Shadow Hat Series

[Crias]

Many of you may remember the cowboy hat shot I submitted to our first monthy project on shadows. I had not had my camera long at that time and saved the shots I took then small and poor quality, so I had been meaning to go back and re-shoot some more simlar because I liked the effect. I had time this morning to shoot more. This time I shot with Adara so that they can be enlarged to more than 8x10 if I want to (not that I can afford to :)).

I am going to enter one in my county fair and am leaning toward the first one. What do you guys think...which one should I enter? I am not sure whether to enter it under contemporary (their description: departure from reality to include demos of a new technique, i.e. filtering, double exposure, macro panning, zooming, abstraction, etc.) or still life (Table top type photography where inanimate objects are posed to create the scene)? Any thoughts on that would be helpful to me too.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jun-2003/2921-hat07b.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jun-2003/2921-hat09b.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jun-2003/2921-hat17b.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jun-2003/2921-hat25b.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jun-2003/2921-hat26b.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jun-2003/2921-hat45b.jpg

http://www.wetcanvas.com/Community/images/20-Jun-2003/2921-hat50b.jpg

[Pam_R]

I also like the first one. It's a great composition with wonderful depth, texture and lighting.

I would place it in the Still Life category. Reading their description of the contemporary category leads me to believe they might be expecting a more manipulated image than what you have here.

Great shot and good luck at the fair!

Pam

[haggis63]

First one does it for me. It go just enough abstraction that when I look at it I see a beautiful pattern first and then realise it's a hat. The rest are nice too but they are a bit more obvious. Then again we all perceive things differently so perhaps others will not see it that way.

Alan

[mkap.garde]

seems the best way to go for me. not up on the contests but, contemperary maybe

[geckonia]

These look great, Cathy. I like the first one too. Great texture, and the shadows flow nicely around the hat. I like the 5th one too, but there is a mark running along the striped shadow part that may need to be cloned away.

Good work, and good luck!

PS. contemporary sounds like the right category to me.

[Bobby D]

I have to agree with the majority, Cathy - #1. As Alan says, you see pattern first and then hat on the 2nd or 3rd look. I like the way there are complimentary dark areas top R and bottom L and the way the shadows around the rim get smaller thereby giving a great sense of depth to the photo.

As to coategory, I would suggest contemporary - I feel it's a good example of zooming in to show an everyday object in an abstract fashion.

[kaleidoscope eyes]

A great series Cathy, I too think the first one for the show for all the above reasons. I really like #4 as an abstract though the shapes are terrific. As for your category thing I agree with Bobby D. Good luck :clap:

[Crias]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! I am going to go with the first one. Geck I was trying to figure out what the lines were that ran the opposite directions and figured out they are the strings that hold the blinds together.

Thanks again!

[SunnyJon]

I am going along with the genera; consensus here but I will say I hope you let us know how you do? I think you should enter the purple Iris myself but....:D :clap: :clap: :clap:

[Crias]

Originally posted by SunnyJon
I am going along with the genera; consensus here but I will say I hope you let us know how you do? I think you should enter the purple Iris myself but....:D :clap: :clap: :clap:

Hey Sunny-

I'll be entering a number of different photos. Unfortuantely they don't seem to have a division for flowers:confused: :rolleyes: so guess I can't enter the Iris? Divisions are:

scenic (landscape or view)
Pictoral (story telling, photo journalism, pics of domestic animals)
Portrait (human only)
Nature Study (Subject not from the zoo, NO DOMESTICATED PLANTS or animals, human element must not be present)
Contemporary: see above
Still Life: see above

[bairam]

I agree with the majority here. The first one does it for me. Also feel that it should be in the Contemporary. Really nice idea and execution.

Good Luck....

[SunnyJon]

Nature Study (Subject not from the zoo, NO DOMESTICATED PLANTS!!!

I think that stinks!!!No flowers! BOOOOOOO!They just don't know what they're missing!:D

[drapier]

I'll go for number one also and think contemp. is the correct category.

[MissMouse]

me too I vote for number 1.

Nicely done, I remember your first hat it was good.

[DuncanBerenice]

Hi Cathy

I like #1 because of the curved effect at the top of the photo, I believe that it's more flowing than the others :D

Duncan

[jsr88]

:clap: ~ #1 ~ :clap:

I like the composition of it. I like the fact that I saw the pattern first. And I like how the lines kept my eye inside the frame. All in all...for me #1 does it BIG TIME!!!

Good luck in that fair. Maybe you can talk them into allowing the flowers next year...it's my favorite! (Big SURPRISE, eh? ;) )

[wandathefish]

Number 1, its PSYCHEDELIC:D