Stunning Photographers

Nov 15, 20129 min read

Deviation Actions

Published: Nov 15, 2012

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From time to time, I highlight people that I have come across on DeviantArt whose work I think particularly good. Here are two of my favourite photographers whose images, techniques and creativity I admire and sorely wish I could emulate: Insolitus85 and feigenfrucht

Insolitus85 (Rowan) is a photographer with a diversity of vision that astounds my tastes in photography: abstract, infrared, conventional, exposure techniques, monochromes, aspect ratios (especially the square format), combinations, tone-mapped hdr, patterns (including kaleidoscopes), jaw dropping complexity and stunning simplicity - all produced with consummate ease . Here are some of his works, reflecting this diversity, with short comments.

This fine, long exposure image in square format is a highly abstracted coastal view, presented as a study in subtle greys. Note the compositional devices of the lead lines and the horizon on a "third".

Abstraction in architecture, with the dynamic nature of the structure reflected by the diagonals.

This is a "kaleidogram", constructed from an image of floor tiles!

An "instagram" from a smart phone camera - who needs a big beast DSLR when you have this photographic eye?

Rowan is one of my main contributors at the Infrared-Club (Extra-Visible Imaging) and this is an example of the work he makes in this more specialist field.

I was particularly struck by this image - a tone-mapped HDR image of a canal in the Netherlands. This reminds me of Netherlandish painting from much earlier times, for example the works of Ruisdael.

An unashamedly abstract colour image made with a fairly long exposure (1/6th second) while on a walk about town - dynamic and dramatic.

If you post on DA be sure your ID will be found!

Style and simplicity are summed up in the image, one that has earned Rowan a Daily Deviation. .

Finally, a stunning panorama of Rotterdam made from 4 images and enhanced with some HDR techniques, again technically and compositionally of the best quality.

Would that we all had such talent! Please visit Rowan's page

My second choice is feigenfrucht . One of my best friend on DA, feigenfrucht and I have worked together on ArtWorldToday and more recently I have been privileged to help her run , a Group that looks for images that are out of the ordinary, that are odd, that are non-real! In many ways is a parallel group to my Infrared-Club (Extra-Visible Imaging). Whereas my group targets images that the camera can “see” that our visual system cannot, focuses on what the individual photographer can see that the rest of us almost certainly miss.

However, while we have been working together, until recently I had not looked at feigenfrucht's own photography. When I did, I was as astounded at the creativity and vision in her work as I had been with Rowan's photography. In addition, feigenfrucht sometimes uses a very special lens (f/1.0 Voightlander) to devastating visual effect. As with Rowan, feigenfrucht turns the ordinary into abstract and takes us into that non-real world that she can see and bring to us with her camera. Here is my selection from her extensive portfolio.

:thumb337597350: Simplicity itself, but beautifully captured notwithstanding the very limited tonal range; note again the use of the compositional device of placement on a "third".

:thumb295053328: The use of symmetry in images is an often overlooked technique, but here feigenfrucht uses it to good effect to produce that "odd" feeling from a commonly seen object.

:thumb257246660: The title (Lost II) and image are in harmony with this shot. How many of us have been stuck in such a situation feeling were are out of our comfort zone?

:thumb337222263: When I first saw this I thought it a pure abstract painting, but it is a capture of natural patterns that leads to the abstraction.

:thumb284621263: This striking image with its reduced palette of colour and dramatic reflections gives pause for thought - should the horizon be sloping?

:thumb287278715: As with Rowan, feigenfrucht's work has attracted a daily deviation from DA with this macro work. The idea of a simple and elegant study.

:thumb327561055: This fern shot hits the spot with the use of the f/1 lens, a combination of simplicity and complexity.

:thumb305497029: Feigenfrucht is a real master of the very selective depth of field.

:thumb262343212: There is a host of excellent colour shots of flora in feigenfrucht's gallery. This is one of dozens that I could have picked - I'll just pick the frui,t I said to myself (Now, I'll have to explain that that is a pun - pick the fruit... pick the image with the fruit....geddit!).