The Final Essence...

[peterm1]

I think one of thee advantages of black and white is that it is all about shadows and light - and the essence.

Girl on a Bus_2 by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

But this is not necessarily limited to black and white. I think this one achieves something of that sort in a color sort.

One Moment in the Street by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

 

[Taipei-metro]

1

Los Angeles Int'l Airport,

2

Arcadia,


3

San Marino,
Los Angeles County preCov19

images by Taipei-metro

Lumix mFTG6, Zuiko 14-42
SiliconPower 16gb c10 Taiwan made

 

[bullterrier]

 

[markjwyatt]

Chiaroscuro anyone?
Contax iia; Voigtlander SC Skopar 21mm f4; FP4+


bicycle by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

 

[peterm1]

Silhouettes - partial or complete, can be an effective way to capture an essence.

Shadow tree by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Coast in black and white by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Clouds in a forest by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Rocks and ocean by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Crepescule by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

 

[peterm1]

In this shot I was trying to capture the essence of the practice of iaido - Japanese sword training in our dojo. It has an elegant flow that works well when captured with long exposures and multiple exposures. These give it something of a "Whirling Dervish" or ballet feel to it.

The Practice of Iaido 2 by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

 

[markjwyatt]

In this shot I was trying to capture the essence of the practice of iaido - Japanese sword training in our dojo. It has an elegant flow that works well when captured with long exposures and multiple exposures. These give it something of a "Whirling Dervish" or ballet feel to it.
The Practice of Iaido 2 by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

You are Notan idiot!

 

[peterm1]

You are Notan idiot!

That's a step up for me. Mostly I am just called an idiot. 🙂🙂🙂

Notan idiot - I like that.

 

[peterm1]

Firstly let me thank Helen for starting this wonderful thread.
OK its got me going now so I will chance my hand and try a couple more approaches to capturing the essence that I think work. (Hint - its all in the viewer's mind).

The first is to use a reflection to capture a snippet of the image (although slightly strangely in these cases the "snippet" each reveals more than the rest of the photo). Usually it is the other way around. In any event the aim is to capture something small that is representative of and suggests the whole.

Architecture Reflected by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

City, Reflected 2 by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Another approach is to use a shaft of light to direct the viewer's eye and focus attention on the subject. The aim is to use what is there to suggest the bigger truth by suggesting what is not actually depicted - the essence.

A Darkening HIllside in Autumn by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

And another is to use something that distorts the image to merely suggest the elementary essence of the image.

Abstract Figures at the Water Wall 2 by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Here is one where I had no choice but to make a virtue out of a necessity. I totally blew the focus. So, instead of throwing the image away I enhanced the blur with texture and vignette to hint at what's going on - busy, busy busy! I think it kind of works. Anyway I like like it.

Dark Street by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

And finally (for now) here is something that not everyone will bother with. Looking at a fairly boring photo where the subject was blurred through low shutter speed. I wondered how to make it work. Eventually I hit upon the idea of using a triptych to cut up an image to produce three images that suggest the essence of the scene rather than just presenting the scene in an unadorned way. (The image in the left belongs on the right, the image on the right belongs on the left). I always think it is more powerful if the viewer must think about what they are looking at and interpret it for themselves based on their own life experience. And that is what saved this image from the recycle bin.

South Bank Esplanade Melbourne Tryptich by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

 

[markjwyatt]

That's a step up for me. Mostly I am just called an idiot. 🙂🙂🙂

Notan idiot - I like that.

Couldn't resist. I was reading the 1940 American Annual of Photography, and in an article about Tone Composition they used the words "notan" and "chiaroscuro" as boring concepts that everyone already was talking about, so I thought I would try an bring the terms back in vogue a little. 🙂

 

[xavyr]

In this shot I was trying to capture the essence of the practice of iaido - Japanese sword training in our dojo. It has an elegant flow that works well when captured with long exposures and multiple exposures. These give it something of a "Whirling Dervish" or ballet feel to it.

Beautiful and most effective shot(s), Peter. Truly captures the grace and violence.

 

[Shac]

I think one of thee advantages of black and white is that it is all about shadows and light - and the essence.

I agree Peter 100%

 

[peterm1]

I agree Peter 100%

Very nicely shot. I really like the way the grazing light creates a nice three dimensional effect on her facial features too.

 

[airfrogusmc]

I think one of thee advantages of black and white is that it is all about shadows and light - and the essence.

Girl on a Bus_2 by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

But this is not necessarily limited to black and white. I think this one achieves something of that sort in a color sort.

One Moment in the Street by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

I agree Peter and very nice indeed.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Firstly let me thank Helen for starting this wonderful thread.
OK its got me going now so I will chance my hand and try a couple more approaches to capturing the essence that I think work. (Hint - its all in the viewer's mind).

And finally (for now) here is something that not everyone will bother with. Looking at a fairly boring photo where the subject was blurred through low shutter speed. I wondered how to make it work. Eventually I hit upon the idea of using a triptych to cut up an image to produce three images that suggest the essence of the scene rather than just presenting the scene in an unadorned way. (The image in the left belongs on the right, the image on the right belongs on the left). I always think it is more powerful if the viewer must think about what they are looking at and interpret it for themselves based on their own life experience. And that is what saved this image from the recycle bin.

South Bank Esplanade Melbourne Tryptich by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

I really like the triptych Peter.

 

[airfrogusmc]

 

[peterm1]

I really like the triptych Peter.

Thank you airfrogusmc. I rather like the way it turned out too.

 

[peterm1]

Get close - capture the essence. I think there is something to be said for Robert Capa's comment that if your photo's are no good, then you are not close enough (though he said that in the specific context of being a war photographer). It reminds me of the lines in the poem, Auguries of Innocence by William Blake:

" To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour......."



Converging angles by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

_DSC0993 by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Convergences by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Stadel in Melbourne by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

Lotus eaters by Life in Shadows, on Flickr

 

[Vince Lupo]

Into the Storm by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


I AM LOST by Vince Lupo, on Flickr


Dell City Rain by Vince Lupo, on Flickr

 

[Greyscale]

Mamiya 645E, Sekor C 80/2.8 N, Kodak Plus X Pan expired 1983 yellow filter, EI 250 Diafine. by Mike Novak, on Flickr