Tough Neighborhood

[Chunk]

I like the way nature uses the smallest footholds for a start.
Any suggestions?

[Herriot]

...and I like the way that you have managed to find an interesting way to capturee a well composed image of a scene that most people wouldn't notice. If your shadow was a bit more defined and the sun colours a little more vibrant then that would help but great idea!

Thanks
Herriot

[noahyay]

This reminds me of my current photo project -wabi sabi.
Just the kind of thing our teacher wants us to have.

I like how you were able to capture the shadows.Color is nice and bright too.

[Chunk]

Herriot - Thanks for the reply and the compliment.

Noah - Thanks for commenting. You sent me to school today. I am mostly self taught in artistic matters which results in wide gaps in my education. Wabi-sabi was one of them. Here's a website discussing it for others who may be interested.
http://www.hermitary.com/solitude/aesthetics.html
Does that sound like what your teacher says? I think some of my stuff may fit into that definition but wabi-sabi seems to stress only natural/organic forms while this shot and some others of mine are more about an interaction/conflict between man-made things and nature (with me usually cheering for nature). What do tou think?
Here are a couple similar shots - the first taken at the same time and a few feet away from the original post and the other taken a couple years ago across the street on a building that is now torn down.
Let's see some of your project, either here or in a seperate thread.

[dbutler]

I really like them all but that last one really took me. I like the rough/smooth, hard/soft look of it all. The contrast is great and the colors fabulous. But all three of them had that in common didn't they? Very cool.

[Seb]

I like the way nature uses the smallest footholds for a start.
Any suggestions?

Chunk, these are all appealing if you ask me. I like the tones, the contrast betwen the vegetation and its background and of course, the way they are composed. I too feel that the last one is the most interesting, nice texture and gorgeous colours.

Seb

[Chunk]

You have a lot of company D. Several of my friends have that third shot hanging on their walls. Thanks for the kind words.

[Chunk]

Thanks Seb, that's good to hear.

[gahspidy]

Chunk, these are very good. i will fall in line and agree that you have saved the best for last. the second image I really like as well, but I think that cloning out that last leaf so that the matal texture completely surrounds the leaves would be stronger. The original posted image looks great, although I think cropping out the little bit of soil? just at the bottom would improve. you have a great vision which enables you to seek out these tremendous subjects, that are usually right under our noses. Good work.

[Overbeyond]

Hello Chunk and Gary
The last one is indeed beautiful and well seen. However I disagree with Gary about cloning out the last leaf. If this was done I think it would give the picture a "set up" and unreal look. At the moment it has crept and grown into the scene very nicely.
What do you feel about this Chunk?
Tom

[Chunk]

Thanks for taking the time to think about these and comment, Gary. I'm a little confused about what you are suggesting I clone out. Would you mind doing a quicky demo?
I took a look at cropping off the soil when making the original post and felt that I liked it with a little place for the tree to stand and also give a bottom dimension to the block, but I came real close to making the crop for a more isolated, floating feel.

[Chunk]

Thanks for commenting Tom. I'm not sure just what Gary is suggesting but it does sound like it would look like some leaves dropped onto a horizontal surface and would have a more surreal feel rather than the feeling of the leafy tendril growing into the frame. I guess that because I know the rusty metal is the vertical surface, my mind sees that without having the visual clues in the picture.
Just for reference, here is the wider scene. I wanted to capture the feel of nature relentlessly trying to recover territory and had to move in a lot to simplify and remove a lot of visual noise.

[gahspidy]

Thanks for taking the time to think about these and comment, Gary. I'm a little confused about what you are suggesting I clone out. Would you mind doing a quicky demo?
I took a look at cropping off the soil when making the original post and felt that I liked it with a little place for the tree to stand and also give a bottom dimension to the block, but I came real close to making the crop for a more isolated, floating feel.

Chunk, if I could do reply to your thread over again from the start, i would not even bothered bringing up those few little nits ( and nit piks they are at the very most). These were not critiques but rather my feeling on how these images "felt" to me upon initially viewing them. It is such a personal little preference, and now that i see the images as they are from your last post of the entire scene from where they originated, it puts things into context and further makes my suggestions irrelevant, I feel.
Here is the edit to show you what i was suggesting, but that was when i first thought that the little leaves were growing out of the rusted panel, rather than a vine growing across it. Since I opened my mouth and put my foot in it, I owe you the example of what i had initially suggested.

[Overbeyond]

Chunk, if I could do reply to your thread over again from the start, i would not even bothered bringing up those few little nits ( and nit piks they are at the very most). These were not critiques but rather my feeling on how these images "felt" to me upon initially viewing them. It is such a personal little preference, and now that i see the images as they are from your last post of the entire scene from where they originated, it puts things into context and further makes my suggestions irrelevant, I feel.
Here is the edit to show you what i was suggesting, but that was when i first thought that the little leaves were growing out of the rusted panel, rather than a vine growing across it. Since I opened my mouth and put my foot in it, I owe you the example of what i had initially suggested.

Hi Gary
Of course Gary had Chunk originally posted this image bearing the clone you mentioned, we would not have asked a question and would have heaped similar praise on it. because even with your removal of the leaf the image is still lovely.
Tom

[Chunk]

That does have a good effect Gary. Makes me almost wish it had been growing through the panel.
Please continue to give me whatever thoughts you might have... the kind of things you might say if we were having a face to face discussion of our stuff. (Hope we could do that sometime)

[gahspidy]

Chunk, it would be very difficult to hurt your image as it stands on strong foundations. i agree with Tom in that it rather gives it a more Set Up feel than the natural way in which it was found.
Those last two images are exceptional. The first ( originally posted image) I am not feeling strongly about and i think it is because of the shadow cast over the bottom portion. btw. . .likewise.