sea gulls

[ilchkai]

sea gulls, brighton beach, the old burnt out victorian pier in the background



vivitar ultra slim & wide, 28mm - some obscure slide film, iso100, cross-processed (thus green colour cast)



p.s. someone please point me in the right direction for the posting guidelines, was looking but can't seem to find them - need to check the old size restriction - was it 800 on the long edge?

[aprilS]

Oh, fun! Or...ominous, but still fun to view.

Skeletal. One structure so rigid, the seagulls and water in motion; yet both pared down to an essence.

I like the angle, adding to a sense of disturbing, and the treatment enhancing that feeling.

[eob]

I like the overall composition and that "ominous" feeling. I would try to enhance it even more by darkening the whole image...

[ilchkai]

Thanks April,
Thanks eob,

this is more accidental rather than composition - it is taken with a "toy camera", a vivitar slim & wide - there is no aperture control, and the shutter speed is fixed at 1/100th... it is a fun camera, but a little unpredictable - best used with cross processed slide film which gives interesting colour and pushes the contrast. i used a fuji film which is liable to result in a colour tint, green on this one as it happens. there is a certain skill involved in using this camera - but mostly luck - that is what makes it so interesting.

the skeletal, rigid structure is a famous landmark here in brighton, UK - a burnt out victorian amusement pier. it is instantly recognizable to anyone in brighton. a bunch of seagulls were feeding on someone's discarded fish and chips - i just ran at them and snapped this shot.

it has just been selected for a little exhibition in brighton, along with another one of my photos, it is the appeal of a different shot and angle of the pier together with the lomo-toy-camera feel of the picture, which is quite popular here in brighton.

i am about to get it printed and was going to "tidy" it up the scan of the print, but decided to keep these shots "as shot". [i don't want to incite another analogue over digital debate ]

thanks for your comments

very kind

kai

[habakuk]

"The birds"... creepy and tense... I do like it very much for that effect. The slanted horizon adds drama and dynamics. The stronger vignette on the left side pushes me along the falling line towards the right side - just perfectly into the flock of seagulls. I want to take off along them...

And yeah. No analog vs. digital debate required. analog stinks anyway. (just kidding!)

cheers
®

[ilchkai]

ominous, tense and creepy... hmmm, did not really intend to evoke that, but i like it!

thanks again guys!