Love it or hate it...

[Steph_B]

Please help me decide whether to throw this shot away or keep it! Personally, it really talks to me and I love it (it hangs just above my office desk now), but many of my friends would not even give it a second glance... Thanks!

[Clicker]

um, undecided.... actually.

First thoughts that came to mind: I like the background ;the way that the roof combined with the trees comes to an angle.......
I like the red mailbox mixed in with the others.
and final thought oh i guess that wasn't so final.....because i also thought " this is really a different perspective from what I usually see of mailboxes, you know- with them angled in the photo, this is so "Straight on"

[Elysian]

Personally, it really talks to me and I love it!

Why are you asking us 'whether to throw this shot away' (your words) if you like it yourself?
By throwing it away, you're throwing away the things that make you happy. Why? It just doesn't make sense to me. Don't do it Steph_B, always keep the things you like if it doesn't harm anyone!

[Lava Lamp]

Please help me decide whether to throw this shot away or keep it! Personally, it really talks to me and I love it (it hangs just above my office desk now), but many of my friends would not even give it a second glance... Thanks!

I can see why you like it. I've seen some rustic paintings like this. My criticism would be to think more baout depth of field next time. The background is not quite blurry enough if you are focusing ont the mailboxes - at lest for me - and too blurry if you're trying to include the whole scene.

[Irish]

Not a bad shot of an eclectic collection of mail boxes. The thing that caught my eye was the "Last Chance" sign in the background and distracted my view from the mail boxes. The image is definately keepable and worthy of a little more attention as others have pointed out.

[Chunk]

I can see why you like it. I've seen some rustic paintings like this. My criticism would be to think more baout depth of field next time. The background is not quite blurry enough if you are focusing ont the mailboxes - at lest for me - and too blurry if you're trying to include the whole scene.

No, don't blur out completely the last chance sign or Camping X sign. They are part of the rustic fun.

Don't through the shot away - make it the first in a collection of fun or weird mailbox shots.

[Steph_B]

Why are you asking us 'whether to throw this shot away' (your words) if you like it yourself?
By throwing it away, you're throwing away the things that make you happy. Why? It just doesn't make sense to me. Don't do it Steph_B, always keep the things you like if it doesn't harm anyone!

Oh! You are absolutely right of course. I do like it, and I'll keep it and I won't feel bad about it, even if everybody else despises it! The idea of throwing it away was just a figure of speech...

I am very much interested in photography as a mean of finding beauty (i.e. shape + color arrangements that are visually compelling) in the simplest things of our everyday lifes. Usually this involves having the right composition for the subject at hand. My friend and family are just way too nice to tell me if it's bad. Hence this posting: did I succeed in finding beauty out of these ugly mailboxes?

Thanks Elysian for having a look and sharing.

[opus]

Steph, I'd like you to tell me: What do YOU see when you look at this picture? All you've said is, "I like it, others don't, so I don't know if I should like it or not." But can you put into words what YOU like about it?

[Steph_B]

Steph, I'd like you to tell me: What do YOU see when you look at this picture? All you've said is, "I like it, others don't, so I don't know if I should like it or not." But can you put into words what YOU like about it?

Ok, here is the deal: I have few of my gallery pics hanging from a wall in my office. I kind of change them every so often. I also usually get comments about them, mostly about landscapes/flowers/scenic. When I hanged this particular one on the wall, nobody seemed to notice. But then, nobody fainted in front of it either!

Personally: I do like it. First (and utmost) because of its graphic qualities. The mailboxes are all of different shapes and color (but no green), and are surrounded by a uniform green oval (the grass).

Then, it speaks to me of home and of destination. The mailbox is for me a symbol for the end of a journey (usually, when you arrive home, this is the first thing you see and check!). Since I have been traveling a lot lately, this is something that I can relate to.

Finally, the billboard behind the mailboxes adds humanity and a tad modernism to this shot. It gives the viewer a place to go to. For instance, if the billboard was not there, you would feel lost with just the mailboxes and the road. But the billboard reminds you that you can find help just around the corner. That there is some human activity there. Otherwise, you might think that the area is deserted (the mailboxes are all empty and look abandoned).

So yes, it really does speak to me.

NOW REALLY, the big question that I am submitting to your attention is whether it also speaks to you.

Do you enjoy the graphics and/or subject?

Would you have taken this shot differently?

Would you have taken this shot at all!?

[opus]

1) Do I enjoy the graphics/subject: I enjoy the colors, I enjoy the shapes. Personally, mailboxes don't have the same message for me. They speak to me of stress.

2) Would I have taken it differently: Hmmm, if I had all the time in the world, I would have tried to get a better exposure. The foreground is fine, but the background is dark and harsh. I'd want to see better lighting.

3) I would have tried for this shot, yes. The mailboxes are so disparate in shape and size that it's interesting.

[Steph_B]

1) Do I enjoy the graphics/subject: I enjoy the colors, I enjoy the shapes. Personally, mailboxes don't have the same message for me. They speak to me of stress.

2) Would I have taken it differently: Hmmm, if I had all the time in the world, I would have tried to get a better exposure. The foreground is fine, but the background is dark and harsh. I'd want to see better lighting.

3) I would have tried for this shot, yes. The mailboxes are so disparate in shape and size that it's interesting.

Thanks Kelly,

I guess objects can evoke a very broad spectrum of feelings depending on our personal life and experiences. I was actually thinking that mailboxes can also be a great subject to evoke the spirit of community / 'neighborhood-ship'...

Sorry if I 'stressed' you out!

Ok enough with my mailboxes!

Thanks all for having a look and for your comments!

Cheers,

Steph.