Honestly? It's neat, but not for me.

Beautiful. Thanks for explaining how you did it, and your thoughts in the prosess.

I like it!

It's interesting, as a piece of digital art, not as a photo, but as an abstract. It's something I'd probably like to experiment with a little myself. Thankyou for sharing it. I like the original photo from which it was created.

I think it's very cool. It's a great piece of graphic art. All kinds of interesting colors and textures. (This cood be a fun mirror image from an amusement park). I did like the original as well.

It's great and very interesting. I'm happy to learn that it wasn't someone's foil wallpaper It is very enjoyable and imaginetive. Please don't do many more.

Jonathan and Gregg: thanks, I like the original too.

Sharla: no, don't worry, it won't be a regular feature ;-)

I agree with Greg, it's a great bit of graphic art, I like this kinda stuff. The colours are fantastic.

Sharla - Sorry, I don't get it...you say it's great, interesting, enjoyable and imaginative...then say don't do many more...eh?

As for the whole photograph/photoblog thing well I really don't give a shit about all that to be honest. Just because these sites are called photoblogs doesn't mean they need to conform to some kind of subjective rule as to what makes a photograph. There are people that complain about HDR being unrealistic, or simply that an image has been processed too much, thus moving it too far away from the original scene...to hell with all that is what I say. The term photoblog fits because regardless of the image posted one simple fact rules above all else...a camera was involved.

Another PC attitude I guess....this time perhaps it could stand for 'Photographic Correctness' though eh ;-)

I'd also love to put in a vote for the original, not that I have any issue with this not being the sort of thing that belongs on a photoblog, but simply because I think it's a superior final product.

I do admire Sharla's frankness.

Sure leaps off the screen at you.

I am simply floored that it came from that original image!

A great idea, but I really don't understand why? I believe that's ok to explore and get creative but this is not a photograph. But.. hey.. you don't have to be dead seriuos everyday. So a fun idea and looking forward to other great ideas.

eterisk: no, it's not a photograph, but then I don't take photographs simply to create photographs, I take them because I want to create visually appealing / interesting / thought-provoking (delete/underscore as appropriate) images. Photography is the medium I use to do that, but it doesn't preclude me from doing other things, every once in a while. So, I guess that this was an experiment in pursuit of that goal.

So now you're a painter ?

I like the original and I like the processed version. Okay... so maybe it would be hard to do something this in the darkroom, but so what. Interesting, after I saw John's image yesterday, I immediately began thinking of images I had that might be fun to experiment with. Great image Dave.

You're alienating your fan base with this whole new genre of artwork; Your old photojournalistic was much more original and appealing.

Cheers,
Cye

Cye: does one image constitute a genre? ;-)

Well, it's digital art and photography at the same time. It's interesting to see that if the message of a photo is direct and intuitive to the people that see it that's ok, but if the author do more than presenting the image itself and altered the image in some other way, people tend to ignore or do not accept the new idea.

When I first saw the image, I thought that you took a photo of some pattern that you've found in the street. After reading your comment, I realize that I was seeing more than a photo. I was seeing the idea and creativity of the author. And if we think that to achieve a good digital photo with quality we must post-processe it in Photoshop or other software, what you did was just to go further than the imaginary limit of the program.

I think an image is the final product, and however you achieve that, it's cool by me. I love photos, but I also love images. This is an amazing image. The photo that it was based on is an awesome photo. Of the two I prefer the original, but I really like this as well. I've totally gone with djn's philosophical perspective that photography is interpretive as opposed to illustrative. The camera might use light (reality) as its medium, but what ends up as the final image always has a degree of interpretation built into it. Anyway, debates aside, I think today's entry is great.

I can't imagine your fans leaving because interesting, artistic, expressive work from your camera. Reads more like some need images like this one to loosen them up a bit.

I like it. Makes me think about oscillating frequencies rippling in some strange soup of alien liquids. Lots of fun checking out the details.

At first, I thought that this was a wild design that someone had painted onto glass a long time ago, and had since faded a bit. I could even convince myself that there were two layers, and that the upper waves were casting a shadow on whatever was a few inches behind the clear part of the glass.
I like it all the more for knowing that it's not a straight photo, and for knowing a bit about how it was created.

Holy 70's scatter cushions. Batman :p

(Does it worry you that I can read the ERP components in that image?)

(Worries me)

(Very Versace palette, by the way)

I like it, I would stick that on my wall. It's a cool piece of art and I would never have expected it to have come from the original picture.
Also, I wonder how many ps trends you and John are encouraging on the internets? I think its great that people will see this and possibly your HDR images and want to try them too. In the next week I expect to see other photoblogs all posting their wave filter shots too! :)

What a transformation, like everyone else I was very surprised when I saw the original image. Some interesting points have been raised. I don't normally like photographs that have been edited too much, but then I feel that sometimes, it can make a great shot better. But this type of picture is not designed to be seen as a 'photograph', rather, simply as art. Art created using a photograph. I think its brilliant, and I enjoy the fact that you will occasionally post the odd shot that is not so typical of a photograph.

I especially like the colours in this shot.

I love it... and Dave put it best we he said ..."but then I don't take photographs simply to create photographs, I take them because I want to create visually appealing / interesting / thought-provoking (delete/underscore as appropriate) images. Photography is the medium I use to do that, but it doesn't preclude me from doing other things, every once in a while. So, I guess that this was an experiment in pursuit of that goal."

the site is called "chromasia" not "original photos from a camera" .. I come to this site everyday to see "art" of one form or another from someone I consider to be very inspiring to see something "visual stimulating" If djn can take a picture and create this.. then thats simply amazing..regardless if I liked it or not it's a form of art and I say continue posting your images whether they're politcally correct "photos" or not.. because whether I like it or not I can still appreciate your art and talent.

When I saw this beautiful creation, I couldn't wait to see what it started out as. Very nice work!

btw, love the untouched original as well.

I really cant believe that people are getting so up in arms about this 'artistic' endevour.

At least it wasn't stiched together from 10 HDR images that were taken with a pinhole holga, crossprocessed with a fake tilt shift effect.

Dave: Don't feel you have to stiffle your artistic side just because a few people who view your blog wont like it!

Hi! Frequent visitor - first time commenter.

I think it's neat looking. It reminds me of paste-paper (which is so much fun... sort of like finger painting for grownups).
However, I like your photographs a lot... and while I don't mind if you jump on that bandwagon from time to time, if you start riding it often I'll be missing the photos.

This has been always a question for me: what is a photograph. Especially today, with all this Photoshop magic. But, when you consider PS as today's darkroom, everything what we achieve processing our images in it, are photographs. This one is a real winner! Very impressive.

Both looks amazing !
It's very difficul to tell which one is my favorite... perhaps the processed one since I'm quite fond of abstract shots. I really like when photography turns into something really similar to modern paintings or to any kind of art actually. This "crossing of the borders" really appeals to me.

Would look wonderful as a canvas print!

If it were ceramic, I'd consider tiling a bathroom with it - positively psychotropic,
I like the original too, particularly the square crop.

You've already got a lot of comments to read and I won't make your life easier, sorry :). I think most of the everyday guests are used to strongly postprocessed images that you put up - IMO it's ok to adjust a picture just to make it look like it should (cameras are not perfect) or even further: it's ok to make it look unnatural, but gorgeous, catchy and more expressive (some would call it commercial, i am not against even aggressively commercialized photos). But this one is (of course) not a photograph, it's just a picture, that would probably work out when made of ANY distorted photo. Although it's a sort of refreshing, I'd rather watch your photographs:). Cheers.

This image is great with grey background.

I really laughed when I read some of how people reacted!
Keep up the experimenting IMHO.

I think the geometric lines in the original photograph help make a more interesting final product that what I saw from johns. But then I suppose I just like patters!

I wonder if this sort of image could be created in camera with some sort of kaleidoscope for a lens??

Anyway thats some marvelous colour :)

My first thought was "another crazy Blackpool thing, my gawd that's one strange place". Then I read your explanation! Really, really cool.

Now I know for sure that I am on the very liberal side of PC "photographic correctness" (thanks Mark). I just don't care how much post-processing was done - anything and everything is "acceptable" to produce what the photographer/artist wants to express or explore.

It's interesting to me that I was unimpressed with the image until I read the explanation and then I was completely captivated. I think the image can't stand on its own two legs ... it needs the support of the explanation. And it's also interesting that I've carefully avoided the word "photograph", using the word "image" instead. Hmm.

lovely picture!

Although not a photograph this is amazing. I love the texture and the sort of splattered paint over the top that goes in waves. Much better than the original.

I mentioned the other day on johnswashington.co.uk, that these sites we all use and visit are called photoblogs and most people who will be visiting will be expecting to see photographs.

And I think its the wrong to label them. I think something more like picture blogs would be more suitable for most of us, leaving photoblogs for the people who just document their lives with little snap shots (of their cats usually) that aren't altered in signifficant ways (the pictures not the cats)...

And in reply to Mark:
There has to be some sort of scale to determine where the boundaries of digital art and photography lie. This is just something which is individual to each of us.
And for me both this and the one on johns are on the digital art end of the scale and not photograph...

Hope that makes sense, and I don't come across like a crazed lunatic :S

I think the cropped version is very 'disposable' - it has an initial graphic impact, but nothing more than that. The larger version is more interesting.

Picture Blog or Image Blog, maybe we should ponder on using those terms..

JD - Yes, you do...but I've got used to you now ;-)

Thanks everyone, and I promise I won't do another 'wave filter' shot any time soon. Well, I probably won't ;-)

I totally dig it.

I like this on more: http://www.chromasia.com/iblog/archives/things_evolve.php

Great shot. Unbelivable you got this from the original!

Kinda amusing that some people feel so possessive of work produced / belonging to someone else.

David, you have my permission to post whatever you please on your blog. ;)

P.S. It's another inspirational, provocative image - the reason many of us visit.

Facinating to look at. Who cares how it came to be - whether it is or isn't a photograph, or suitable for a photoblog.

Plus, you gave me the idea of playing with waves in Photoshop. Then I appreciated this creation of yours even more -- none of my efforts produced anything the least bit pleasing.