At The Helm

[Ted Byrne]

My April Sailing weekend challenged me. See, my buddy Steve chartered a yacht and contracted  a sailing master, Jeremy, to help him learn and earn his nautical papers. I was the only guest and figured I could get a portrait of Steve that he'd like to hang on his office wall. You can see the earlier images from that trip on my blogsite.

Thanks to comments on those postings. I've tried to distill out the stuff from that trip and those earlier designs into one final POWIE image. And here it is... Steve At The Helm.

Suppose I blow this up say to six foot on the vertical edge... Think this will rock his office?



BTW.. If you want to see the virgin outta-the-camera-photograph of this image.. Just click here.

[ilchkai]

really not a fan of this, sorry to say.

don't take this the wrong way, i know that you are an accomplished photoshop wizard, and equally skilled photographer, but this image shows (to me) none of that skill; it looks amateurish, over-done and cheap... a bit like a cheesy fairgound blue-screen shot.

apologies for being quite so blunt.

the image does, however, have an odd "douglas adams' hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy" feel to it... in that way it is on the good side of bad.

...i am starting to warm to this image a little as time passes, maybe i come back to this in a little while and have a more favourable comment, but the above is my first impression.

[aprilS]

I've had to think about this one for a couple of days...

There are things I like, such as the repetition of circles echoing the roundness of the earth, the sense of rolling/rocking on the waves and  moving forward through "uncharted" waters at night -- captain and adventurer, navigating by the stars. I'm guessing your friend will be tickled to death.

But it does seem a bit stiff or forced, to me. I'm wondering if the desire to please your friend stole some of your natural spontaneity in creating this image, or perhaps the influence of comments from previous versions.

P.S. Is that an octopus climbing up the back rail?

P.P.S. I love the touch of anchor chains or rope in the lower right corner.

[habakuk]

My first thought: advertising for weather proof clothing. Next thought: advertising for a ship motor. Next up was "fishstick"... don't ask me about this sequence... There are elements that really please me, but the overall impression is simply "advertising". There's dynamics in the angle you used, there is drama in the color, there is that look, that look into the depth of what is to come... but I can't get past that "cheap" advertising side taste...

cheers
®

[Ted Byrne]

I have the most subtle feeling that this image wasn't um... received reeeeeely reeeeeely well. 

Hmmmm..... I guess I agree with all of your comments... BUT... but... As I described in the teeny blurb at the top, this was a sort of commission aimed at producing a HUGE portrait for the guy in the picture. For his office.

Where it's going after he blows it up to an enormous size. He is blown away, so is his family. The object was to create a COMMERCIAL image. And in terms of those standards, I could have sold this puppy for a bundle.

Maybe because of all the lazer sharp things you all said about it? Huh? Huh? 

[ilchkai]

mission accomplished - if he likes it, that is what counts

maybe we looked through the picture a little too much rather than at it...   

[Ted Byrne]

Maybe we looked through the picture a little too much rather than at it...   

That is simultaneously the most flattering and most trenchant critique I've ever received. It is wonderfully put. And yes I can see that this is a surface image.. which in fact becomes a wall rather than a door. Hmmmm... and maybe that is the principle distinction between much that is commercial and fine art. I will have to think deeply about that point. In fact, I'd be pleased to have others think at me re. that idea as well. Hmmmmm.... hmmmm.... hmmmmm???