Tight Rope

April 30, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 24
Abstract / California / ICM / Impressionism / Inspiration / Photo Log / Photography / Seascapes

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March 15, 2021 — Sonoma County Coast, California

While the house was in the hands of the realtor being prepped for sale, we took off for the coast for a few days. Early one afternoon, clouds cast shadows on the sea. Perfect for intentional camera motion. That shot — one of many, because ICM is a numbers game — formed the basis for the completed picture, which doesn’t look anything at all like what was actually out there. But is does look exactly the way it looks here.

There’s a delicate balance in abstract minimalism. Too much information and it’s close to representative and not very interesting to engage with. Too little and there’s nothing to engage with at all. That’s the balancing act.

(Nikon D850, Nikon AF-S 24-120mm f/4G VR. RAW processing and initial editing in DxO PhotoLab 4.2; Final editing in Adobe Photoshop.)

The Author

California based fine-art photographer featuring abstract, impressionist, and minimalist seascapes — near and distant — and floral-based images. Fine-art photography can be seen at www.amagaphoto.com All original images on this blog are copyright 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 Michael Scandling. All rights reserved. No images on this site may be copied, duplicated, reused, published, or re-purposed in any way without express permission from the copyright owner, Michael Scandling.

24 Comments

  1. Adrian Lewis says

    “But is does look exactly the way it looks here.”. Well I can’t fault you on that one – that’s what I like, good, basic truths and reasoning. 🙂 🙂 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  4. Steve Schwartzman says

    Your balance seems excellent here: closer to the minimal end of the spectrum. There’s also a balancing act in discussing certain topics with people. With those who are overly sensitive, to engage is to enrage.

    Liked by 1 person

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  5. Alessandra Chaves says

    Your work with the ocean and ICM is very interesting and unique. you can say so much with so little. I lived in a place in Brazil for a year in front of the ocean and sometimes the waves were tsunami- like for a whole day then suddenly so calm you would only see the horizon line. The calm contains a whole storm.

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    • Michael Scandling says

      Thank you, Alessandra. I too find it interesting that the same ocean and can produce such calm and such chaos. I love your last statement – the calm contains a whole storm. Poetic.

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      Reply
  7. shoreacres says

    The combination of your title and the photo reminded me of wire-walker Philippe Petit, and his famous words: “If I see three oranges, I have to juggle. And if I see two towers, I have to walk.” Your version might be, “If I see a horizon, I have to photograph.”

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  8. Steve Gingold says

    Engaging! 🙂 Of course we all have our particular vision and in all honesty I don’t think I’d ever see this. So I am glad that you did and I can see it vicariously.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Michael Scandling says

      Thank you, Steve. This is probably a half a dozen steps away from what mother nature actually presented. It’s more like I had an idea in my head and the original scene was a launching pad to get to it.

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      • Steve Gingold says

        I watched a video by Jack Curran, sadly now deceased, and saw how he took what nature gave and worked his way to something totally different. I would guess your process is along those lines. It would take a lot of videos for me to see this as potential in something as seen in nature. No imagination, I guess. I like what I do so can live with that but I wouldn’t mind being able to see this from what would be seen on the shore. But I enjoy seeing your creativity so can live with that as well. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      • Michael Scandling says

        Thank you very much. Sometimes I seem to see you in reverse. I get something in my mind’s eye and something in nature vaguely resembles it. I grab what I find in nature and then manipulate it into what I saw in my mind’s eye. It’s probably because I’m not a very good painter.

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