Fallen
On Saturday we go to Chester for a week to find a lovely new home to rent until our own sells. When we come back it’s very likely that we’ll have only two weeks to get packed up and ready to go (gulp!), so I’m trying to tie up numbers of loose ends at the moment before total chaos breaks out. I need to finish off two of my course assignments so that they can go straight in to my tutor when I get back. The essay is nearly done, but I’ve been having big problems with the other one.
I have to produce eight photos on a theme that’s loosely linked to landscape. Doesn’t sound too difficult, I know, but my first idea didn’t work out. I was going to use the notion of nature fighting back against humankind – so, basically, it would have been pictures of overgrown man-made things. I got enough photos, but they just didn’t hang together well as a set and now that it’s winter it’s not so easy to find luxuriant growth taking over anything. My tutor suggested sending them in anyway, but I’m really not happy with them and I don’t want to do that.
Unfortunately the deadline for getting this assignment in is getting very close. I’ve already had a six-month course extension and unless I get two more assignments in it’s unlikely they’ll give me another, and the date for getting these two in is in February. I really wasn’t counting on having to move house at the same time…….
Fortunately, I’ve been doing a little personal project on what I think of as ‘fallen things’ and I’m going to try and pull something together using these. I’ve given it the title ‘Fallen’, which seems appropriate right now as I feel as if I’m in freefall. It’s made me realise how difficult it is to get a set of images to look like they belong together and I’m struggling over the choices for this one. My original idea was they all had to be taken from above, looking straight down – that ruled out a few good ones – and that they’d all include some kind of man-made surface that they’d fallen on to – this is one thing that’s causing me a problem. A few of the ones I’d most like to include don’t have the man-made surface and others that do have it are not such good shots. Another problem lay in trying to keep the saturation and style of colours as even as possible throughout, and I’d like to have had the lighting more uniform as well, but some were taken on overcast days and some in sunshine. And then there are questions like ‘should they all be of leaves, or is it better to mix leaves, berries and flowers?’ And ‘should there be an obvious unifying composition between them, or is that not too important?’ And so it goes on.
Finally I decided just to get the d*** thing in even if it’s not quite right and then I can re-do it later if I need to. But I still have one problem: you may notice as you scroll down that there are ten images here, not eight (including the one at the top). I can’t decide which to exclude and my brain is beginning to hurt, so help me out here – please? Which ones would you definitely keep? Which ones would you leave out? And if you’ve got any other helpful comments to add, I’d be most grateful 
I think this is a great set Gilly. Great graphic qualities with an emotional subtext. I particularly like how colourful the fallen things are – at first I was struck by their beauty but deeper reflection brings to mind the thought of the colour fading quickly.
Personally I’d lose the two apple pictures. Without them the set is more consistent, both in style and subject. I’d keep all the rest.
I think each of these is just beautiful Gilly!
Thanks, Lisa.
From the point of view of consistency I agree with Eileen that the apples could go. However – and sorry to give you more decisions – my initial view was to lose green leaves as it is similar to but not as striking as others (such as Beech leaves). I would also lose pink petals as all of the others have a sense of decay, as if they have fallen as part of a cycle whereas the petal seem too contrived and fresh.
Hope this hasn’t simply confused things even more for you Gilly.
Dave
Eileen and Dave: thanks to you both for the feedback. Dave, yes, it has confused me further but it’s all very useful too. I think you both make good points. Eileen, I can see why you say take the apple pictures out because the rest are more consistent; Dave, I had thought that myself about the pink petals but I rather liked them and wanted to keep them – one of the hazards of trying to edit your own work! I do have some other potential shots, so I can probably substitute something else for any that don’t work. Thanks – that’s really helpful.
I love them all, Gilly! And it’s a tough decision! But if I had to choose two to not use, I would not use the rotten fruit and the pink petals because the subjects in the frame are on a different scale to those in other images.
Thanks, Kirstin – that’s a really helpful point.
Oh Gilly, I do not envy you this task….but surely you’re going to hash and re-hash much more so than anyone else. These images make a beautiful series. My least fave is the first apple shot. I actually like the 2nd apple shot for it’s brilliant colours and diagonal line. The other one that I might be inclined to let go is the one with the brilliant green leaves….the pointy leaves. It seems to come at a bit of an angle more so that some of the others.
My fave shot is the one with the brick edging…the 2nd image I believe. The feathers provide a wonderful surprise too. I also really love the last shot with the diamond shapes/lines.
Good luck. I’m sure no matter what way you decide, it will all be OK…..now get packing. : )
That’s really helpful, Susan – thank you. Between all of you, I’ve got a much better idea of what I’m going to do now. They do say not to choose photos by committee, but it’s more a case of confirming some thoughts I had myself. I’ll let you know how it goes!
And packing? I think the removal men are going to be doing most of that!
so curious as to what you decided to do but i think it is an awesome and so well seen collection! i know i’ll be looking down more often! so glad i stopped by to see this inspiring post.
I find that I do like the ones that have fallen on a manmade surface, there is something about them that hangs them together even more. You’ll have to share the finished grouping, and let us know what you decided! Good luck with move, I know it’s overwhelming and stressful. Take a break with online stuff if you need it! We’ll still be here when you are back.