Sunday, December 09, 2007
Hangzhou Provence
Comments:
Funny how your travel bring me back three years back.
Not the same places, but it looks like China is quite uniformized (if that word exists in English).
Quite a different type of photo compared those with the boats and water.
Though this is a very foreign place to me, I am struck by similarities. If the signs were in English and the plants familiar, this could almost be a newly constructed development in Florida -- a depressing sight, so the brown tones suit my mood there.
Christina points out the globalisation aspect of this: I'm sure I've seen those houses in developments in the UK! Only the facade of tired trees, earth verge, Chinese signs and the worksheds remain of the country. The wires don't look British, American or even Latin American so, without ever having been there, they must be Chinese! Amongst the wealth of detail, there is a guy standing looking rather lost through the gate.
The tinting might once have stood for old photos but here is being used to look into the future - interesting touch!
I like the way that you've controlled the content with the three wires top left. To me they bring out a three dimensionality in the image that would otherwise be lacking.
"To me they bring out a three dimensionality in the image that would otherwise be lacking."
And they keep the eye from wandering off the edge of the photograph.
I was feeling like this needed a human element, until I saw the figure past the gate. The human element helps resolve the contradiction between foreground and background.
It has a great feeling of urban blandness about it. It strikes me that the line of flags is an almost futile attempt to undo that blandness.
I think I must be going through a different visual phase to the other members of the group; at the moment I don't see that man as a real contributor to the composition or message.
I didn't really focus on the man at first. On a return visit though, that "square" framed by the gate area became a picture inside the picture -- and there he is a major piece.
Those telegraph wires add so much speed to the shot that you sail by without really looking closly. If others had not mentioned the figure I would have missed it. I think this shot requires something a little stronger in the backround to really hold you in - there are many competing elements and not one of them really jumps out at me.
Thanks all for your comments. This was taken at dusk, with the sun knocked out by all of the smoke & haze from the burning rice fields. My eyes were smarting from the smoke. This was an a little industrial area in the middle of farm area, area also famous for 'white' tea.
To be honest, I did not realize that I had framed that person in the gate way, but as I was editing the half dozen images taken, I found him and thought that was the little bit needed.
Those flags above the enterance give a little life to a very dreary looking industrial area.
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Not the same places, but it looks like China is quite uniformized (if that word exists in English).
Though this is a very foreign place to me, I am struck by similarities. If the signs were in English and the plants familiar, this could almost be a newly constructed development in Florida -- a depressing sight, so the brown tones suit my mood there.
The tinting might once have stood for old photos but here is being used to look into the future - interesting touch!
And they keep the eye from wandering off the edge of the photograph.
I was feeling like this needed a human element, until I saw the figure past the gate. The human element helps resolve the contradiction between foreground and background.
I think I must be going through a different visual phase to the other members of the group; at the moment I don't see that man as a real contributor to the composition or message.
To be honest, I did not realize that I had framed that person in the gate way, but as I was editing the half dozen images taken, I found him and thought that was the little bit needed.
Those flags above the enterance give a little life to a very dreary looking industrial area.