owen-b,

welcome to WS, you are off to quite a start!

I have a confession to make. Before I got my Holga, I made do with butchering my Nikon D70 images to create this look in Photoshop! ;)

I chose to crop the shopping trolley half out because it appealed more to me that way. It accentuated the 'random object lying around' feel to the scene in combination with the amusing location of the sign and arrow, which was what motivated me to take the picture.

I quite liked the white section at the top too. I felt it framed the top of the shot nicely.

.-)
congrats!

Well then the Photoshop'd Holga work is excellent. Congrats.

Cheers. I got a proper Holga recently but I only use it for B&W at the moment. Since getting it I found making these fakes quite a hollow experience but every now and then I use it on something.

i wouldn't change a thing.

this is the type of artistic Shot in the arm Weekly needs more of!

it will create a greater appreciation and will bring more attention to those who see a bit different than the majority.

Congrats ownen-b. I like this a lot. Makes me look forward to a Holga arriving in the mail even more :)

I can tell you why I don't like this, if you want...

;O)

Oh, so it's a Holga... Then it's a great quality shot - so please, discard my previous comment about the snapshot quality :))

Congrats!

Ooops, sorry, no, I confused people here. It's actually not a Holga shot, it's from my D70 but I Photoshopped it because I liked the mood and thought it suited the 'random' nature of the shot. I only got my Holga after this was taken, and only use it for B&W at the moment... Maybe I'll enter one if the theme is right! :)

By the way, sorry for coming in all guns blazing and being more critical than universally praising. I try to be honest but I guess I could have been more tactful!

:)

owen-b

What I've learned the hard way: Universal praise is not desired, I think, but tact is a good thing.

Kindness is good. Honest words are very good, too, especially when they are phrased gently. "Guns blazing" is usually tolerated if good points are made and admirable qualities are first acknowledged.

Welcome, again, to W.S., and congratulations on another featured image.

Well put, King.

Owen, You've got a palpable feel going here. I can almost see a series done in this setting, and someone(s) sitting in the cart. Starting with Grandma. Ha. At any rate, welcome to WS :-)

Hey Philippe! Good one!!

Hey Philippe! Please do!

This is a frame filled with complex grids worth studying. Good stuff. I also like that pipe or whatever it is at the top. It looks like the photo has been hole-punched and hung up on a hook.

If you insist... :O)
WARNING: some people might find what follows not appropriate. I don't want to offend anyone (not even you, Owen, haha!), it's just an opinion. (can't believe we have to be so cautious!).

As for the idea: a trolley under a "no parking" sign. How original! How provoking! We've only seen this maybe... a zillion times (and I'm not exagerating!).
As for the technique: there's a hype around the Holga. I think this is just a snobish trend. It gives an arty look to a picture which, otherwise, would be just ordinary. It's fake. And here, it's faking a fake.
The "original" composition (half of the trolley outside the frame, the white thing on top) is a part of this spirit: "Hey, look, I'm breaking the rules!".
Don't misunderstand me: I think some artists are making a good use of this tool (or any tool:Holga, PS, whatever...). I'm a fan of creative works (Subjektiv, for instance). But here it's just pretending (like Avril Lavigne pretending she's a rebel), and I think your cheating your audience, but maybe you're not aware of that and you're cheating yourself (only you can tell).
But it's fun to experiment so, why not?
Just my two cents. No hard feelings.

Philippe, You have opened yourself up here, and frankly I admire that. I'm not sure I agree with everything you say, but for dialogue's sake you've really kicked this conversation into high gear. Go for it man! One suggestion to All involved (and I count myself in the All): don't take yourself too seriously.

Philippe: that's cool, you're pretty much on the money with some of that. For example - it is indeed a 'fake' because I created the look in Photoshop from a digital file. As such, the shopping trolley did get cropped. However, the square nature meant that to keep the writing in the trolley had to get cropped. I liked that because to me it accentuated the transient, random nature of abandoned shopping trolleys.

I personally haven't seen that many shopping trolleys next to 'No Parking' signs. At least this one is 'as is', as opposed to a certain rigged 'No Standing' sign... ;)

I don't think Holgas are faked. You don't like them, which is perhaps because you see a lot of crap shots that are justified by their appealing effect. That's fair enough, there's a lot of dross around. However, I happen to like the effect Holgas have. In a world where most of the general public think photography now is all about crystal clear images and as many megapixels as you can get, the Holga is a refreshingly new look on the world. The world would be boring if we had to see it through regular eyes all the time, don't you think?

Also, you're absolutely right that many Holga shots would look ordinary without the Holga effect - but that's the point. They DO have the Holga effect. It's like saying that Superman isn't all that because if he didn't come from Krypton he'd just be some bloke in the street.

I've tired of using this effect now because I see it as you do - a hollow fake of a Holga. I have a real Holga now and I love how it sees things. Every so often I use this effect on something just for a bit of fun and to experiment in Photoshop.

Anyway, absolutely no offence taken. They're your views and you're completely entitled to them. Thanks for putting them less tactlessly than I put mine! :)

PS You have to be cautious because as you proved yourself, some people don't like it when other people don't like their photos. Personally I don't care if someone doesn't like it, but I always like to know WHY. :)

Philippe: that's cool, you're pretty much on the money with some of that. For example - it is indeed a 'fake' because I created the look in Photoshop from a digital file. As such, the shopping trolley did get cropped. However, the square nature meant that to keep the writing in the trolley had to get cropped. I liked that because to me it accentuated the transient, random nature of abandoned shopping trolleys.

I personally haven't seen that many shopping trolleys next to 'No Parking' signs. At least this one is 'as is', as opposed to a certain rigged 'No Standing' sign... ;)

I don't think Holgas are faked. You don't like them, which is perhaps because you see a lot of crap shots that are justified by their appealing effect. That's fair enough, there's a lot of dross around. However, I happen to like the effect Holgas have. In a world where most of the general public think photography now is all about crystal clear images and as many megapixels as you can get, the Holga is a refreshingly new look on the world. The world would be boring if we had to see it through regular eyes all the time, don't you think?

Also, you're absolutely right that many Holga shots would look ordinary without the Holga effect - but that's the point. They DO have the Holga effect. It's like saying that Superman isn't all that because if he didn't come from Krypton he'd just be some bloke in the street.

I've tired of using this effect now because I see it as you do - a hollow fake of a Holga. I have a real Holga now and I love how it sees things. Every so often I use this effect on something just for a bit of fun and to experiment in Photoshop.

Anyway, absolutely no offence taken. They're your views and you're completely entitled to them. Thanks for putting them less tactlessly than I put mine! :)

PS You have to be cautious because as you proved yourself, some people don't like it when other people don't like their photos. Personally I don't care if someone doesn't like it, but I always like to know WHY. :)

Philippe: that's cool, you're pretty much on the money with some of that. For example - it is indeed a 'fake' because I created the look in Photoshop from a digital file. As such, the shopping trolley did get cropped. However, the square nature meant that to keep the writing in the trolley had to get cropped. I liked that because to me it accentuated the transient, random nature of abandoned shopping trolleys.

I personally haven't seen that many shopping trolleys next to 'No Parking' signs. At least this one is 'as is', as opposed to a certain rigged 'No Standing' sign... ;)

I don't think Holgas are faked. You don't like them, which is perhaps because you see a lot of crap shots that are justified by their appealing effect. That's fair enough, there's a lot of dross around. However, I happen to like the effect Holgas have. In a world where most of the general public think photography now is all about crystal clear images and as many megapixels as you can get, the Holga is a refreshingly new look on the world. The world would be boring if we had to see it through regular eyes all the time, don't you think?

Also, you're absolutely right that many Holga shots would look ordinary without the Holga effect - but that's the point. They DO have the Holga effect. It's like saying that Superman isn't all that because if he didn't come from Krypton he'd just be some bloke in the street.

I've tired of using this effect now because I see it as you do - a hollow fake of a Holga. I have a real Holga now and I love how it sees things. Every so often I use this effect on something just for a bit of fun and to experiment in Photoshop.

Anyway, absolutely no offence taken. They're your views and you're completely entitled to them. Thanks for putting them less tactlessly than I put mine! :)

PS You have to be cautious because as you proved yourself, some people don't like it when other people don't like their photos. Personally I don't care if someone doesn't like it, but I always like to know WHY. :)

owen-b
Here is was hoping you were Superman (or, better, Lex Luthor) and you turn out to be Clark Kent! You're messin' with my head, man. You're turning out to be quite likable. What a disappointment.

Philippe,
I agree with much of your expressed opinion, although you seem to be a bit cranky about expressing it today.

George,
I also thought this conversation would get into high gear, but now I don't think it will. Would you like to get into it with me, dude? Show owen-b how it's done?

I put some chips and beer in the round :-)

*cheers*
v.t.

Cranky: ill-tempered, irritable? Mmmmh, maybe because I had a bad sleep... Or maybe this is just how I express myself when I'm passionate about a question. Also, my english lacks of subtility (I'm presently studiing a dictionnary of the most offensive idioms...)

Owen: we can find ourselves in disagreement and still have a nice discussion. I have to read you message again, but I definitely agree on one thing
"The world would be boring if we had to see it through regular eyes all the time".

I think the point of any human exhibition (e.g., art, literature, verbal discourse) is to show someone your unique point of view (you know, like Van Gogh's Starry Night, etc.). Philippe (as interpreted by me) is telling owen-b that what he is presenting is not his unique point of view, but something fabricated. "A fake."
I know that, for me, the struggle and excitement is figuring out how to, with the tools I have, show someone the movie that I see in my mind. I don't want mine to be a Hollywood thing, trying to give people what you think, they think, they want.
I still like the feel of this photo, though; and, I also agree with Philippe, so that just proves two conflicting ideas can exist in the same truth.

owen-b,
I forgot to mention that philippe is a splendid fellow. You seem just to have got him torqued up.

philippe,
"torqued up" means stressed, under pressure.

VernonTrent,
Can we pour the beer now?

I could be Superman if you like, but I'd win every time if I was ;)

You all saw who invited him, right...? Lol...I'm betting he actually IS Superman. Hope you can live with the weight of expectation owen-b?

I like Superman, and also the Silver Surfer... :O)

What the hell's going on around here? I step out for a few hours and when I come back y'all are doing group hugs and sipping mental margaritas??? This won't do. King, you Fat Bastard*! Did you put them up to this?

*http://www.weeklyshot.org/theme/alone/response/98/