This is my first opportunity as a commentator, and I have been pleased to
pay close attention to the PUG Gallery of photos for a change - I have
usually just glanced at them and moved on to what seemed more pressing at
the moment. So here goes:
Paul Provencher's "Vanishing Vista"
Paul has described his patterns and textures better than I can. This is an
intriguing and marvelous photograph. One sees lines on the roof of the
front building and lines on the side of the rear - similar patterns,
differing shades, and very nicely juxtaposed with the crosshatch of the side
of the front building and of the silo to the right. The colors are of dusk
and almost of a duotone sepia - this works out just right for this image and
a reddish or bluish sunset would IMHO have spoiled the restful reflection of
the viewer. My only reservation is that the picture is too dark - I would
have liked to see the textures of the side of the front building, the side
of the silo, and the rooftop of the building in back, as well as the
textures and patterns of leaves or branches behind, but perhaps Paul wanted
it this way.
Joseph Tainter's "Maiden Castle, Dorset"
Joseph has approached the subject of this Castle with an unusual point of
view, as he describes in his note, and I like it. The gently rolling
contours of the land and the rampart (whatever a rampart is) form an
interesting subject in themselves, and the tufts of dry brown grass against
green grass adds to the patterned effect. But I will quarrel once again, as
is my duty - the fenceposts in front detract from the image as does the
overgrown grass in the foreground. It may, of course, have been impractical
to photograph from a different vantage spot. I would also have liked to
have seen more of the higher slope on the far right of the picture - does it
lead to something? and how high is that slope? All in all, though, a good
picture with a unique perspective.
D. Glenn Arthur Jr's. "Ripples, Folds, and Rays"
Glenn, your inner eye is indeed sensitive - you grasped an opportunity most
photographers would have missed, despite your being unprepared for landscape
photography and having B&W film in your camera. You're right, the divergent
rays did not show up as well as they would have had you been able to be
prepared, but they come through nevertheless. Though textures are few the
patterns you have captured are worthy. My quarrel? - the grain of the sky,
which we all have trouble with and which, never having scanned B&W film for
all I know may be impossible to deal with. Some "dust and scratch" or
"Gaussean blur" filtering perhaps? - to smooth out the grain and let the
sunbeams in the clouds shine through. And perhaps a steeper curve up there,
too. You have a good eye, as I said, and unfortunately your equipment
wasn't set up to match the clouds but rather the performers in the tent.
My complements to all three of you and to all of the others who posted in
this April Gallery.
Maris Lidaka
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