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String of beads - ACW (all comments welcome)
String of beads - ACW (all comments welcome)
Yo_Spiff


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Life III (Advanced Editing VII)
Collection: 2009
Camera: Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Lens: Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon
Location: My bathroom window
Date: Jan 11, 2009
Aperture: F13
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/20
Galleries: Nature, Still Life
Date Uploaded: Jan 11, 2009

 A string of beads plant that sits in my bathroom window. This plant is a succulent with very unusual leaf balls. It grows very slowly, with wonderful trailing vines. I always enjoy the way the sunlight plays on this plant. I almost killed it when I first bought it by taking it to work. The office lighting was not quite enough for it. It's been thriving in this eastern facing window at home, however.

Pre-challenge notes:
I'm really pleased with this, but there is no telling how others will take it. I like the way the trailing vines lead my eye and appear to be reaching up, almost in the shape of a dragon.

Post-challenge notes:
Placed in the top 1/3 and better than I expected for this. My apologies to anyone that didn't care for my experiment that was included with the title. We had discussed this idea in the forums a few weeks back and I decided to try it. I suppose it did have the effect of fishing for comments. Those comments were quite interesting, with some of them offering conflicting opinions on my composition and the way the light played off the dirty window. (Need to do some housecleaning) The one consistent opinion was the mention of the reflection in the glossy pot. I agree that a matte pot woudl have probably worked better for this, however it's what the plant was in.

In retrospect, I should have titled this "Reaching For the Sun", but that title didn't occur to me until the comments starting coming, mentioning that aspect of it.

Thanks for all the feedback.

Statistics
Place: 59 out of 200
Avg (all users): 5.9091
Avg (commenters): 6.8947
Avg (participants): 5.7901
Avg (non-participants): 6.0238
Views since voting: 1164
Votes: 165
Comments: 28
Favorites: 3 (view)

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AuthorThread
 05/01/2009 03:34:28 PM
I love the composition and the S curve of the pea vine. The blue of the pot and window draws your eys to the string of green peas. As for the pot, I like the shine to the pot. It adds more interest because of the reflections. I am sure a matte finish would have made the peas stand out more but I have always liked seeing more than one thing in a photo. Thank you for your encouragments. I will heed your advice.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/19/2009 07:27:13 AM
Such a beautiful, interesting photo, and one of my challenge favorites.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/19/2009 05:56:48 AM
I thought this was lovely and so artful. It has an almost Zen quality. It would make a beautiful print. 59th is a bit too low in my book.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/19/2009 05:49:39 AM
I expected this to finish higher. I gave it a 7. I think it's beautiful! I love the arrangement and the colors. So much to explore here. Great photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/19/2009 05:24:56 AM
Damn, you got a ton of comments.
I really like this comp. That's all ;p
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/19/2009 04:59:50 AM
I love the colour, excellent comp. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/19/2009 02:28:54 AM
This is an excellent shot!! technically really good, composition excellent, nice color tones too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
01/18/2009 03:50:02 PM
great lighting, nice shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/18/2009 09:29:43 AM
I like how the background texture emphasizes the main and the secondary subjects.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/17/2009 10:44:43 AM
I love it, the only negative point that I can see is the reflection on the blue pot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/17/2009 08:39:58 AM
Excellent still life.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/17/2009 07:57:55 AM
I really like this. Very pleasing colors, excellent composition, WONDERFUL texture in the window, and that one bit reaching for the light - really suits the challenge well, and is a good picture on its own. Nice work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/17/2009 05:14:35 AM
Okay, when I originally saw the photo, I liked it. Then I read the title, and I hated it. For some reason it ticked me off. So much so, that I wanted to score it at 5. But, I know this site is about photography and not titles. So, I really like the blue/green contrast. The frosty blue background is very nice. Does it say 'Life'? Probably as much as many of the other photos. So, I'll deal with my dislike for the title and go with an 8 instead. Okay?

It would be nice to know why you chose to add the 'ACW(all comments welcome)' to your title. Of course, all comments should be welcome: that's what we do here right?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/16/2009 07:16:27 AM
very good composition and DOF. the big blue pot is pulling me right into the picture. then the lines of the strings capture me to explore each of these beads. the background almost featureless helps me staying focused on the beads. Guess you got it by now that I like your shot, right?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/15/2009 11:24:08 AM
I like the textures in this one. The green hue of the peas(?) is especially appealing. The glass of the window makes an excellent backdrop. I don't really like the reflection bouncing off the blue vase though.... I think a vase which didn't reflect would have been better and might have added a good rough texture to balance out the picture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/14/2009 06:03:54 PM
really like the composition here ... the colors compliment each other nicely also ... and the texture of the glass gives this depth ... very well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/14/2009 04:42:18 PM
Give peas a chance.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/14/2009 02:23:40 AM
Nice colors and composition. The string of "beads" (beans of some kind?) look cheerfully busy, like kids just getting out of school and bouncing out the door, pushing and shoving and giggling.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/13/2009 12:01:30 AM
Colours are lovely and vibrant, but the composition really doesn't do much for me. Love the frosted glass backdrop.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/12/2009 09:28:43 PM
I love the colors, and the different textures. The back window, though an interesting texture, is too distracting. Frosted rather than dirty glass may have improved this shot. I would have cloned out the little imperfections on the counter as well. They don't add to the shot. But the blue and green look great.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/12/2009 07:28:03 PM
nicely done
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/12/2009 04:46:45 PM
Interesting still life.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/12/2009 02:24:43 PM
I like this, it's really unusual. Colours are vibrant, interesting composition. Would have prefered less reflection in the plant pot though and a more consistent background, i.e. without the sill.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/12/2009 06:28:38 AM
The colors and textures appeal to me. I also like your composition. I think you've done the best you can given the subject matter.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/12/2009 04:01:40 AM
I like the balance of the blue and the green. The hard side light really makes the colors pop. The texture of the dirty window is great.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/11/2009 08:53:41 PM
This picture displays that plantlife is not just "mindless" life, but seems to be intelligently seeking out its preferred path.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/11/2009 08:07:38 PM
Very nicely composed with nice complimentary colors
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/11/2009 08:03:14 PM
i love the composition, color and texture here. nicely done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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