Comments on: reneta gancheva – bango vassil

By: Reneta

Reneta — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:19:52 +0000

Thanks for the congratulations and criticism! They’re both helpful. Thank you! I am glad I am published!

skiwaves and Vissaria:

it is some kind of traditional cake with walnuts.. as far as I remember.

Reneta.

By: Jamie Maxtone-Graham

Jamie Maxtone-Graham — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:41:59 +0000

I have only just skimmed the previous comments so any deep response to any one of them would be inappropriate. But in them I saw words like ‘craft (lack of), abstract, creative freedom, congrats, professional, originality, loaded with soul’, and so many more just floated past without really feeling meaningfully connected to the images I just looked at.

But one word caught my eye – ‘seeing’. This work seems to be purely about that and it is ineffably beautiful because of that single, simple impulse. No artifice what so ever. It is the moment we must all (hopefully) recall in our own photographic progress and process where it was really about what was right there in front of us and what prompted us to press the shutter button. It was impulsive. Instinctual. And possibly wrong on any number of levels that may matter to any number of more experienced photographers and craftsmen and technicians. But it was pure seeing; snap-shooting at its finest and most eloquent. And, on the other hand, perhaps not even to be complicated by too many words of praise and compliment; the images seem to exist for their own sake requiring neither criticism nor celebrating.

I am envious of Reneta’s clarity, simplicity, lack of pretension and I’m grateful to find her work here today. A simple clear statement to accompany the images as well. In all a lovely moment to behold….

By: m.avina

m.avina — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:17:33 +0000

This essay is a real treat–I like the use of blur and soft focus to get at how things feel rather than how they literally look to the eye. I just got Koudelka’s Gypsies in the mail and was absorbing that last night, and now this–a feast!

By: Charles Peterson

Charles Peterson — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:48:18 +0000

Congrats Reneta! If you were my student I would say that #2 is too abstract, though I really like #11 (might be a bit dark – you could bump up the contrast) for the joy and abandon it expresses. Besides #3 it is my favorite. #1 is a bit too standard for me (at least for an opener – the pie shot might have been better to set the scene) and #10 doesn’t work for me because of the flash and is very standard composition/moment snapshot look compared to the other photos.

Overall I like the mood you created and the glimpse into these people’s lives. Like John Gladdy says – now go shoot more more more!

By: Mike R

Mike R — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:23:26 +0000

For me it’s the photograph that matters, not the technique behind it. Does it move me? Inform me?

Follow the beat of your own drum.

By: LindaO

LindaO — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 02:45:41 +0000

Reneta– Congrats on getting published here on Burn. I’ve been to Bulgaria twice recently and you captured the soul of these people in this ethereal texture I’ve experienced while shooting there. It’s something about this place of old and grounded and musty and energized. 2,3,6,10,11 are interesting pictures. I hope you will consider pushing your work further – outside of the box.

By: damoncoulter

damoncoulter — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 01:08:54 +0000

get what everyone is saying about the lack of photo skills so far and the excess of passion that we hope will never diminish. Really like number 3. Damon

By: tom hyde

tom hyde — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:12:30 +0000

AKAKY:

:))>

By: kathleen fonseca

kathleen fonseca — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 22:24:05 +0000

AKAKY:

:))

By: Akaky

Akaky — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 22:18:02 +0000

You know, I have no clue what Tom is talking about, except that it’s probably a mistake to take him to KFC.

By: mtomalty

mtomalty — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:54:30 +0000

“JIM:
Same old, same old..” Just older, actually.

A nice start,Reneta. Personally like the color palette and the way the warm tones mix with the cool.
Your access seems good so could be a very compelling story to follow this family through their year.
I know i haven’t seen much on this topic so would welcome the opportunity to see more. The motion blur is interesting but I think you have to consider if the blur adds to a picture and you are using it with
purpose or if it is just a symptom of not having enough light.
Frame #2 is interesting but just doesn’t fit with this selection in my opinion

By: panos skoulidas

panos skoulidas — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:27:36 +0000

and Jim trust me..even Reneta will someday “learn” (i hope not) all those “pro tricks” that “sentenced” most “Pros” in boredom, an endless backwards marathon of zero creativity and / or creative non existence…honestly i hope she never “learns”…
we already have enough “pro boredom” Pros around telling us what to do all the time…whats wrong and whats right…we see it in their photos…yawn!!!
smiling!

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:16:02 +0000

This essay is loaded with soul and by that I mean real honest and personal soul. I don’t see Renata attempting to assume the style of any famous photographer like I have so many times, she’s just being Reneta with her camera. Sounds easy but I have a very hard time trying to be myself when I lift my camera to my eye. I hope nobody interferes with Reneta’s creative freedom and lets her keep on flying high and free.

By: panos skoulidas

panos skoulidas — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:10:01 +0000

Jim, what dont you really like here? i mean really…im in the “event”..i feel “accepted”, feel the warmth, nothing creepy, nothing weird…NOT an easy access either…Yes it needs courage and compassion to be accepted in a gypsy family…A good heart too..and a little bit of a free spirited soul…
This is a great story, photographed with love AND style..not cheap mimicking other (Koudelka) gypsy work..
no fake ambitions , not showing off…crystal clear no pretentious photography from an 18 year old…
Hmm i mean really whats not to like here? the originality?
i love originality…wait a sec…dont we all????
hmmm…maybe not? im lost…

By: Ross Nolly

Ross Nolly — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:50:07 +0000

“professionalism has killed more photographers than it has created…”

David; Can I steal that quote for my kid’s workshop this morning? Too late; stolen already! :-)

By: tom hyde

tom hyde — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:04:26 +0000

Give me photos with heart and soul and LIFE, like these, over those “awful perfect pictures” every time. I completely understand why these are on BURN. You are on the right track Reneta, you get the most important thing first, the essence many/most never get, or that some keep trying to get back to after having been stripped, disinfected, ground up and molded into professional pink slime chicken mcnuggets, smug and cynical, old and tired, like every other easily consumed chicken mcnugget that might satisfy for a brief moment but that never feeds the true hunger, and isn’t really good for you anyway. That may not make any sense to you, or at all, but ignore all those perfect mcnuggets and instead, do what you do and just go, go, go. I’m a big fan of organic chicken.

By: Gordon Lafleur

Gordon Lafleur — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:48:43 +0000

Jim, you and I cut our photographic teeth at a time when getting a sharp well exposed image was a minor miracle and a major technical challenge.
Reneta’s generation is growing up in a world where you can buy a camera for under a hundred bucks that will give you a sharp well exposed picture of anything you point it at, in any light, automatically on “P” or “Auto”. Sometimes that is great, but sometimes it is just the “make boring” setting. It’s the difference between what something looks like, and what it feels like. Sometimes, less is more.

By: Harry

Harry — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:48:23 +0000

Wonderful work, great access.

By: kathleen fonseca

kathleen fonseca — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:47:30 +0000

RENETA

Correction: I said this:

“perfect artist statement to appeal to the greatest number of viewers”

I meant to say this:

“to inform the greatest number of viewers”

See? we ALL make mistakes!

kath`

By: kathleen fonseca

kathleen fonseca — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:43:24 +0000

Reneta

You did great! No worries about the English..your original text was full of spirit for your project and to tell you the tuth, some of the funny visuals i got from your errors actually enhanced my viewing experience rather then detracted from it. But it took me some time to realize that and not everyone would go to that trouble. Some would read what you wrote and as Jeff said (GREAT comment by the way!), slam the door in your face. I`m glad i didn`t do that…but i almost did, My bad. There will be plenty of time for you to craft the perfect artist statement to appeal to the greatest number of viewers. But for now, be happy, keep shooting and bring us more, more, MORE!

JEFF:

Ok, i get the d`Agata connections. The claustrophobia, the lighting, etc. so very present in the work of both photographers. I agree with you that #11 has a lot of d`Agata feeling but still cannot figure out for the life of me what i am looking at in #2.

i hope that i didn`t so much “hammer” away at Reneta`s English usage as much as gently suggest that such a statement did not serve her best interests.

I do really like how you think and express yourself Jeff. I know we`ll have more interesting exchanges in the future!

JIM:

Same old, same old..

best to ALL
Kathleen