Thursday, June 07, 2007

Divine vessel


More than just wine
Shanghai, China, May 2007 [Click to enlarge]


I'll fess up now: I like simple images. Strong shapes and colors often seem to be more memorable than jumbles of either. So as I sat at dinner with the other members of Team Canada, I found myself looking at my wine glass and wondering what it was about the backlighting that made it look so darn cool.

Your turn: What does photographic simplicity look like to you? Is this image really as simple as it first appears?

One more thing: Feel free to share a thought on the title of this blog entry. I'll give you a cryptic hint: There's a Chinese connection. I've also explored wine glass stems before. Do you? Will you?

21 comments:

OldLady Of The Hills said...

LOVE this picture! Love the shapes and the 'I'm-Not-Sure-What-It-Is" quality of it, on first glance. The Color--"Chinese" Red? BEAUTIFUL! No, it is NOT as simple as it looks and that's what makes it "ART"...!

kenju said...

Well, I certainly remember the other wine glass! In this one, I love the background color, and the bands of color reflected on the glass. It isn't simple, when you stop to study it. There is a lot going on in the reflections.

Anna said...

I had to look at this for a few seconds before reading...it reminds me of curves from a womans body. Beautiful Carmi. :)

Anonymous said...

Nothing is as simple as it first appears. The simplicity of the image has a history to it. The creation of the walls, the paint, the table it rests on, even the creation of the wine glass as well as the wine in the glass was created prior to the photo.

Anonymous said...

Ah...What an amazing photograph. I love all the little shapes thata you catch in the bend of the glass. Very cool

I tend to like more complex pictures. Lots of shapes and people and acticon if possible but those always turn out to be far less complicated than people see at first.

Bobkat said...

I love the warm colours in this photo but it's the subdued quality of light that does it for me. I am always drawn to photos that capture the quality of light so that it becomes a subject over the item in the picture. I cna totally understand you being enthralled by this. I often find myself looking at light through items such as glasses. It's the stained glass effect. The light brings something about the lifeless subject alive!

Christine said...

The color in this one is great! The thing I love about your pictures is by focusing in on something, you show the art in everyday things. It's so easy to just see a glass of wine, but when you zoom in, and the lighting is just right, and the color is just right, it becomes beautiful!

HRH Courtney, Queen of Everything said...

Oh, my, I'm having very, um, NON WINE related thoughts looking at that picture. It's lovely, very sensual.

JAM said...

Very nice shot. My problem is that I have a history of wanting to get everything in the picture, and end up with lots of boring ones. I've been trying to make myself see closer, to find what's the most important part of a scene and photograph that as well. An overall shot can be a good way of "record keeping" to remind me of a day or place or trip, but the photos like the one you have here are more the essence of a place. That's what I'm trying to learn to see and photograph.

Christy said...

Yes, at first glance simplicity may be what you see but a more studied look reveals anything but. Love the deep color and reflections.

Anonymous said...

Your photos always call for a second-thought, a closer examination. What trainer for the eye and mind.

I had no idea what it is when the page first loaded. My first thought was some kind of morphed sunrise shot! LOL

Maotai in a martini glass? Cheers.

Chad Oneil Myers said...

Carmi,
I like simple images for such is my style also.

I really like this one because of how you composed it. The way the right tip meets the right corner perfectly creates quite an unique effect. It divides the image up to form more of an abstract work of art.

It's a "simple" image, but the capturing of it was deliberate and thought out. Well done, Carmi.

I like what Anna said about how it reminder her "of curves from a woman's body". I didn't really see that, but I like the idea ;)

Anonymous said...

At first, I thought it was something being poured--something thick and viscous. I like the warmth of the background.

Anonymous said...

The lighting in this picture is, I think, what makes it look so beautiful. Not simple at all.... I agree, it is very sensual.

Michele sent me tonight. :)

kenju said...

Carmi, thanks for the visit. I cannot even imagine you pulling a similar silly stunt!!

Melody said...

This photo reminds me of stained glass windows - the type you find in posh art galleries. Nice one.

I love the way glass distorts things, I have taken many photos myself of looking through glass bottles etc.,. (Especially photos of glasses flowing with the amber hues of beer!!)

The colour reminds me of a cocktail lounge.

Here via Michele today Carmi. Enjoy your weekend.

b13 said...

I thought it was oil being poured. Very nice.

Anonymous said...

I have no idea how the Divine Vessel comes into play but am very curious now.

I love simplicity in architecture, photography and life Carmi.

SzélsőFa said...

It's like honey pouring down from a jar. Sweet and thick.

SzélsőFa said...

and definitely, a woman's womanly part - it is so obvious I feared to mention...but I see others have noticed too... :)

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Yep, I got the lush eroticism of this as soon as I peeked at it.

Nice way to start the day (or it would be if that was a MAN's parts I was staring at!) -- here from Michele now, but I've been lurking in between visits.