Agony

[Celebring]

Shot at 28mm f2.8 on Ilford Pan 400 using Aperture-priority center-weighted metering.

Developed in HC-110 1+99 for 10min 40s at 26.5 degrees Celsius (according to my meat thermometer); 1min slow agitation (1 rotation every 2-3s) at start and 1min average (1 rotation every 1-2s) after 5mins. Negatives look like they could do with less development, so more experimenting to do.

Scanned on Epson V500 using VueScan default B&W negative settings, used Photoshop to resize, adjust contrast and sharpen.




My questions:

1. Does this effectively convey the idea of agony?

2. From the technical point of view, what could be improved?

I deliberately chose a shallow depth of field to emphasize relevant parts of the tree, but would having the bottom of the trunk in focus help?

Would more shadow detail be helpful?

I have ample opportunity to re-shoot this, so looking to improve. Thanks for looking and for your comments.

[night86mare]

1. i'm sorry, but i don't get any sense of agony.

2. technically, exposure seems fine to me, but composition is very weak here, the seeming subject, i.e. the trunk with the rough texture is so centrally located. the rest of the picture is also pretty haphazardly arranged, either there is no picture here, or you need to take another more aesthetically pleasing angle.

3. for the last two questions, no.

try to find a better angle, and honestly, i do not see any direct link to agony here, with the tree, perhaps if you could explain it?

[Celebring]

Originally Posted by night86mare ...perhaps if you could explain it?

Thanks for your comments. What I had in mind when taking this was the image of Christ on the cross, and from there the idea of agony.

The perspective would be from the point of view of a person standing at the base of the "cross" and looking up. The pointy bit at the top of the trunk is the chin of a head looking up towards the sky.

The two nearer branches, while not in the classical position, are the arms. The trunk is the body.

That's what I had in mind. This was one of several exploratory shots. Will go back and look at the tree again.

[ssping83]

seems very far fetched to relate this picture with the image of christ.. for me at least..

no offence..

[Jeronleow]

If you have to use tree to express maybe a lonely tree with no leaves with the sun setting down on it in monochrome is a better idea?