When it comes to human practice and action, everything becomes subjective and even unique. Therefore, it is hard to conceptualise our behaviour by following the logic of laws. Yet, we find it exciting and fun to pose universal rules about our species.
Now, you might be wondering why I'm starting this digest with such reflection. Well, for those unaware, in 2018 I embarked on my ongoing journey of studying human visual behaviour; and it is beautiful to see patterns embedded within image-related desires.
For anyone feeling passionate about photography, the following insight will feel familiar.
From the very first moments we encounter with the power of capturing glimpses of life with a camera, everything becomes undoubtedly interesting. And perhaps one of the most familiar spots many of us have visited is foliage. You know, leaves and flowers! Whether landscapes or macros, we can't avoid the feeling of taking photographs of vegetation.
This past week's challenge was all about shooting leaves in a specific way, by using monochrome and focusing on textures. Selecting them was pretty easy this time because they all are great examples of this particular approach.
I hope you enjoy this gallery as much as I did while scrolling them one by one!
Photo Of The Week
From the moment I saw this photograph, I noticed some resemblance with one of the most definitive masterpieces of contemporary photography. I'm talking about “Calla Lily” by American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. The story behind his Lilies is sad and hard to ignore, and at the same time feels like a celebration of life.
Never one who enjoyed house”work”, when this leaf literally blew in – it was a sign to quit work and start to play.
Congrats Pat, thanks for sharing this beautiful photograph with us…
Weekly Photographic Challenge Wrap-up
Now, let's see some fabulous leaves!
What You Shouldn't Be Missing from the Light Stalking Community
Maybe this could be of interest to you. There is a thing called “hot pixels” that I just learned about in a rather unpleasant way, so if you want to know more about what's wrong with this photo of mine, click on the following link. Thanks to Patrick for such an enlightening post within the thread.
beth delighted us with a long exposure of 120 seconds!
“I’m in florida for the week. it’s a little stormy today. this was a little before the storm hit. it’s a 2 min long exposure.”
Marty, we wish you the best of luck!
I’m preparing to enter the Digital Art photo posted below in my city’s annual contest (due before Jan 28). My challenge is that I don’t recall the specific “recipe” for how I made this twirl photo from my original shot of eucalyptus bark.
Here’s the judging criteria for the Proficient Division: “Advanced editing, at the proficient level, such as layering, composites, cloning and healing tools, masking, warping and filters are also permitted but should be disclosed. Undisclosed advanced edits could lead to lowered ranking at judges discretion.”
I think I used a number of Photoshop filters (watercolor, pixelated/mezzotint, radial blur, and twirl), followed by either layering different versions and/or combining them in quadrants to make a “composite.” Does this sound right? I don’t know how to go back and find our discussions on twirls, etc in our LS forums (2022), and I haven’t been able to recreate this digital twirl art successfully. I hope to avoid getting dinged by “failure to disclose” since I haven’t needed to disclose before. : ) Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated!
Photo for contest (Digital Art category):
Last but not least, an elegant shot of a humble crabapple courtesy of Tersha:
We'd Love To Hear Your Thoughts
Also, our Feedback Forum got some nice images and is clear that some of you have started building a solid photography style. This is the right place for all those people who want to grow fast as photographers.
Here, you'll get your work critiqued by plenty of well-intended people, but you'll also have the chance to critique your peers. We truly believe in the power of criticism and feedback. Here are some of the most interesting shots shared during the last week:
The Shark Tank is a great place to learn and discuss, so please read the instructions in order to get a better critique experience. Share your comments, opinions, and doubts on any or all of the images above. We also will be delighted to see some of your own images. Don't be shy, critiques are given to photographs and not photographers.
Also, don't forget to participate in our upcoming challenge!
