It’s me, the_abecedarian and for reasons that are a complete mystery, I was drawn in by photos of disobedience and rulebreaking this week. We’re starting off with a dumpster fire (lol), some wicked watersports, blurry ‘n’ grainy birds, a moon- and aurora-lit nightscape, and a sharp ‘n’ berry-grabbing bird, all of which I have processed through my psyche to have symbolic meaning that you can vibe with or totally disregard.
Gallery Gems
Colten.photo captures the joy in disobedience in vivid color. The diorama is a masterclass in using complementary colors to get a visual pop that can’t be ignored. The careful use of depth of field lets you see the whole scene, but keeps the focus on the subject. It’s not just the fact that a dumpster fire was set, it’s the effect that doing so had upon the subject that is depicted here.
Maybe you’re more of a water-based rulebreaker? Well, SuperIrish has you covered. Here, the rules are explicit and foregrounded while the kitesurfer (I think?) zooms by in the background. For me, it’s a reminder that, whatever limits the powers that be may impose on us, it doesn’t mean we have to respect them.
Anxiety over what ominous, shadowy groups may be up to is unfortunately a feature of our age. Owl Eye’s choice of high-contrast, black and white and Daido Moriyama-style are, bure, boke (grainy, blurry, out-of-focus) set the mood and bring our eye to the birds in the center of the frame, while the edge of the rearview mirror separates us from them physically.
Dave M’s composition here makes the moon the subject, with a subtle treeline for context, a bit of aurora providing an ethereal note, and the barest reflection of water at the bottom of the frame. Despite the thread title, I take the moon in this shot as a symbol of hope. It is a light in the darkness, a means of navigation, an ideal that is only faintly reflected on the planet below.
Community Collaborations
The OMS Bird Club
Managed by Ezo
Okay, look I’m sorry for the bird slander earlier. Here’s a cute li’l sparrow eating a blackberry! We are treated to an incredible composition from Siftu: the berry in the beak is placed at the center, with the bird reaching forward and the branch reaching out to meet it, all against a painterly, out-of-focus background. If it’s time to get ready for a long winter, let us focus on these moments of abundance to see us through.
Thank you for being in my feels with me this week and for checking out the latest and greatest from these talented artists. Be sure to click through the gallery links and their social/website links to see more from the series presented. There is a lot more to see!
Be with your community and build solidarity,
the_abecedarian
Please take a look at my website for more of my work!