Weekly Photo Contest (01 - 08 Mar) Topic : Surrealism

[Keleko]

Now I'm starting to get what is meant by surreal. I was indeed thinking more abstract when I posted my picture.

I should also mention my picture mostly reflects reality. That is the view outside my bathroom window, which is a frosted and textured glass (which you can see in focuse in the picture). The tree outside is blurred by the glass. I boosted the colors to give it a more vibrant look, but that's the only change to the photo. It was taken and edited with my iPhone using Camera+.

Maybe you could do a quick judging of the abstract pictures, too?

 

[Waybo]

Craig a.k.a. genshi: Thank you for one of the most thorough critiques I have read on this forum. You make a good teacher! It was an interesting subject, and I learned a lot from both this topic, and in my PSE skills in preparing my entry.

When I saw that cupcakes2000 was the winner I was shocked! But then I read Craig/Genshi's full review of these piece, and understood. There is sooooo much more here than what first meets the eye.

There were other really fantastic photos here, too. Congrats, cupcakes2000, and thanks, again, Craig!

If anyone wants more info, there is a good article on surrealism at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/phsr/hd_phsr.htm

 

[genshi]

Now I'm starting to get what is meant by surreal. I was indeed thinking more abstract when I posted my picture.

I should also mention my picture mostly reflects reality. That is the view outside my bathroom window, which is a frosted and textured glass (which you can see in focuse in the picture). The tree outside is blurred by the glass. I boosted the colors to give it a more vibrant look, but that's the only change to the photo. It was taken and edited with my iPhone using Camera+.

Maybe you could do a quick judging of the abstract pictures, too?

I could tell that it was frosted glass but because the scene couldn't quite be made out, it was more abstract... but to be honest, this was one of my favorite photos on here! If this was the "abstract" contest it would have at least been in the top two if not the winner!

 

[Designer Dale]

Now I'm starting to get what is meant by surreal. I was indeed thinking more abstract when I posted my picture.

I should also mention my picture mostly reflects reality. That is the view outside my bathroom window, which is a frosted and textured glass (which you can see in focuse in the picture). The tree outside is blurred by the glass. I boosted the colors to give it a more vibrant look, but that's the only change to the photo. It was taken and edited with my iPhone using Camera+.

Maybe you could do a quick judging of the abstract pictures, too?

I was thinking "abstract", too, so I looked the topic up.

"Surrealist works feature the element of surprise, unexpected juxtapositions and non sequitur...."

The winner nailed it. Interesting contributions from all.

Dale

 

[genshi]

Craig a.k.a. genshi: Thank you for one of the most thorough critiques I have read on this forum. You make a good teacher! It was an interesting subject, and I learned a lot from both this topic, and in my PSE skills in preparing my entry.

When I saw that cupcakes2000 was the winner I was shocked! But then I read Craig/Genshi's full review of these piece, and understood. There is sooooo much more here than what first meets the eye.

There were other really fantastic photos here, too. Congrats, cupcakes2000, and thanks, again, Craig!

If anyone wants more info, there is a good article on surrealism at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/phsr/hd_phsr.htm

Thank you so much for the kind words and for understanding (I did briefly teach Digital Photography at a college here in Los Angeles even though I myself have no degree; I am an Autodidact.)

Though I like, and am friends with, many of the modern pop surrealists, I really have a love for the traditional surrealism, especially when it comes to photography. One of the many books I have on the subject is the "Documentary And Anti-Graphic Photographs" featuring Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Henri Cartier-Bresson (my fav!) and Walker Evans. They talk of the "Atget Path" of surrealist photography where [photography] "was strictly documentary, banal, or out of context, with the possible 'readings' of these images of pure facts might be taken as passages between the conscious and the unconscious, reality and fantasy."

Excellent link you provided by the way Waybo!

 

[oblomow]

@oblomow: Ooh, I wish I knew what you had here that you deleted; you never know, you could have had the winning photo!

Great judging. I deleted my entry because it was an abstract. I later added the obvious Margritte quote to hide my initial ignorance.

 

[fcortese]

Congrats cupcake and the other winners, and thanks genshi for the judging and comments. There were many great and interesting pictures. I would have had a hard time picking any one. Here's my original without the HDR effects:

 

[Master-D]

woops

thought i posted this one. missed it, oh well, always worth adding a pic i guess, probably more fun than surreal anyway.

 

[deep diver]

Regardless of the artistic styles this was a great collection of images.

genshi -- you did a great job. I would have loved to have the education before hand so that more of us could be more on target. It is, however, never too late to learn.

Congrats to the winners. Looking forward to the next contest.

 

[cupcakes2000]

Thanks! New one up now..............

Joe