Warm Wishes - 2013

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Ganesh H Shankar
Warm Wishes - 2013
Wish you all a fulfilling 2013 ! A little bit of everything in life makes it more complete - not just pleasure or pain.

I took a long break for a week and spent time photographing colors! A few years back I made a similar attempt using colorful flowers which in my mind did not go anywhere. Thought of giving it another try as the number of grey hairs quadrupled since then. Made over five hundred images during last one week with a focus on understanding colors, interaction of one with another, role of intensity of colors related to mood that it might generate etc. It did not take long to discover I only scratched tip of an iceberg. Let me share a few images here, these colors are of some flowers and leaves. Technique of 'mixing' them in camera isn't all that important but observing and wondering about the interaction of different colors and tonal ranges and potential to use them to evoke certain moods in our compositions is worth exploring. Further, there is always some subjectivity in how colors are perceived by different people but there is a dominating pattern
in perceptions which is worth recognizing.

A few more image below (wanted a little darker background for some of these images below but can't control the bg here using img tag bbcode).

Image
Imbalance. Are we wishing to see yellow here ?





Image
Pain.


It is interesting to note how the mood generated by the same color can totally change based on the context around it. Red may portray energy/love as well as fear/pain.





Image
Conflict. Anyone feeling a happy note in this one ?





Image
Just a pleasure could be boring too.

Every color in the spectrum adds a mood. Any missing color or disproportionate use will create a dominating mood. I am sure it will
take years for me to characterize and understand this...
Tue Jan 01, 2013 1:24 pm
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--
Ganesh H. Shankar
Wishing you best light,

Image
Fine Art Nature Photography


Ganesh H Shankar  Joined CNP On 24 Apr 2008    Total Image posts 973    -   Total Image Comments 7874    -   Image Post to Comment Ratio 1:8    -   Image Comment Density 38     -     Total Forum Posts 956

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Commentby Pramod Viswanath on Tue Jan 01, 2013 2:28 pm

Best wishes Ganesh.

I need time to comment on very original and inspiring work. Will be back ;-).

--
Pramod Viswanath
Frames from wild | My Blog
Our only limitation is imagination !

Commentby Rajkumar on Tue Jan 01, 2013 4:08 pm

Thanks Ganesh.
Best wishes to all at CNP for a wonderful 2013.
Hope to have a CNP meet in 2013

--
Art is about what is inside rather than what is outside

Commentby AratiRao on Tue Jan 01, 2013 5:43 pm

Ganesh, pause for thought here. very interesting, refreshingly different focus ... or defocus? :)
in the one where you ask, "anyone feeling a happy note in this one?" i must say that image immediately conjured up for me a storm i witnessed on the mediterranean sea. there was an impossibly ochre yellow flower that stood against a purple-grey-blue sky. and it was such a beautiful scene, in spite of the conflict of colors. when i saw your image, my heart sang with that scene now defocussed in my memory too :)

i loved imbalance the most. there is a birth of yellow at the bottom right, for me there ... maybe it is my monitor, but that hint of birth of yellow lifts the image for me.

lovely stuff, will be back. hoping the nascent year is a wonderfully fulfilling one for you.
A

--
~ Arati Rao ~
http://www.aratirao.com

Commentby Sriharsha Ganjam on Tue Jan 01, 2013 7:19 pm

Interesting collection here Ganesh,
Bright colours for some reason always reminds me of ice cream flavours. With different colours different taste buds tingle. Not sure why. And with different tastes I guess I am associating different emotions. Not sure how they are correlated or even if this is normal :) but any study into the emotional impact of colour would definitely be a worthy exercise. Loved the last image and for me it indicates impending gloom over something rosy. This is the same as mixing strawberry ice-cream with coffee?

Commentby Hrishikesh N on Tue Jan 01, 2013 9:52 pm

Wish you a Very Happy New Year Ganesh and all CNP members....

Very interesting Colours Ganesh.. Would the orientation of the images change the trigger point .... we have seen several images where the orientation (rotation) has had an amazing effect. Most probably because of clear definition of subjects... But these images,.. only on colours have triggered of several interesting ideas...

"grey hairs quadrupled since then"----- :-) New Year Effect ? hehehehe ...

--
Hrishikesh
http://www.facebook.com/hrishikeshNSwamy?ref=hl

Commentby jayesh joshi on Tue Jan 01, 2013 11:31 pm

Loved the way you wished new year :) ` Brilliant colour abstracts' ! The series reminds me of `Holi' -festival of colours ! All images are excellent but,first two are special :)

Commentby Raviprakash S S on Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:18 am

Ahhh.. Fantastic shots. All these days you were focusing on monochrome.. suddenly you turned to colors and how :) Need time to see these pictures from next/higher level. But i am able to connect with the captions for each of the pic. As always, I am eager to see more from you..

Best wishes to all at CNP for a colorful 2013.

--
Cheers,
Raviprakash.S.S
http://www.allEYES.in

Commentby Nilanjan Das on Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:42 am

A few mixed thoughts Ganesh.... alone or in combination, colors can be used to represent various moods, painters since 15th century have done various kinds of experiments. In fact the cubist and fauvist movement in art also involves this. For me this is more related to abstract painters... Now the reason of my mixed thought and feelings. I feel personally that though painting and photography are both visual art but they should have their own independent identity, at least beyond a point. For me, if someone tells me that your image looks like a painting, it means I have failed in creating a unique identity of my image. These are strictly my thoughts though, it's a tough call Ganshi....as visual art, some common space will be shared, specially while creating abstracts. Since abstract paintings like these are so dominant that it would be difficult to call the concept unique in photography unless something which is unique to photography and not painting can be added to it. I at times think if it is possible to create something with the genre of abstract art which will be unique to photography and not to painting. Is it possible to create images with both conceptual and visual uniqueness in photography so that our images do not follow the path created by painters ?? How to turn this the other way...I still personally feel that the uniqueness of abstract photography lies in representing abstraction in close proximity to reality. I am not sure if I could explain, visually very realistic but conceptually far away from being just representative. What is your opinion ??

--
Nilanjan Das Photography

Commentby Ganesh H Shankar on Wed Jan 02, 2013 8:21 pm

I get your point Nilanjan. Probably I should have emphasized the purpose behind this experiment.

It was not to imitate brush to create 'color abstracts'. As I mentioned in the description above, it was to

focus on understanding colors, interaction of one with another, role of intensity of colors related to mood that it might generate etc.

The experiment was about **understanding** the color *and* hopefully apply that knowledge to *photography*. Personally I believe we as photographers need to understand color as much as painters do. Painters start with dimensionless 'color' and then create various dimensions from it - be it physical qualities like edges/forms/shapes or emotional qualities. We as photographers start with edges/forms/shapes and have not had a need to get deeper understanding of colors (as much as painters do). But I do think we need to understand color as much as painters do. Let me speak for myself, since I don't understand color enough I have increasing difficulty with color images. If I need to keep an image in color then color need to play a role which I understand well. Unless I get deeper understanding of colors I may not see a role for it in my images. This is a big challenge and may limit my possibilities of image making.

I tried applying some of the learning from the above experiment to make some 'photographs' not color abstracts. But I did not share them here since I felt I am not there yet.

Image
If my intention is to portray the suppression of the 'flower' and to portray jealous yellow where should I keep the intensity and saturation of yellow ? How should I treat the pixels surrounding the flower ?




Image
Black can portray fear/mystery, can we find an effective composition using dominant blacks ? should I keep the pixels around the spider slightly cooler or neutral ?

Such decisions I think can influence impact of our expressions but it needs deeper understanding of color - not only for abstracts for any effective representative 'photograph'.


I at times think if it is possible to create something with the genre of abstract art which will be unique to photography and not to painting. Is it possible to create images with both conceptual and visual uniqueness in photography so that our images do not follow the path created by painters ?? How to turn this the other way...I still personally feel that the uniqueness of abstract photography lies in representing abstraction in close proximity to reality. I am not sure if I could explain, visually very realistic but conceptually far away from being just representative. What is your opinion ??

I get it Nilanjan, I am of the similar view that we need to recognize the strength of 'writing with light' (photography) and use it to our advantage, we should not be using camera like a brush. However, I think the end product (art) is more important than the process which was used to make it (camera or brush). Art will stand on its own merit in an ideal world irrespective of the process used to make it (marketing an art work is unrelated to it).

Coming to the point of representing abstraction in close proximity to reality - In fact we had several discussion in the past in CNP on the topic of 'abstract realism' where we try to create abstract work using realistic representation of a subject where the literal meaning of the subject gets hidden and abstract thoughts take over. I think we have been doing such work but I would keep the opportunities wide open and would be glad to do images like 'pain' above too. I think abstract creations can remain well within the realm of photography. I think we should not be setting a boundary for ourself.

Further thoughts Nilanjan ?

--
Ganesh H. Shankar
Wishing you best light,

Image
Fine Art Nature Photography



» Last edited by Ganesh H Shankar on Thu Jan 03, 2013 8:02 am; edited 1 time in total

Commentby Nilanjan Das on Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:26 pm

Ganshi, firstly let me tell you that the spider image is indeed excellent conceptually as well as visually. I feel the right amount of mystery blends with the tones to create a strong impression of the night. Now to understanding colors for a purpose of expression. If one goes through the symbolic expression of colors , more or less colors individually or in combination have been successful in expressing the feelings or moods conceptually. Lot of photographers too like to create such images exploiting various colors. ( panning images of sea shore or sun rise or sun set etc etc ). My only concern is ( strictly my opinion and no one really has to agree with me here :-)), in the process of creating or even understanding expressions which are strong points of paintings, do we end up creating images which look like extension of the world created by painters ? I completely understand and respect your intentions behind creating these images but I personally choose not to loan a dime from another genre. What is weakness in painting ( realism ) can be the strong point of photography. The realism does not have to be representative, the forms can be altered. Plz do not think that am accusing you of trying to emulate painting, I understood your motive very well buddy :-). I know how hard you and a few others are trying to create strong footholds for the art form in nature photography to survive in the long run. At times I have wondered if photography is a form which is suitable more for expressing humans ? The moment it comes to nature and subjects from the wild, the art form gets appreciated owing to how beautiful the image is visually ( well mostly, lot more in other forums , little less here in CNP ). It is difficult for us as very few relate to nature images conceptually and only due to the fact that still the experience is less in the mind. This includes many nature photographers as well as those who work on human subjects. I have often seen Dhritiman stare at some of the CNP images completely clueless of what's happening :-) and a smile which perhaps indicates we must be a bunch of mad people. :-). I do not blame him at all. We may often have a tendency to relate the thoughts of our images in ways which makes it a little more acceptable to people. You know what I mean right ?? This is where I am concerned. An art critic can perhaps question that due to our inability to find out a way to relate viewers with our creations in nature, we have decided to incorporate concepts which is already a known method of expression in another genre of art. Am scared of this Ganshi....Am scared of loaning a dime from other genre. I do not at all accept the area where photography as an art form merges with other visual form of art. Not that I have an answer how to come out of it. I only want a separate identity of the creations using a camera which stand out immediately away from what painters have experimented on. This is also another strong reason why I decided to shift more to black and white, I share this similar feelings of many other photographers I have spoken to. If I need to move out of representative art form in photography by trying to create abstracts, then I also need to move out of any such creations which has a similarities with the work of artists from other genre of art. Plz do not treat me as an egoist, I think the clouds of confusion are just lifting a bit. I may not have most of the answers to my own questions, but for myself I have decided to omit a few paths. I apologize to everyone if I have given out a signal of being a painter hater, it is not that, trust me. I love to see them, not create anything which comes close to theirs. My mind is my own and I will one day figure out a path ( at least try to do so ) but I completely refuse to even walk parallel to ideas and concepts created by painters where history has endorsed them as the inventors. I want my foot steps to create an impression, so I want a separate path, no matter how lonely and isolated it might be....I must try it Ganshi....or it will all fail buddy, the fight the struggle will fail.... life will become worthless. May be just 2-3 images at the end of my life which a painter or a sculptor would love to stand in front of say " what a great form of art Nature Photography is "...... :-). I beg the lord for 2-3 such images at the end of my life. More the disconnect, more is my joy...I see connect as something which is less unique. With days and years passing, am getting so scared Ganshi, just 2 days left for B'pur trip and am completely clueless on what I would create.

--
Nilanjan Das Photography

Commentby Ganesh H Shankar on Thu Jan 03, 2013 9:21 am

Lot of photographers too like to create such images exploiting various colors. ( panning images of sea shore or sun rise or sun set etc etc ). My only concern is ( strictly my opinion and no one really has to agree with me here ), in the process of creating or even understanding expressions which are strong points of paintings, do we end up creating images which look like extension of the world created by painters ?


Nilanjan, the idea is *not* to portray color as the main subject. The idea is to *understand* color to portray whatever we want to portray more effectively. Do we understand color well ? My gut feeling says we don't. Probably that is why we are inclined so much towards monotones. Personally I don't see a role for color often. Of course it is very obvious that trying to use camera like a brush is a failure path, but the focus is not on color as the main subject. Further, I also don't think we need to compare art produced by painters vs. art produced by photographers - art is art.

An art critic can perhaps question that due to our inability to find out a way to relate viewers with our creations in nature, we have decided to incorporate concepts which is already a known method of expression in another genre of art. Am scared of this Ganshi....Am scared of loaning a dime from other genre. I do not at all accept the area where photography as an art form merges with other visual form of art. Not that I have an answer how to come out of it.


I don't think we need to worry about what belongs to what genre - painting, music, poetry, literature.. and avoiding all that does not belong to photography. I would focus on **reflecting on my own thoughts/feelings and giving it a shape as a photograph** and in the process I would not hesitate using the learning from every possible field I am comfortable with to give it a shape. End product is more important than *how* we have arrived at that. The fact that I used a concept from painting or music in a photograph is irrelevant if the photograph itself can't stand on itself.

If I need to move out of representative art form in photography by trying to create abstracts, then I also need to move out of any such creations which has a similarities with the work of artists from other genre of art. Plz do not treat me as an egoist, I think the clouds of confusion are just lifting a bit. I may not have most of the answers to my own questions, but for myself I have decided to omit a few paths.


Fair enough, nothing about being egoist there. We all have our own choices about what we are comfortable with. I may do B&W often too, not because I want to be different compared to another genre but because I don't yet understand color well :)

May be just 2-3 images at the end of my life which a painter or a sculptor would love to stand in front of say " what a great form of art Nature Photography is "


Why not a photographer too standing along with a painter or a sculptor to say the same ? Do we need an endorsement from other genres ? :)

am getting so scared Ganshi, just 2 days left for B'pur trip and am completely clueless on what I would create.


Don't worry Nilanjan, let us enjoy the Bharatpur trip, images may or may not happen. But those sights of rhythmic dances of Sarus cranes itself will make our trip !

Eager to meet you all on Sat, hope fog will not spoil the journey..

--
Ganesh H. Shankar
Wishing you best light,

Image
Fine Art Nature Photography



» Last edited by Ganesh H Shankar on Thu Jan 03, 2013 10:45 am; edited 3 times in total

Commentby Nilanjan Das on Thu Jan 03, 2013 10:27 am

:-), may be u r right Ganshi, the division bells which I hear and the inherent tendency of some painters to take away every credit of the visual art world has probably forced me to get into a path of their art vs my art. It is indeed important to understand even when we wish to deviate away. I would like to discuss more about understanding colors and related perspectives when we meet in Bharatpur.

--
Nilanjan Das Photography

Commentby Adithya Biloor on Thu Jan 03, 2013 4:45 pm

I think evocation of subtle moods depends upon the viewers sensitivity, taste etc. also. And these subtle tastes changes from time to time e.g. Some time back I was feeling combination of green on plain white won't gel properly. But now they work for me.
But as a creator it is necessary for us to know what touches us.

In an unrelated note- I have failed to connect with the series you posted some time back mixing music and photography (I could connect with the images, but couldn't connect music with images). It is because my senses in music have not grown beyond film songs.
It is my failure as a a viewer , not the creator's failure. So my question is is it necessary to have a 'trained' audience for these subtle expressions (including these understanding of colors)? Or An image should be strong enough to influence the viewer irrespective of his state of mind?

--
Regards,
Adithya Biloor
www.lensandtales.com

Commentby Ganesh H Shankar on Thu Jan 03, 2013 9:10 pm

While there is some amount of subjectivity in perception of color I think there is a lot more commonality in perception of colors too. This I think is due to associations that we grow up with. We often see danger in blood red since it is associated with blood. Similarly green may be commonly related to freshness, prosperity etc. This again may be due to experience of growing up seeing green fresh fields/crops etc. However, there are other color combinations which may generate common feelings but we just don't know them. While there are infinite literatures available on meanings of individual colors it is tough to apply them since we rarely see such single tones. I think it needs lots of experiments to get deeper understanding of color.

So my question is is it necessary to have a 'trained' audience for these subtle expressions (including these understanding of colors)? Or An image should be strong enough to influence the viewer irrespective of his state of mind?


I think it depends on what we do photography for - if it is to quench our own emotional hunger then trained audience is good enough (the assumption here is at least we understand what we create:) ) If we want to sell our work it better connect with larger audience.

--
Ganesh H. Shankar
Wishing you best light,

Image
Fine Art Nature Photography



» Last edited by Ganesh H Shankar on Thu Jan 03, 2013 10:14 pm; edited 1 time in total

Commentby Adithya Biloor on Thu Jan 03, 2013 9:10 pm

Ganesh,
I agree with commonality in broader sense, like everyone likes the image of a beautiful sunset with warm colors. But the minute changes, subtle details may become personal preferences. e.g. i prefer a little less saturation in the main image to go with the title.

I am not talking about the selling aspect. We know al most all members of CNP can connect with the images we post here, but what if we show it to a common man/ a person who has limited knowledge in the field of visual art, (he may be a musician). Should we aim towards reaching everyone or just be content with our self expression?
I think it's not as simple as it looks. When ever we share images/ art we want others see and appreciate our work. We can't escape with that fact. Then, should we respond to viewers opinions too?

I don't have any answer for this.

--
Regards,
Adithya Biloor
www.lensandtales.com



» Last edited by Adithya Biloor on Fri Jan 04, 2013 11:23 am; edited 1 time in total