Photographer Review: stop and stare

This week, actually this morning, I happened upon a small photography blog.  I saw a couple of the first few photos, and wasn't all impressed.  Then I saw one, and I realized it was a good photo.  So I figured I might as well look around on the other posts and see if there are any more, and I found a whole bunch of good photos.  Some of the pictures up aren't that great; they're headed for greatness, but they just didn't quite make it there.  Others I just didn't like at all.  So, here is the photo that caught my eye in the first place, and why it's good.

I like this one because of a pretty basic principle.  Lines.  Look, straight lines are everywhere in this photo.  The lines lead your eye all over the photo, but there's still an obvious subject.  The reason it isn't a great photo to me is because it doesn't make me feel anything.  I don't hear it saying anything.  Still, a good photo.


Next.

This water pot sequence is wonderful.  Its subject is strong and 'there.'  You get a feeling of the setting, in a kitchen, it's cold and dark in the morning.  The viewer can see the blur in the foreground, meaning that the photographer set his camera on a table, but I think it adds to the photo.  It's good.

This one I like because it's mysterious and sinister.  It looks like two savages are conferring with each other about their plans for the tasty-looking traitor.  Silhouettes (almost) always make good subjects.

This one could be just another amateur photo of a household item, but something draws it above that.  Whether it's the lighting, the slight vignette, or the knowing and sorrowful look of the monkey, (to me he looks like a lower god who knows the human race will be destroyed in days, but he will survive, and there's nothing he can do to help) I don't know, but it's something.

I like this one.  Something about it reminds me of Northern California, at my great-uncles place, and then something makes me think that it's set in Scotland.  I love the man's pose, so frozen, but you know that he's moving.  And with the arm covering his face, it gives the man some kind of anonymity, like he could be your uncle, or your cousin, or your brother-in-law.  I like that the photographer made a sort of collage out of this, with the wood pictures at the bottom.  The wood pieces probably wouldn't have been great on their own, but here they add a sort of ending. Like, here the man is chopping, now here are the results of his efforts.


If you would like to explore for other pictures from this photographer, here is the website: http://kurstenbracchi.tumblr.com/