Indian Girl, D.C. - 2004

damonff

Wil Davis

Sorry mate, but this one leaves me cold. I do not understand it. I look at it and look, and look, and it still means nothing. It looks like she has a hole in her head…

…is that intentional? What does it mean? Is it some MCP comment or what? The shadows are way too deep, there are precious few mid tones, and one enormous great expanse of white…

…come on, tell me - what am I missing?

God! I feel so bloody ignorant!

…I suppose it must be a brilliant picture, right?

- Wil (The Ignorant One)

damonff

hahaha...it is what you think it is, nothing more. Thanks for looking again and again!

Wil Davis

So if that's the case, then there is nothing there and nothing to communicate…


…so, please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that A Complete Waste Of Time?

- Wil

damonff

Sure, if that's your take on it. I try not to tell people what to see. I saw a moment, that's all. If it moves you, great. If it doesn't, then there are more photographs to check out. I really appreciate your taking the time to try and see something in the photograph though. Great spirit!

Wil Davis

No problem…

…hey, hang on - I think I get it!

…could this be one of those stories like those which that Danish chap wrote, uh, what was his name Hans Christian something or other…

…you know, the one about the Emperor ordering a new suit of clothes or something…



- Wil

damonff

hahaha...good one!

Mr. Quiet

Wil Davis wrote:

So if that's the case, then there is nothing there and nothing to communicate…


…so, please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that A Complete Waste Of Time?

- Wil

Sorry, but I have to agree. When I take a picture, I want to tall a story that most people can read. I think that is what I image should be, am I correct guys?

bdcolen

damonff wrote:

hahaha...good one!

I like it. And what it's about is shadow, texture, pattern. It's visual. Period. I think.
I've turned it into a square, which eliminated the person on the right. If we had a bit more of that figure, and a bit less of the stuff at the bottom, I might not have done it. And maybe I shouldn't have anyway.

But Wil, some of us like some things, some of us like others. Me, I think Ansel Adams is horrendously overrated as a photographer - though not as a photographic innovator, so....

damonff

Thanks bd. Goes to show...

I actually love the old woman on the right side, but I can see why one would prefer a cleaner look. You are absolutely right that the photo, for me anyway, is about stark contrast. A lot of my shots are too blown out for some, but, hey, it's an art form. If everyone shot the same...

rutt

In the original, the negative space carries the composition. B.D.'s crop changes that and forces the figure itself to hold the composition together. As an abstract composition, the original with the strong negative space works best. As a photograph, I can see why you'd consider cropping. But then I like the sense of the old woman watching, pointing my eye toward the main subject. So, all in all, I like the original.

damonff

Thanks Rutt!