Saturday, April 21, 2007
Play
Comments:
This is all very harsh. From the stonework to the boy's half-cut face. I don't really see this as play but more as threatened. Given the extremes there is a good deal of texture in the stone. I'm having trouble with the jagged edge over the boy's face. This to me is the crux of the shot and I find the positioning just a tad off. Having said all that, I do enjoy the shot as it is throwing up more questions than answers which in my book is a good thing!
Akikana's comment is very perceptive and I am wondering whether there is more to say. There is an interesting contrast between the modernity of the boy's sweatshirt (almost the only hint of play following Akikana's line) and the medieval nature of the stonework. Indeed the latter almost overwhelms the boy in terms of its strength as subject matter; particularly the sharp-edged curves framing the window. That hiding of part of his face makes some sense : the boy is moving around the building and that is presumably the 'play'. It also serves to prevent this being a standard portrait. The picture manages to marry two distinctive subjects well.
Not a typical way to frame a subject in a window! I find the way the jagged shape cuts the boy's head disturbing. His shirt's graphic is not pleasant either. And his look seems somewhat challenging. Those things effectively draw the attention to him, and away from the light, beautifully textured stonework.
"Play" seems an odd title for this, since it does not convey a feeling of play at all for me.
I'm definitely in the 'this picture is disturbing' camp.
It isn't just the line across the face, but also the shape of the mouth and the apparent lack of function in that left arm.
I think it is interesting that I've lost the link between title and content. With hindsight I can understand why. This is taken outside a Turkish Mosque in Crete (ex mosque?, the only one?) with a group of children playing in and around this little building. I took a lot of images as the children played, in some they were aware of me and the camera and in others they were not. The conditions were difficult as it was near sunset with a strong colour cast, deep shadows and fast movement.
I just carried over the group context to a single image without carefully reviewing to see if the title fitted.
Not much to say about this that hasn't already been said, except that from a technical standpoint, this is well done. I always have trouble holding detail in stones like that, but you've managed to do it here.
Post a Comment
"Play" seems an odd title for this, since it does not convey a feeling of play at all for me.
It isn't just the line across the face, but also the shape of the mouth and the apparent lack of function in that left arm.
I just carried over the group context to a single image without carefully reviewing to see if the title fitted.