photographs in displays

[dick benbow]

I could see any of these photos being used. I think it's good that ypu have both horizontal and verticle depending on the tree.

I had a nice chat with David de Groot yesterday and found he actually had photos he's used on shikishi boards, so I felt vindicated with exploring and learning how to properly use them.

I have appreciated and wanted to thank all those who have contributed to this thread.

 

[johng]

and a couple more...

ok..that is probably too many

 

[Poink88]

and a couple more...

......

ok..that is probably too many

LOL...I just learned that couple have different meaning now...that is what happened to (some) married couples!!!

Kidding aside, I think almost all of these can be used depending on the time of year, tree, and mood you want to portray.

IMHO, it is good that you moved beyond the stereo typical display.

 

[rockm]

Here's my issue--the photographs are stunning. THAT'S the problem. They are too pretty and despite being spare in subject material, they are anything but spare in substance. They're distracting in their beauty. The colors too saturated, the lines too crisp. They leave nothing to the imagination, demanding the viewer see what they show without much contemplation. That's what photos are--reality, sometimes reality magnified and digitally enhanced...

This has nothing to do with the "Japaneseness" of formal display, but more to do with "what do I want to look at here?" If these accompany good or even great trees, the trees become secondary.

 

[dick benbow]

While i agree with the point your making, I don't think in all cases some of these photos couldn't be used in the proper size to accomodate balance in the design. Just for the moment let's just say that we eliminate the use of all color shots and go with just black and white. I think this would affect your opinion, and bring things closer to the point your making.

I also realize from watching the process of selecting trees to be worked on in a class, not everyone likes the same tree nor wishes to design it the same way as the next person.

One has to be comfortable within their own skin on some things, so i don't expect this thread to end with a consensus of opinion.

Can we pretty much agree that if photos are a consideration that perhaps black and white
would have preference over color?

 

[Poink88]

I personally prefer simple and muted colors too but I like it (color choice) open and used as needed by the composition.

This is the only way we can evolve. IMHO

 

[johng]

Here's my issue--the photographs are stunning. THAT'S the problem. They are too pretty and despite being spare in subject material, they are anything but spare in substance. They're distracting in their beauty. The colors too saturated, the lines too crisp. They leave nothing to the imagination, demanding the viewer see what they show without much contemplation. That's what photos are--reality, sometimes reality magnified and digitally enhanced...

This has nothing to do with the "Japaneseness" of formal display, but more to do with "what do I want to look at here?" If these accompany good or even great trees, the trees become secondary.

I agree completely with you Rock!!! After using photos for display on several occasions and seeing others follow suite...they typically compete with the tree far too much. My most successful attempts have been situations in which the photos were blown up just past a crisp, clear focus...so, as you described the lines were not clear, a little hazy, but not so much that it just looked like a poor photograph.

Thanks for the feedback all!
J

 

[rockm]

"My most successful attempts have been situations in which the photos were blown up just past a crisp, clear focus...so, as you described the lines were not clear, a little hazy, but not so much that it just looked like a poor photograph."

That would seem to be a good approach using photos, blurring the lines and making them a bit less "present" That would seem to be a great thing to do with the photo of the clouds -- SUGGESTING a cloud bank at sunset/sunrise instead of the in-focus "WHAM! -- here's some clouds" photo.

 

[Smoke]

art displayed with bonsai has to be immediatly identifiable as to what it is yet contain as little art as possible so as to not drown out the bonsai or what ever the focal point is. The best art has no beginning and no end. Only suggestions, but images so powerful that they resonate with the subconsience on a primitive level.

In this view we have a beautiful waterfall in Hawaii.

On its own it is a reasonable image of a waterfall with very limited things going on to grab ones attention.

 

[Smoke]

What if I were to only suggest a waterfall. Maybe part of the waterfall so as to not really know where it started and where it ends? How tall is it?
What kind of crash pool is there? Are there rocks around it?

 

[Smoke]

Does anyone not see a waterfall?

How come we can tell this is a waterfall with hardly any markers to tell it is so?

Is it not strange that 90 percent of the image is white space? Yet it is easy to know this is a waterfall. It is primal. It is a suggestion in nature so powerful that to see one or a photo of one gets set so deep in your subconscious that even seeing part of it instantly is recognizible as to what it is.

This is how it is done in Japan.

 

[kakejiku]

You Sir are an Artist

Not me as the artist (especially the bonsai part)...this display was done in Japan by a Japanese bonsaiist, and there is a long explanation on the concept behind the display....There are many styles of display....