Vision in stone...

[graphixx54]

One of many beautiful examples of 19th century monuments in the local cemeteries here (Barre, Vermont has been the source of some of the finest granite as well as the most talented sculptors in the world since about 1850). This statue is actually on a pedestal about 3 meters high... the intent was to make it appear to be at ground level by shooting from a lower elevation and from some distance (approx. 25-30m). I hope to start selling prints locally in the near future, so I need some honest feedback.

[mib2]

Re: Vision in stone...

Hi There

By no way am I an expert here but the grass doesn't look right and the branch sticking out from the left could have been cut out.

I do like the idea.

Cheers
Dave R

[Stephen]

Re: Vision in stone...

One of many beautiful examples of 19th century monuments in the local cemeteries here (Barre, Vermont has been the source of some of the finest granite as well as the most talented sculptors in the world since about 1850). This statue is actually on a pedestal about 3 meters high... the intent was to make it appear to be at ground level by shooting from a lower elevation and from some distance (approx. 25-30m). I hope to start selling prints locally in the near future, so I need some honest feedback.

Is this a picture of a sculpture/statue, or a picture of a landscape with a statue within it?

Now if its the latter, I don't think it works. The dark trunk and branches of the tree dominate the picture and frankly have little interest. Then there is the out of focus grassy bank, which seems to be beyond the tree. Yet we see part of the tree in focus and the statue beyond also in focus. This leads me to believe that grass has been defocussed in an attempt to put emphasis on the statue. I may be completely wrong but this is my feeling when I look at the picture. The statue somehow doesn't hold a great interest for me, and its certainly not a piece if art that is any better than ones we can see at any times in towns and cities and cemeteries in the UK. In fact it could easily be a statue created in bulk for the gravestone/cemetery industry.

Now if I'm wrong here and the picture is more to do with the statue, this makes me a little uneasy. I'm never quite happy about photographing sculpture as the main part of an image, though if its part of a landscape then thats more acceptable. Indeed I have done the same with the Antony Gormley figures on Crosby Beach

For me the picture should be one of the cemetery and therefore the statues in their proper context, but not specific photos of the statues themselves. Hope that makes sense

[ash]

Re: Vision in stone...

Mmmmmmmm, Im a little confused by the whole pic, I think the most interesting part is the ferns or whatever they are on the tree, and there not that interesting, the totally out of focus grass in the forground is very distracting, maybe you should pay another visit and think a bit more about the shot, I cant wait for another attempt, I think it can only get better.
cheers
Ash.