Saturday, February 21

Rocco Redux

<- Click here

Yeah... I've been to this place before. If you click here, you can see my first (award winning) visit to this image. But as a result of a lot of Australian School influence at the RedBubble Forums... texture techniques are becoming more interesting to me.

Okay... okay... they can be a gimmick. And yes, as April has commented on PhotoSapiens.com, they frequently are used to correct what was otherwise an average image capture. Just recently I actually took what I thought was an average snap shot and purposely lathered on the texture

But, like any filter, lens, POV, or enhancement... texture can also be a useful tool. In this case, I was pleased with the original and wondered if a texture could add some additional wonder to the image. Like a lot of you, I don't take pictures, I make images. So techniques which might reinforce the mystery, resonance, or delight I want to communicate are always interesting.. as long as the technique does not wag the dog... so to speak. Soooo..

With all of that in mind, I've revisited Rocco's Adventure. And? Does the texture deepen the story, or pull water out of the emotional pool leaving a more shallow experience? Thoughts?

4 comments:

J. L. T. said...

First: very lovely image!!! Storyteeling in the whole. I think the textures works good for this. Makes it more a Caspar David Friedrich ambiance. Great work! Sunny greets

Larry J. Patrick said...

I think the texture takes this one to the next level. It gives it that something that makes the image a much more compiling one.

Ted said...

(J.L.T.) Yea... my theatrical aura glimmered through this palette. Thanks for the encouragement.

(John) It's odd, whenever an artist changes an image which I originally enjoyed... I always prefer the original. No, I'm not implying that your motivation... it's just me - probably says something about my close-mindedness, eh? But as to your points... I'm inclined to agree with you, but it still felt like a good image to experiment with texture upon for all of the reasons you explain.

It was a good image... maybe one of my best. So here I wasn't trying to make a mediocrity work with a texture. And I think that the result is satisfying, but differently. Textures can have value, eh?

(Larry) Certainly I will agree that the texture alters the impact of this piece. Whether that happens on a higher level or not... Well beauty and the beholder's mind seems to best explain a viewer's appreciation, eh?

Thanks for the support.

Andreas said...

I prefer this one. The original had the typically digital burning out of colors where hue changes as the individual channels burn out. I suppose you wanted it that way, but I try to avoid it whenever I can, and I don't like it in other's images either.

Still, neither that nor the fine use of textures here make that much of a difference to me. On the other hand, the different crops do. I love this more vertical version, as it takes me a little bit back, out of the frame, or Rocco more into the frame. The effect is, that it virtually takes him a step further into his adventure, or if you will, it increases suspense. Now there is not the question if he will take it on, he is already in the middle of it, and the question becomes "What will happen??".