March 6, 2014
The Art of Grain Silos
Grain Silo No. 51
Lenswork Daily featured a 3 minute audio excerpt from my interview with Brook Jensen regarding this image.
http://daily.lenswork.com/2014/03/the-art-of-grain-silos-by-cole-thompson.html
March 6, 2014
Grain Silo No. 51
Lenswork Daily featured a 3 minute audio excerpt from my interview with Brook Jensen regarding this image.
http://daily.lenswork.com/2014/03/the-art-of-grain-silos-by-cole-thompson.html
© 2024, Cole Thompson. All rights reserved.
I love his last statement in your interview & I fully agree. My photography represents portraits of my thoughts & encounters in my life.
Nice interview, great image.
Cole: Great photo (my kind of image.) I got a chuckle out of the way that the interviewer seemed flummoxed by the fact that you didn’t have some deep explanation of the grain silo image. Sometimes you just get lucky and that results in a photo that is graphically pleasing and communicates a sense of place. We’re always looking to create that luck!
I have to be honest and I think you know me well enough, that you’ll appreciate that this comment is meant with the best of intention.
I find this image to be… so, so. I immediately know where this image is going and find it lacking. Visually …just walking down a road, that doesn’t lead to anyplace, I already haven’t been.
The tonal range and graphic design is well achieved… and …then what? I find myself looking at the top of telephone pole and thinking there’s something wrong, something that should have been avoided in the execution.
My apologies… but if every criticism, wasn’t… how boring would that be. Not much can be learned from constant praise.
A rebuttal, explanation, on your part would be welcome. I think what may be of a greater interest to your readers, would be a discussion of what does… and what doesn’t make for a good photograph. I would imagine, this would inspire many strong and insightful opinions.
As always, my well wishes… and respect.
Really, really great!
Laird, no offense taken! (we are friends) You did not like the image, that’s okay. Others do like the image, so what?
The truth is that all anyone can do is express whether they like the image or not. No one can declare it a “good image” or a “bad image.”
What others think does not matter, all that matters is what I think the image. Does this mean that I think every one of my images is a five star image? No, of course not, but that does not mean that I cannot like the four-star, three-star or the two star images.
Another related point I would like to make is about photo critiques, why I do disagree with them and that’s why I do not give them. They are of no value because they simply represent “one persons” opinion. The only thing that is to be learned from a photo critique is what “that” person thinks of the image.
That’s why I tell people, never ask others about your work. At best, It just does not matter. At worst, you’re listening to the wrong voice, you should be listening to your own!
Who are you trying to please?
Personally, I love everything about this image. The placement and tonalities of the power pole and shadow are perfect. There is an illusion that the pole, itself, recedes into the highlighted silo, cutting it in two. The element which keeps us footed in reality, in this case a good thing, is the top of the pole which breaks up what would otherwise be straight, dark line.
The only thing I dislike about it is that it has someone elses name on it 🙂
Cole, I’m most definitely glad there was no offense taken, as none was meant.
Please allow me to elaborate on my point.
My pet peeve is to look at a piece of art and to have it reveal itself immediately… and then, to find, it has nothing else to give. That the image completes itself in an instant and offers nothing more. No depth, no breadth, nothing… it just IS, no matter how fine… that IS.
For me, I appreciate art that continues to force you to keep looking at it. To guess the meaning, guess the intent, to explore and wonder why, to be embraced and engaged. SOMETHING other than A… HERE I am.
I agree with all that you said in your response, being true to ones convictions and to ignore the critique of others… is exceptional advice.
I disagree, with your implication that no one can decide what is a “good image” or a “bad image”.
Because the art world DOES, critiques DO, judges DO, curators DO… and as they say, no man is an island. So there will always be the element of trying to gain the admiration of others. Otherwise your working in a vacuum, devoid of anything other than yourself. Perhaps… that is not bad, I would only question, why one would do so. As, I’ve always viewed ART as communication… as sharing.
The reason I asked what you and your readers might consider to be a “good image” is because if we’re not capable of defining it… we’ll be at the mercy of all those others… that think, they can… and DO.