our porch abstracted Photo Gallery by Patricia Lay-Dorsey at pbase.com

our porch abstracted

One recent sleepless night I discovered Phil Douglis's photo galleries on PBase. Phil is a teacher who has put up an instructional cyberbook called Expressive Travel Photography: communicating with pictures. Within this cyberbook are, at present, 47 galleries, each highlighting a different topic using Phil's photos and text as examples. His commitment to an interactive teaching approach shows in his posted responses to each comment made by viewers.

These galleries are quite a resource for any photographer interested in expanding their knowledge, intentions and expressive abilities. I took to it like a duck to water. In fact, I stayed up until 4:20 a.m. that morning examining and responding to twelve of Phil's photos in Gallery One: Travel Abstractions -- Unlimited Thought. The next day I found that Phil had responded to each of my comments and had also come to visit my galleries where he'd left helpful comments about a half dozen of my photos and galleries.

The photos in this gallery were influenced by what Phil's gallery triggered in me. My intention was to express the essential character of such ordinary scenes as my swim suit and towel drying on a chair, and Annie Leibovitz's book--a gift from Carol--that I'd just finished going through for the first time.

If you feel so inclined, I'd like to hear your responses to these photos. Do memories surface as a result of seeing them? Do I give enough information for the photo to stand on its own? Do you have suggestions regarding improvements I could make in my use of expressive abstraction in the future? Does this make you want to try it yourself?

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an nguyen 13-Nov-2007 00:33
I am very inspired by this gallery. Thank you Patricia, now I look at abstract in a whole new meaning.

Carol Rollins 06-Aug-2007 16:30
Thank you Patricia. I will definitely check out Phil's galleries. I already found out that he is based in Phoenix, only about 240 miles from me!
Now I will look at your images.

Guest 06-Aug-2007 14:40
You're such an inspiration, Patricia.

Guenter Eh 06-Aug-2007 12:33
„There is a magic inherent in every new beginning,
protecting us and helping us to live.”

From Hermann Hesse's poem "Stufen" (Stages), published in 1942

JSWaters 06-Aug-2007 05:50
Welcome, Patricia, to the world of expressive photography. Your reaction to Phil's galleries and teaching methods are similar to my own. I hope you find the tools to growth satisfactory here and the stimulus enough to keep you searching.
Jenene ( A fellow PD follower)

Phil Douglis 06-Aug-2007 04:37
Sorry I kept you up so late, Patricia -- but glad you found my galleries. I like what you are doing here -- taking small pieces of a familiar place and re-examining them photographically. Your images say a lot to me about life itself.
I will comment in more detail under your images, and I hope others will join in as well. Thanks for practicing abstraction in this way. I would think it helped you see your familiar porch in unfamiliar ways.

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help	private comment

an nguyen		13-Nov-2007 00:33
I am very inspired by this gallery. Thank you Patricia, now I look at abstract in a whole new meaning.

Carol Rollins		06-Aug-2007 16:30
Thank you Patricia. I will definitely check out Phil's galleries. I already found out that he is based in Phoenix, only about 240 miles from me! Now I will look at your images.

Guenter Eh		06-Aug-2007 12:33
„There is a magic inherent in every new beginning, protecting us and helping us to live.” From Hermann Hesse's poem "Stufen" (Stages), published in 1942

JSWaters		06-Aug-2007 05:50
Welcome, Patricia, to the world of expressive photography. Your reaction to Phil's galleries and teaching methods are similar to my own. I hope you find the tools to growth satisfactory here and the stimulus enough to keep you searching. Jenene ( A fellow PD follower)

Phil Douglis		06-Aug-2007 04:37
Sorry I kept you up so late, Patricia -- but glad you found my galleries. I like what you are doing here -- taking small pieces of a familiar place and re-examining them photographically. Your images say a lot to me about life itself. I will comment in more detail under your images, and I hope others will join in as well. Thanks for practicing abstraction in this way. I would think it helped you see your familiar porch in unfamiliar ways.