Critique Wanted

It's amazing to me that you can keep that level of detail, while making the paintings entirely your own. They are very well done.

Now, wait for a real critique from someone who knows art.

Very nice - the landscape pictures are outstanding,
the Russian divas at the spa are hilarious - what a priceless picture.

I'm not too keen on the abstracts though, especially on nature pictures.
I always feel, nature is so beautiful, why distort the look.

Otherwise, I like the pictures a lot. You've got a good eye for the
unusual.

Particularly like the Subway Station 28, if I remember the name correctly, and Borderline Farm Road...

Thanks ...all of you ... for indulging me. I did want to share my photography (sorry Roger..these are photos) with A2K community.

'Borderline Farm Road' was taken on a fun day...I enjoyed the trip that day - up to Brattleboro, VT to see a great Andy Warhol exhibition..and a wonderful date with a special lady.

Regarding abstracts and nature, I'm not a purist when it comes to my art as anything and everything is fair game for me to alter, enhance, play with .... in order to satisfy my curiosity and whimsy. Nature plays tricks and so may I.

Then there was the deer and the dog, terrific.

I'm mixed on manipulation, pretty much agreeing with CJane. But sometimes I like it a lot and see the art in it - and I liked some of yours, Ragman. Liked that blue boat, for example.

We had a photographer show with us (well, several had different shows, but I'm speaking of one particular fellow) who shot a lot of nature photos, playing with light sparkles in some of them. I liked much of his work, but the heightened sparkle photos (on water, for example) managed to annoy me. (I'm pretty easy to annoy).


I also liked that first landscape (Wallingford Farm) - it did look like a painting, I had to consider for a second - and was wondering how you did that, not that I want you to divulge a secret technique.

I enjoyed seeing these. I think that some of the flower shots are exceptional. And I especially like the Southernmost house shot and Sugar the Sphinx.

I liked the abstracts.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for posting your photos Ragman. I especially liked the Queen Anne's Lace (and then followed by the fireworks burst -- that was cool juxtaposition!)

Very very good.

Thanks..all again. It pleases me to share my vision and hear all your responses. it means a lot to me. I too have favorites in there:

Wallingford Farm (cornfields and red barn) was actually unretouched. Pretty much WYSIWYG. Getting that fog and mist to happen and lift as it did -- waited for days..not to mention have a peak of that great foliage season. The owner of the property bought a 16 in enlargement I did on a canvas art paper and framed it in an expensive frame. Also, I liked the foliage at the lake with floats, too. Nice when things come together as they did.

Tai Chi.. You got that juxtaposition effect. I'm very happy as I intended that.

Roberta: the Key West shot of Southernmost point...that was some late night diddling. Neat house. Love architecture too.

I have to get back to those NYC subways again to complete the theme of B&W portraits there.

My fave abstract is the Obelisk Wrapped in Plastic. It's far more impactful in person, though. Of course, you have to like abstracts.

I couldn't view anything, dammit. I think Firefox has blocked everything. Maybe come back later when I have time to fiddle.

Sorry, Ragman.

Ragman your work is superlative. Your love of nature really comes through in your photography.

Thanks. When you get a chance let me know which ones are your faves. that would help me a lot.

Yes! I stopped and looked at those for quite a while.


I guess I separate manipulation and art play in that they're not an equation, or at least not always, to me, and abstracts and non abstracts may have either happening, but sometimes abstract is a matter of composition.

Sometimes I don't like heightening of a natural effect of nature, as in this other photographer's sparkles, and sometimes I like something like the change of color of a boat - which by the way, I found striking in a way I can't find the word for yet, very strong. Dramatic, poetic, and so on.

I'll give it a rest and look at them all again tomorrow for a longer time.

Osso! Cool.

Also, of course, y'all pls let me know which ones you don't like.

I don't remember any negative reactions, at least as far as 'don't like', but I'll tell you if I have that. (Not that that means a fig re you and your work.) I guess I'm not as attracted to total color saturation as almost anybody else, so I'm less attracted to, say, the balloons than other people would be, while those are totally gorgeous photos and may be others' favorites. (On the other hand, I really liked the first photo). That's a personal quirk of mine. My eyes were more drawn to the hibiscus with part of the petals near translucent..

I liked your play with the city buildings.

Trying to figure myself out, I'll surmise I don't like intensifying nature all that much (sure, with exceptions), but actual play with an image I get.

Took another look after reading osso's post. Quite liked the watercolour variation of the hot air balloon (it reminded me of a children's book illustration) and the lighting in "Sugar the Sphinx".

Likes:
farm foliage, my favorite
Loved the 1st abstract portrait
sunsets and seascapes great
some of the fireworks
sugar in b&w

Didn't dislike any of them. But not so much into most abstracts, icicles and architectures.