***APRIL PHOTO CONTEST: SECOND PRELIMINARY THREAD***

Just cannot choose.

This theme reminds me of my 2-dimensional design class my freshman year at art school, way back when.

The first day of class, the instructor gave us all black and white paper and told us to tear it up and make a design. After the group critique, our homework was to work on the idea we explored in class and take it further but keep it in black and white. The next class we all came in with more ambitious work, put it on the wall for another critique, and once again, the homework was to keep going in black and white. It went on like that for weeks. As we tried to outdo ourselves, the work got better and better.

Finally, about midway through the semester, the instructor said, "Keep going with your same idea, but this time add color."

We were all excited. Finally, color! But the next week, everyone's work was worse. Way worse. The instructor was nonplussed. He said, "Let this be a lesson to all of you: if color doesn't add something, it subtracts."

Forty years ago I purchased a book, which I still have, titled "The Art of Color Photography." It delved deep into color theory, such as it was at the time. The over arching lesson I got from that book was that subdued colors were usually more effective in creating a mood than a big splashy mess of red, green and blue, which is pretty much what a lot of us were doing with Kodacolor and other print films at the time. That was the way that Kodak marketed it, and that's what a lot of us thought was good. That book was a big influence for me.

but I made my choice.

Gone to Seed almost got my vote, because the composition is brilliant.Likewise Zen reflections. Repose evoked a love of the human form. And the two with the kids? Well, I'm a grandpa. Enough said...

But...

Waiting for the Leaves

That picture is so engaging, and so beautiful to me because I dearly love trees. There are so many noble and wonderful ones in my neighborhood, and with some I can feel the vibration of the life force and almost hear their voices. All life has a language, I think, if you still yourself and listen.

With Waiting for the Leaves, I could sense the awakening, the quiet creaking of growth, feel the sap running and the buds emerging, and it seemed to me that as I contemplated the photo, I could feel the celebration of rebirth - the ancient cycle of decline, death, birth and life - Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer.

This is just an outstanding photo! It really is!

This was even harder to chose from than the first set of photos.

Thanks!

Kick!