Jim Holmes tugs at the heartstrings.and COMMENTS FROM THE TRIPTYCH CHALLENGE

Our regular Thursday night Zoom meeting this week featured a fascinating and thought provoking talk by Jim Holmes, a professional photographer, who has for many years now worked on documentary assignments across the world for a number of Charities and Organisations that are household names. Through his images Jim seeks to promote a “humanitarian vision” of the countries and communities devasted by war and natural disaster. With minimal manipulation in post processing, he faithfully records a “sanitised view of disaster”, but through a series of simple metaphors, using tilted horizons and his two preferred lenses for maximum impact, he conveys the moving dramas behind the image with passion, sensitivity and empathy.

We were taken back to key moments in time when Tsunamis struck Sumatra, or cyclones devastated the Bay of Bengal. Jim’s images skilfully portrayed the boats deposited by walls of water on rice fields far from their moorings, and the tenacity for life of those left in buildings stripped bare by the elements. They hinted at the loss of life and starkly illustrated the daily loss of limbs and dignity from war or disease, but when they featured recovering infants and the smiles of the children in Preschools and Kindergardens, they raised our spirits and rekindled a faith in the ability of humans to survive the worst that is thrown their way.

Jim’s is a powerful message told through the faces of the women of Cambodia, the hands of farmers and the faces of the children. His talk was moving and very well received by members new and old, having taken our minds off the current pandemic, if only for a couple of hours.

Next week members will hear the judge’s verdict on our Pictures of 2020 although unusually we will be unable to celebrate in the usual way with a gathering for the presentations. Members are reminded to hand in their images by then for the upcoming DPI Open competition which will be judged on 18th February by John Taylor.

Members are reminded in lieu of a Challenge this week, to review any of their existing personal galleries on the website with a view to updating with three newer images, and anyone wishing to start a gallery to send four images to me by Thursday next so that can be arranged .

Jenny Short
29.01.2021

COMMENTS on Triptych

From Jenny ;
I love all the images individually and in colour. It was interesting to see how they translated into the delicacy of the Triptych in mono and some worked better than others. i found it hard to make the plain white background equally white in post processing so I suppose that is something else i need to learn Also i remain inept at panels of any number !! Brief comments:

Graham I loved the dead flowers and thought you captured the delicacy and whispyness in mono well
Janice: like the arrangement- simple , sharp and nice presentation
Suzanne: Loved the use of the snow as the background Creative as ever ! Almost surreal or ethereal in triptych format.
Jane: Sharp, simple and I like the rounded shape which no one else dd.
Tony: your seed heads were not as delicate as the others but as a group arranged as you did i thought they worked well in Triptych
Jill:beautiful individuals in colour which i really like. in b and w not as stunning but still the expert in panels.
Pamela: Simple use of Autumn leaves and nice arrangements. I was desperately looking for skeleton leaves but they had all rotted in my garden to a pulp.
Louise; Really liked the individual shots but i cannot find any Triptych in my files Did you send to me ?

From Suzanne:
Comments from Suzanne: It’s amazing what there is to photograph during lockdown, in our gardens or close to home, which we
would probably have walked straight past previously. I like making triptychs, have learnt loads and forgotten a lot about making them.
Whilst, at the same time, I try to make sure my chosen images blend together well, are correctly positioned, sharp and spot free, etc ...
BUT, still I don’t always get them right! My comments are just that, and intended to help not hinder. TIP: Take more pictures than you
think you will need for your chosen triptych!

JENNY: Your structures1 and 3 are delicate structures and shaped for the beginning and end of your panel leaving the denser more upright picture 3 for the centre,
just like you have done. The problem of matching whites - always difficult- but often easily solved in post processing. The more panels
you make the easier they become. It’s a learning curve to understand how to actually place, fit and save pictures into a panel and yet
another learning curve to take the correct pictures which work together to place into it! And how do I know that....?
PAMELA: Good to see Arty Triptych on display. Maybe as with Jenny, post processing could help you with the white problem you mentioned earlier. I like
your leaves idea and can’t wait to see your next panel.
LOUISE: Did you photograph your images out on the snow too? We had a same leaf
choice also! Nice sharp images capturing detail which would fit into a panel of three.
JANICE: I like your three delicate images and the way
you chose to place then into a square format panel with a black background. You obviously thought about positioning your plant life in
the camera stage.
JANE R: Sharp, portrait format images which fit into the unusual shaped triptych template very well.
JILL: I like your colourful, detailed images, all sharp and would like to see them in a triptych too.
GRAHAM: Well, I knew you would have interesting specimens! Great detail and I can see you have thought about how to place pictures in a triptych and selected the pictures to prove it.
TONY: Seed Heads, as a triptych breaks the rules but ... I like it so for me it works. In this instance, I think the outward facing ends
highlights the central image more.

From Pamela:

Graham. Not being a plant connoisseur I was intrigued to see
one little yellow flower in Bells of Ireland. I. love the delicacy of
it all. Love in the Mist is also attractive. I thought Sea Holly needed
more space but I think your triptych works well and looks
balanced.
Tony. Your three individuals are all attractive and they come
together nicely in the triptych. As an individual picture, I wonder if
grass seed head should be a little lower in the frame? Pussy Willow
extends up but it isn't stark. Purple hebe is a good choice for no
3.
Jane. I love your individual photos - lovely colours and so
delicate. The triptych is just right.
Suzanne. I absolutely love your
three individual pictures, so original. I do think in the triptych no 3
is a bit lost and therefore appears to be a bit far to the left. It's a
shame, as an individual picture it really is exquisite.
Janice. I see
all yours are black and white. My favourite is the triptych. I like the
way you have balanced them and,
because the centre one is darker, my
eye is drawn to it.
Louise. Lovely colours in your three images. I
would have put them on an angle rather than straight. I think they
would have looked really dramatic then.
Jenny. No colour images? The
three work well in the triptych.
Jill. Three wonderful colour photos,
so rich looking. I like your treatment of the triptych.
Pamela on
Pamela. No competition winner yet!