Ever stared at a word long enough that it starts to look mis-spelled? I do that with images. If I fuss over it long enough and dither back and forth, I eventually end up hating it. Even if it’s a good image I can over-analyze it to death. And sometimes, if it’s a bad image, I get to the point that I simply can’t tell. That’s pure death in an artistic vacuum.
I think I’ve reached that point with this image. When I shot it, I loved it. I like the motion, the colors, the shapes. After I stared at it for about 15 minutes of back and forth editing, I decided the center post is glaringly annoying and that’s all I can see when I look at it. That’s usually the point that I walk away and leave it for a few months so that my editing eye has a chance to forget my initial reaction.
Instead of leaving it, I’m going to post it. Because even if it’s a horrible shot, true to my goal with this blog, it’s what I’m working on.
I think the main reason I decided I hated it is because I went out of my comfort zone and tried messing around with altering it. Right now its only edit is (beyond correcting the light and a square crop) adding a vignette. I think vignettes look artificial and corny unless you do it the hard way (with the lens.) I admit, I’m an old-school snob at times.
So there you have it. A weird shot with a weird effect.
Details: Subject is a wind spinner, paint weathering is all natural. f6.3, 1/400, and ISO 400. (don’t ask, was working with low light on another shoot and forgot to change it.) Square crop, lighting adjustment, and mild vignette added.
MP Photography 