Thursday, March 13, 2008

Limits of perception


Limits of perception, originally uploaded by Josh Gentry.

Taken in my wildflower patch in the back, back yard. Experiment with depth of field.

The DoF is not the only experiment here. This particular film from Kodak is kinda funky. I think this picture would have looked different on Ilford or Kodak T-MAX. I like what it did for some pictures, and not at all for others.

Yashica FX-3 Super 2000
Yashica lens 50 mm f/1:1.9
Kodak BW 400 CN
Shutter ?, f/1:1.9

6 comments:

Matt Dick said...

I don't think this is your best. I like the idea, and I think there is a really good photograph in here, but there are some flaws.

First, the depth of field is nicely done, but the portions of the photograph that are out of focus are not still. So the background is not just out of the field of view, it is shaky feeling. This doesn't allow the subject that is in focus to stick out dramatically enough for me. The thin, light-colored reeds in the lower right of the photograph show this double-exposure I'm talking about.

Also, I think the background, while nicely out of focus, is nevertheless too busy to allow the center subject to stand out.

I think you're close on this one, but not quite there for me.

Josh Gentry said...

Great comment. Others agree? Disagree?

Unknown said...

I agree with Matt, for all of the reasons he writes. I just could never have articulated it.

Josh Gentry said...

Cool. Thanks. I'm particularly interested in reactions to this one.

Now surely someone disagrees with Matt, on principal if nothing else :-)

Matt Dick said...

Luke, the reason you couldn't articulate the problems in the photograph is that you haven't made photographs which are much, much worse than this, and I have. Many times.

Matt Dick said...

I cropped is just to see if I could find what I was thinking of.

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