Battle of Trafalgar

[habakuk]

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[eob]

Good title. Very appropriate for the image.

I am assuming that this is a photograph, but it does not immediately appear as a photo. And that makes me look at it with a bias - as if I were looking at an abstract painting or graphic.

I see a nice composition with balanced tone values and colors - even though there is also a strong dynamic/expressive element in the lines and contrasts, making me feel alerted, as if I were waiting for a roar of 100 guns at Trafalgar...

[habakuk]

Thank you, eob.

It is a closeup of a bulldozer shovel. The brown-yellow dirt in the upper third, the rust-red in the middle and the iron-blue, reflecting the blue of the sky that itself has been reflected from a puddle. The white streaks are from the shovel scratching over stones...

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[Theo]

I would never have guessed that it was a bulldozer shovel in a million years. I love the movement and the colors even without the title you could see a war going on or a battle in the ocean. Nice job with a bulldozer shovel. just goes to show a picture might be right under your nose.

[habakuk]

Thank you, Theo.

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[aprilS]

Wow.

Awhile back you mentioned your mind being "trained" to see in the abstract, and I think this is an epitome.

I see a lot of interesting texture shots, e.g., http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjing/sets/72157604667500189/, but as lovely as those are most seem to be observation, whereas this image has -- for me -- such wonderful movement and energy/conflict, suggesting a story.

[ilchkai]

i always have trouble to comment on your pictures - but every now and then you post one that really gets me, this is great, colour composition and madness.

reading in the comments that it is a scratched metal surface i am baffled - well spotted!

i think that the title makes a whole lot of difference here - like in your amos series, the title pre-disposes the eye to 'find', rather than to 'see'. battle, waves, ships - found! metal, rust, scratches - missed.

thanks for sharing,

kai

[habakuk]

I think trying to comment on pictures that first put you in troubles finding something to say is not only a challenge, but also the best way to improve the ability to analyze pictures. Thanks much for trying and writing me a feeback here.

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