind of deal makes me really key in on that splash of perfectly clean and bright white light. I'm sure you saw Princess Bride, but this all makes me think of the Fire Swamp and the R.O.U.S.s (rodents of unusual size). Anyway, again, your positioning of things, while thoughtful and precise, still have a natural feel to them—as if they belong nowhere else. WATCH CHILDREN can have a myriad number of convoluted messages given the context you "paint" it in. The exposure feels dark, but appropriately so. Murky. It really places you in a space of fear, concern, danger, unknown. YET, beckons you to move down the path towards the compelling light. Nice image.