Photography Experiement - Full Frame Photos

[my_daroga]

For some time, it's been annoying me that the aspect ratio for standard photo sizes has nothing to do with the actual film. To get a 4x6 or 5x7, you're cropping a significant portion of the image. Not really internalizing this, I've always composed "in camera" and am frustrated when my carefully-aligned images get cut off.

So here's what I'm doing.

I'm choosing 12 or so negatives at a time from my "best work" to get 8x12 prints done. Some of these you've probably seen before. But I want to try to find a "next level" for my photography, and at the moment this is my best next step. I'm not sure what to do with these now, but take a look and tell me what you think. Is this a quality I should pursue? To set me apart, just a little?

Comments

[stefanie-bean.livejournal.com]

The cactus with the hole in it is especially striking. The one of you at the piano is lovely, with the cheek and neck making a nice lyrical line. And I like the mirror ones, where all you see is the subject's reflection.

[my_daroga]

Thank you! That's actually not me, but a boy I met in a hostel in L.A. I like that photo, though.

Do you think they work uncropped like this?

[stefanie-bean.livejournal.com]

Definitely. I like a bigger, wider photo. 4x7 seems very limiting sometimes. Or when you shrink it down w/o cropping, you lose detail.

Of course, I'm no expert ... I just play one on LJ (LOL)

[my_daroga]

I'm trying to find something *I* can do, you know? That's at least slightly interesting. And I'm thinking not-fiddling with photos might be one of them.

[men-in-full.livejournal.com]

ceridwen_daae is studying photography in art school, and I remember her remarking to me once that "art photos" are often heavily doctored, either in the developing process, or through cropping, or if digital, through something like Photoshop. It just occurred to me that the analogy would be painting, where (in an oil painting) the artist often scrapes, re-paints, etc. In watercolor, though, once it's down, it's down forever (usually.) So in a sense, it sounds like what you are thinking of are "watercolor photographs," i.e. where the composition is all done on the camera/shooting end, and "what you see is what you get." I think that's cool; it is a more 'natural' kind of photography.

[my_daroga]

I'm not a fan of studio or abstract photography--which, maybe, makes me less "arty" but I like a documentary style anyway.

So this seems a valid way to go. Thanks!

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

I don't anything about photography but I like these. They elicited a visceral reaction, which for me is what art is about.

I especially like the piano one, the one in costume looking into the mirror and the first one. I like the lighting and composition in these a lot.

[my_daroga]

I'm so happy! Thanks for looking. I like the same ones as you, actually.

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

Are you hoping to find a gallery that will take you on?

[my_daroga]

I'm hoping to do something--I'm just not sure what that is. Or if I'm delusional.

[phantoms-siren.livejournal.com]

This has never occurred to me. Ever. Probably because I work in digital and I rarely buy prints (and even more rarely buy frames). So I don't pay a lot of attention to dimensions with photos (I do with paintings because I want to sell the most possible prints so I work to the most compatible size).

But these are definitely better. Significantly :)

[my_daroga]

Thanks so much. I appreciate that. And I'm hoping that whenever I get around to marketing myself, other people will think so, too.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

You know I love all of these. But my favorites are the last one, the pidgeons (which I do NOT remember seeing), the one on your most recent Landlord's Daughter add, the one of Mr. Daroga and the mirror, the kid at the piano, and the thespian in the mirror, which is so awesome it should be blown up and hung ON MY WALL.

Srsly. I'll pay you.

[my_daroga]

You are sweet.

LOL THESPIANS

You have plenty of photos coming, I promise you. I'm really glad you like them.

[(Anonymous)]

ICON! AWESOME!

--joy

[my_daroga]

The writing is so small, though.

[kittyzams.livejournal.com]

These are GORGEOUS. I could just sit here and stare and stare. I think I must have some kink for mirror photos because my faves are of the girl in the mirror and your dude with his medication. These are really interesting and I think they feel more stripped back and real without framing. Which worked out beautifully, I think.

[my_daroga]

I have more mirrors! They will be forthcoming, I think.

Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. I've only been taking photos for a few years, but I'd love to do *something* with it, you know? Even if it's just here.

[eponymous-rose.livejournal.com]

I adore these photos! I definitely think you'd lose something in the cropping - part of the impact is the wonderful sense of space they give. The first and the last are my favourites!

Would love to see more photos from you - so many talented people on my flist! It's really exciting. :)

[my_daroga]

Aww, thanks. Well, you can always visit my DeviantArt page. And I'll be posting more.

Good point about space. I think it's a plus. Thanks for looking.

[beagley.livejournal.com]

Wow. Lovely.

The first image is by far the best.

[my_daroga]

Thanks! Mostly, I think, that's due to there being a random track running into the ocean.

[beagley.livejournal.com]

No no--
the first image is the best because it balances color, light, and subject perfectly. It's got it all. Seriously, it's award winning!

Second place goes to the cactus,
third place is the ladles... though I kinda hunger for a different crop.

The doves are also AWESOME, but the picture has too much extra noise and too many levels and distractions for me. Maybe consider a crop?

And, lest you think I'm just a big daroga compliment flood with no discernment, I'll say that those are the only four I like. Piano feels typical and the lighting/focus choice doesn't rev my motor, the two miniature shots feel like great ideas that never found the perfect shot, the human pics seem rich in personal impact but not for a stranger, and the black+white bus seems to be trying to picture too much at once, i.e. distracting.

They are all great source materials, and I imagine some PS work fiddling with levels and crop might produce something that turned me on more.

There, see? I can say mean things too! *grin* I'm an opinionated bastard.

Before printing the first image, I might shift the levels just a little bit or brighten... I wouldn't want the details in the tracks to get lost because of a too-dark print. The image needs "just the right amount of light", and that's challenging... similarly, I would experiment with darkening/re-leveling the cactus shot.

All just my opinions, of course...
-d

[my_daroga]

Those are all really good comments. Thank you.

Most of your suggestions are problematic, in the sense that 1) I work in film and 2) I can't develop/print/modify color prints myself. This severely limits my choices. Hence the attempt to find a way of being "different" by not modifying anything--which, admittedly, may not work at all. Or may only work a few times. Most of these have different crops/levels/PS stuff in my DevArt account, but I grow weary of fiddling with things. I can spot it right away and if I can tell something's been done, it tends to distract me. I'm more documentary-focused than stylistically, I think.

What's weird about this selection is that half of them are photos I like and half were chosen by Mr. Daroga, inexplicably to me (pigeons, the bus and the horse/indian model, for instance, are ones I never cared for, but he's an art teacher, what do I know?).

I really appreciate your opinions. I need that variety.