Psychejellific Photo

Photographer’s Note

I swear that at the exact time I clicked for this one, Gal's museum shots were my main inspiration.

Thinking about it on my last trip, I reckon that Bangkok's still perhaps the most attractive "big city" in SEA because it has retained authentic asian charm in some areas (chinatown) coupled to the most contemporary and westernized venues you can find in the region.

Recently opened Paragon mall is the new shopping gem in Bangkok : even in Paris or NewYork, you won't find such concentration of luxury in a shopping center. The genius of the concept is that you can forget that your missus is spending about two months of your salary on some Ferragamo's simple black dress or that small Gucci bag, indulging yourself and the kids in one of the 3 pastry shops or the various food stalls, at ground level, that can cater for approximately 3.000 people, or having fun at the basement level in the biggest aquarium of South Eastern Asia.
The Experience Economy, they call it : the value is in the experience rather than in the product. Another way of smoothly taking your money of your wallet while diverting your attention.

I hope you have already noticed this was shot in the basement level, and not in the pastry shop...

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A PS for parisian people who are longing for a decent aquarium equipment : I have quite good hope that such aquarium, operated by the same company but 3 times the size, will open in 2/3 years time.

don_narayan, ndb1958, tjanze, AnimeshRay, Porteplume has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

pilpel-adom (3016) 2006-02-26 17:04

Very nice concept, Luko! I was about to say "good use of shallow DOF" and then I reminded myself it was dark and you must have bumped up the ISO (which you did) and is quite apparent. Anyway, it turned out great! The timing is good, positioning the shadow of the man on one side, and the Jello on the other side..One dark, one dazzeling...nice..
TFS
Chen

RGatward (19751) 2006-02-26 17:05

I believe you, that's what I thougt from the thumb. God tribute to him here.

don_narayan (2014) 2006-02-26 17:05

Well, you really got some stellar color combinations in this shot, this electric blue is great but the green in the background is even better. The blurry sillouettes are also great. Impressive work.

Narayan

Homerhomer (4005) 2006-02-26 17:56

I swear that at the exact time I clicked for this one, Gal's museum shots were my main inspiration.
==========================================
And I swear that when I locked at the thumbnail I swore it was his image.

Many times when I am looking at your images, while I am very impressed with most of them, they are organized and planned in every inch(which is part of your style I guess), to the point that at times I wish you would have gone a bit crazy, and this one does it for me. I am absolutely in love with this pic, few more like that and you should call our Swiss friend to organize psychodelic/colourfull/museumish exhibition.
The play of shapes, colours, the debth created by the choice of f-stop, is just delightfull, very Gal like.
It also reminds me of jelly fish that stuck to my face while swimming long time ago in the Black Sea (I was 6 or so, I am sure jelly fish was much older than that ;-).

I just wish myself I wasn't colour blind, oh well, will have to do with bw pics lol.
Peter

vapours (7913) 2006-02-26 21:06

Love this shot, a great collection of colours and blurred background, yet at the same time love the sharpness and colour of the jellyfish.

vagabondtravels (6115) 2006-02-26 22:22

Wow. Great capture.

ndb1958 (9249) 2006-02-26 23:53

I agree with your note ... and I love this shot. Nino

Furachan (0) 2006-02-27 2:31

One of the least talked about virtues of the 17-40mm, is its fine bokeh (7 blades, thank you, Canon!) once you get really close to the near subject...
Seriously though, I’d like to take up a fascinating comment by Peter about your Hitchcockian tendencies to control every square millimeter of a frame. Three things come to mind:
a) I believe this disciplined approach to framing us one of your best didactic contributions to TE, it is where you “put your money where your mouth is”, and a badly needed lesson as discipline is often scarce among our membership (me included).
b) It would be tempting to say that here is an example of Luko “letting himself go”. I respectfully disagree – notwithstanding the “softer” look here, I feel you are in absolute control of all the elements, from the psychedelic colors to the Gal-like Platonic shadow show on the back wall.
c) Some might conclude that so much control is too cerebral, and betrays a lack of feeling, but anyone who bothers to read your often lyrical notes will realize that your feel strongly about your subjects.
FInally Iagree with you about the beauty of Bangkok (ever evolving and mutating over the years) – I prefer it 100 times over Tokyo, to be brutally frank.
One has only to wonder down one of the side Sois in the Surkhomvit area to be in a timeless world of walled villas surrounded by tropical flora, a blessedly slow pace of life and the sweet and not unpleasant smell of rotten fruit.
This too goes into my Favs…

naxius (16679) 2006-02-27 2:45

Salut Luko,
Une image vraiment belle, et parfaitement mise en valeur..Entre cet arrière plan flouté et les silhouettes, les couleurs et cette méduse.
J'aime vraiment cette compo.
Un aquarium géant à Paris? pourquoi pas!
Bonne semaine.
Alex

flydragon (0) 2006-02-27 2:46

hello Luko
il a fallu que tu fasses des photos de plongé
aussi a bkk ;o)
je ne connais pas encors ce mall mais l'aquarium
me tente bien, ben ce sera pour le prochain voyage
cette photo est electrikk j'aime ces couleurs et ton
soucis du detail ;o)
bon retour au froid ,o)
••simon••

moxon (457) 2006-02-27 2:55

A shot that makes me smile. Beautiful, startling colours. I was going to say something about DOF and having the people in more focus but then looked again and think that they must be a reflection? Been to Paragon several times but never knew there was an aquarium. Never made it pass the shops...

tjanze (5674) 2006-02-27 3:42

Hi Luko!
Fantastic simple composition.I think colors give a lot to photo.Nice details and sharpness.

shangri-la (353) 2006-02-27 4:08

I like this shot! little bit abstract... medusa floatting in the air... strange & beautiful!
;-)

AnimeshRay (8886) 2006-02-27 19:05

An ethereal presence, its gentle elegance contrasts so sharply with the neon green of the human world. Such contentment in life is only possible in the realm of the non-thinking being.

scotthosner (63) 2006-02-28 0:01

Unique photo for TE imo. Good job catching these colors with the chosen exposure.

Tristan-z (1031) 2006-02-28 1:38

Trés belle image on se croirait dans un réve.

dolin (15647) 2006-02-28 3:49

Salut Luko.
Ben voilà, t'as l'oeil, et ici tu le prouves encore une fois.
Combien de personnes auraient pris ces méduses en gros plan ? Tout plein ! Et toi tu arrives à en sortir une compo avec ambiance des plus fortes.
Le jeu de couleurs est superbes et ces silhouettes apportent évidemment beaucoup.
Bref...je sais pas quoi te dire...c'est très bien vu et bien fait
Fred

(je repasse)

david (3978) 2006-02-28 11:38

i like this shot. the colours are so vibrant and the detail in the jellyfish is awesome. i love your framing. very clever photograph. well spotted!

Galeota (10334) 2006-02-28 16:45

Well, what to say apart from expressing embarassment for being mentioned as an inspiration to someone with your talent. And then, with time, learning how accessible you are to all those willing to learn, and knowing how much you're always willing to share your knowledge with other members, I'll just take it easy, if you allow me so.

The truth is that you've probably brought your knowledge to TE, shortly after this site was created (photog' wise, of course). And the difference between us, is that I took my own knowledge from it.. or from people like you to be precise. In that I won't ever thank you enough for the lessons brought in each of your photographs, and each of your notes. Not only the invaluable technical advises, but also (and mainly, as far as I'm concerned) the mix between rationality and feeling that perspire through each of your images. I do agree with Francis when he says that you are (you seem to be) in control of every element in your photographs. There's geometry, hence a mental construction in each projection of the world seen through your eyes. And, what is "funny", is that your critiques on the site carry the same thoughtfulness and logical accuracy as your own images. YOu're made of coherency. I don't know if that's to be praised as a character quality or not. I do know I regularly am on admiration of your integrity and coherency of purpose. That's why you're recognizable anytime. That's why I can't help feeling a sort of pride being compared to you by some others. But all this is not important..and I know you don't give a s**t about it. Your talent is not TE dependant. TE is dependant on your talent. That is obvious to me, and to many others, I'm sure.

[2] +

nerve (10212) 2006-03-01 7:01

i like the way it looks like suspended in the air somehow..
nice, vivid colours with a superb DOF too. i wish you removed its reflection on its top part though..

Porteplume (3257) 2006-03-03 4:40

Bonjour Luko.

The composition and the colours are such a pleasure for the eyes!
This image is simply "sublime" - don't know if it's also a translation but the word came to my mind right away!- Then why do I wish that little blue thing up/left would be not included? - It's just my "too neat mind of thinking" that always prevent me to be original or creative in my own work I guess... :o))) - Glad you are totally different and in state of making such wonderful work, merci!

keribar (42760) 2006-03-04 2:30

Not an easy shot I know for sure. Sıo sharp for the medusa and such a wonderfol DOF for the background.
Good shot indeed - Izzet

arindam_thokder (3946) 2006-03-13 19:24

Hello Luko,

I thought this picture of Alex Webb was your inspiration. I think I should not waste more words here...AWESOME....AWESOME...AWESOME..

Oh forget to mention..I searched for Psychejellific in Dictionary..."No result found" ;-)

Arindam

zailor (116) 2006-04-12 17:19

I was there 2 months ago tried to make some nice picture , but not so nice like this

wolf38 (13087) 2006-08-12 10:12

Meanwhile I regarded this photo at different times again and again once. Today I regard the picture again. It is a master photo. Additionally to the outstanding composition it is above all also a dominating color photo. The photo will always remain for me in memory. Many greetings, Wolfgang.

Newair (321) 2006-10-30 17:53

Luko,

Beautiful photo, I like the sharp focus of the jelly fish and how it contrasts with the colors in the background. I like the composition as well.

TFS
Alan

klauner (1020) 2006-11-26 16:45

Waow !

Françoise

giorgimer (21524) 2007-04-19 8:00

Hi Luko,

great great image!
Something unreal, welcome on earth E.T.!!