Ganesh, Off late your images make me to think and understand after looking at them few times. This is one such image where it puts the viewer into illusion mode. So I will come back later

abstract art at its best...really contemporary....this image should be seen in large size to feel its power....as shankar mentioned its real illusion.....

Ganesh, u know I like all ur images and in fact ur way of seeing and everything a lot, but here I just felt maybe the abstract went a lil overboard , makes it difficult for ppl like me to understand even what you have shot. I loved the pattern, but could not really understand what was it . Terrific visual of the flower? I am not rating it as I think I do not even know how images like these are rated .

Colour, form, and shape. Work well.

Apana

Nilanjan, love the fact that you are candid here. Let me share my thoughts here. I am also cut pasting the extended dialogue you had with me on the other thread since I find it interesting and also others may be interested in these. Here are a few snippets from your views (in italic) on the mail exchange we had (I hope you don't mind) -

I had a few basic questions keeping in mind no rigidity to hold back someone's thought process. Being Abstract is the way to open the window of the mind where imagination is like a fresh gust of wind...Creativity is guided by abstract thoughts and here we have creativity ruled by abstract thoughts. Now how do we define creativity and how to define abstract ? Creativityin nature surely has a factor where we also need to understand from the visual that the image was made in nature but in a different way but still portrays the message as seen by the photographer and abstract would be to imagine that the image was made in nature, though it actually was. So where are we ?

For me abstractness and creativity are two different topics. While abstract images can be creative other way round is not necessarily true.
I don't think creativity need to be guided by abstract thoughts either. Lots of images I made so far and archived under creative section are not abstract.

Now how do we define creativity and how to define abstract ?

For creativity I would go with the definition (from dictionary.com) -

the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination: the need for creativity in modern industry; creativity in the performing arts.

For Abstract Art I like this definition from Wiki -

Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which exists independently of visual references to the world.

The part which I would like to emphasis here is composition which exists independently of visual references to the world.. So it does not really matter (atleast to me) what the image physically represents in the real world. I think the very purpose here is relating the image to experiences and/or learnings of life. The question of what an abstract art means is a valid one but I don't think there is a definite answer - it may touch ones soul (and may not too) but may be very difficult to express.

What is your visual response to the Black Square abstract art by Kazimir Malevich shown in this link ? What does it mean to you ?

Creativity in nature surely has a factor where we also need to understand from the visual that the image was made in nature but in a different way but still portrays the message as seen by the photographer and abstract would be to imagine that the image was made in nature

Nice thoughts here. Personally I think in abstract nature photography restricting the traceability of the subject being photographed to something in real world is limiting the expressive power of a photographer. You may want to check some of the works by abstract nature photographer John Alfano.

That said, I do agree with you that creative nature photography does not mean abstract nature photography. As far as the rating of the image goes my suggestion is go with what your heart says! If it is 0 so be it If you don't want to rate that is fine too. Neither the commentor nor the one who posted the image need to worry a lot about it After all CNP will stand for discovering ourselves through our images - at least that is what I will use CNP for...

Last but not least, candid sharing of thoughts like this will make all of us learn, think and improve. Sincere thanks to you Nilanjan..

This image and the discussion along with this image, both are amazing for me...its great learning for me.
TFS this image and TFS all info here.
Regards.

"I think the very purpose here is relating the image to experiences and/or learnings of life." This is just fantastic Ganesh. Very true and simple. Thanks for your inputs . I would remember this through out my life. I think this is why CNP makes a difference.

I strongly feel any art form as it grows tends to become more symbolic and abstract( saankethika and amoorhta in Kannada) E.g.- Art forms like Bharathanatya or Yakshagana . Though in our daily life we don’t see make up, costumes, language etc... of Yakshagana We can relate ourselves with the characters of Yakshagana. More over that becomes so special and unique because of its heightened performance.

In the villages like Biloor We see portrait of a tiger on the walls of every third house. But how beautiful that portrait may be that is just the portrait of a tiger and nothing more.( I am not saying that making the portraits is a inferior work. That’s all together a different topic) .It does not have the potential to grow in the minds of the viewer. But the above image has the ability to grow, even though it may not be as ‘beautiful’ as that tiger.

There is a basic difference between Eastern and western thinking. We tend to become more and more symbolic and abstract ( In the context of art).E.g.- Thanjavoor style of painting, Mysore style of painting . But west tends to become more and more realistic. e.g. Greek sculptures. ( but with the increase of cultural exchange that difference is slowly vanishing)

regards,

Adithya Biloor

Adithya, I like your phrase of "ability to grow in the minds of a viewer" - I am not making an assumption on applicability of it to this image however

Back to the difference in thinking and culture, abstract art was very well practiced in western society. In fact there was an art movement about Expressionism. I think emotional needs of human beings transcend cultural barriers.

Thanks for your views. These discussions make our forums lively. We strongly believe CNP is a platform for collective learning,sharing and shaping our own thoughts. I think rating of 0 plus couple of lines of valuable honest critique is more meaningful than one word "excellent" comment.

Thanks Ganesh sir.

Those moments ( expressionism, surrealism, symbolism,cubism etc...) started only after 1900 . Till then west strongly believed in realistic style( As for as my knowledge goes).

Back to the image I think it has the ability to grow, above comments clearly shows that.

This is what clearly shows the long journey of a Photographer. We all start looking into photographer's mind by his/her images.