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Artistic-Maneuvers [2009-07-26 14:28:17 +0000 UTC]

This has been featured here [link] Great Job

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JaredPLNormand [2009-07-22 18:55:37 +0000 UTC]

Abstract—Reality Black and White Vision Contest Judgments
Jared P. L. Normand (jokerswild180)

As Abstract--Reality's contest announcements said several times, there is no concrete definition for abstraction. However, I would like to offer an idea on what I think abstract photography ought to be to help explain some of my choices.
Abstract art is literally defined as any art that does not show a clear depiction of it's subject(s). Some critics and philosophers even believe that all photography is abstract because we render a three-dimensional world onto two-dimensional planes by focusing light through a hole in a lens and can therefore never perfectly depict simple subjects as they really exist. The theory goes further when considering conceptual subject matter but I wont get into that here.
As I made my first judgment on all the works submitted, I noticed that many artists submitted images that, though following the above definition, did not take the idea of abstract art far enough. For me, abstract photography should not stop with the question "What is it?" To produce true abstractions is to transcend, not only material reality, but thought itself. When the elements of the image combine into a perfect harmony that does not allow one to think "What is it?" "How did they do that?" and what many people believe is the most important question "Why?", then you have abstracted the only reality any one person can truly know to be real, their own thoughts.
These are the images that ventured farthest beyond their cropped and abstracted subject matter, established the image as a whole in itself, and left me thoughtless:

From Subtle Tones in a Grayscale World category:
133 "Random square : 05 : demo bw" by DecoyRobot
First Impression: 5
Abstraction: 5
Example of tones: 3
Composition: 5
Technique: 5
Originality: 5
Comments: This composition reminded me of Aaron Siskind's work. He excelled at capturing compositions from the real world to make them holistic objects of art without allowing the viewer to consider the surrounding environment. Although not a direct inspiration on my own work, I do admire his achievement in becoming the most prominent photographer in the American Abstract Expressionist movement. The only weakness I found was in the "example of tones" category, but I think this the least important of the six criteria. I consider this piece to be tied with "Clean" by Markus43 for my overall favorite.

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Moepling [2009-07-22 15:45:11 +0000 UTC]

hey,
congrats I've featured this in my journal [link]

cheers,
Thomas

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