angel and spire

[matthew1]

[attachment=3022:attachment][attachment=3022:attachment]I'm wondering whether or not other members agree with my decision to really push the colour saturation such that the oxidation is exaggerated with very strong colours. I like the effect.
Also, the image has been severely cropped and I'd like to know how effective others find this.
This is an angel statue on top of the church of Notre Dame de Bon Secours in old Montreal. I'm not religious, but am always drawn to this church every time I visit the city.
Tentative title is "spirit and technique" (angel represents spirit, architecture represents technique).

[Rob C]

[attachment=3022:attachment][attachment=3022:attachment]I'm wondering whether or not other members agree with my decision to really push the colour saturation such that the oxidation is exaggerated with very strong colours. I like the effect.
Also, the image has been severely cropped and I'd like to know how effective others find this.
This is an angel statue on top of the church of Notre Dame de Bon Secours in old Montreal. I'm not religious, but am always drawn to this church every time I visit the city.
Tentative title is "spirit and technique" (angel represents spirit, architecture represents technique).
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=133539\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

If you like it, then that´s enough reason to go with the flow.

[matthew1]

Thanks for respondong Rob, but I was hoping for more.
Your comment isn't a critique.
I thought that I'd be getting some real insight here. I've made several comments on other posts, and I'm hoping for the same.
The name of the forum is "user critiques" after all...

I was hoping that this forum was more than posting your cat pictures and fishing for compliments. Is it ?
By all means, break my heart if you feel the images I post are no good.
What do you like ? What don't you like ? What works ? What doesn't ? How could it be improved ?
Comments welcome !

[DarkPenguin]

I think you should crop the spire out.  Kind of kills the angel and spire thing but it just doesn't work for me.  Nothing connects them.

[matthew1]

209 views and one comment.
Gee wiz - this is one great user critique forum !

[LoisWakeman]

209 views and one comment.[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=137347\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Perhaps that tells you something?  

Personally, I don't find the composition very satisfying - two focal points in the same image generally need some kind of meaningful balance or tension in size/shape/colour or whatever. The spire is a lot smaller - true - but it doesn't seem to have enough context as a result.

The angel turning his back on man is, I guess, mildly intriguing as a theme, but not strong enough to overcome the "meh" factor for me.

I think the patina would have more appeal as a close-up abstract study (if you have a cherry-picker perhaps) than as a small detail in the larger scene.

[wolfnowl]

Being one of those 209, I'll say that when I looked at the photo I thought the composition was good but to me the image looked fake and over-processed - plastic looking.  In short, not to my liking.  However, just because I didn't like it doesn't mean that others won't and I usually try to hold to the idea that if you can't say something 'nice' it is best not to say anything at all.  Honest enough for you?

Mike.

[pete_truman]

OK then and my apologies in advance for being harsh.

Personally I do not like the effect. Pushing the saturation has created false looking colours around the figure. I also find the composition tells me little. The spire in my opinion adds nothing and even without it there's no story, no "so what" in the view. Two artifacts, disconnected, that do not really complement each other. Maybe there is a story, but the picture doesn't explain it to me.

What would I have done? Delete the image.

But that is my personal opinion and sorry again if its not what you wanted to hear. Art is so personal and I am continually baffled why people don't think some of my photos are fantastic! Equally I'm perplexed at some of the photos that are offered for critique in other forums as they appear so dull, mundane and lifeless. Maybe that's why...

I'll now go and hide away under a large rock in my favourite landscapes!!!

Regards, Pete