The Circle

RSL

Here's one that launched an extended discussion on Luminous Landscape. Let's see what happens on Street & Pajamas.

lizzard_nyc

RSL wrote: »

Here's one that launched an extended discussion on Luminous Landscape. Let's see what happens on Street & Pajamas.

This one leaves me cold.
I don't know if it's a boy or a girl, the child looks unkempt and he drew a circle around himself, almost like a protective circle (that's what I read into it). The POV too makes the child seem solitary, like no one else is around just you. Disquieting.

RSL

Exactly, Liz. How do you suppose the kid drew that perfect circle? There's another perfect circle off to her left. (I'm not sure, but I think the kid's a girl. In any case, it's important to the picture for the kid to be generic.) She doesn't have a string that would help her draw circles that perfect. Did she draw them or did somebody else draw them? Yes, the kid's skinny, has stringy hair and dirty feet. Why is she out here on this dirty concrete floor? What does her elaboration on the circle mean? Why is she drawing that wide mark toward herself with the side of the chalk? Yes, camera POV or not, the kid looks very alone. What does that fence behind her mean?

And that leaves you cold?

lizzard_nyc

RSL wrote: »

Exactly, Liz. How do you suppose the kid drew that perfect circle? There's another perfect circle off to her left. (I'm not sure, but I think the kid's a girl. In any case, it's important to the picture for the kid to be generic.) She doesn't have a string that would help her draw circles that perfect. Did she draw them or did somebody else draw them? Yes, the kid's skinny, has stringy hair and dirty feet. Why is she out here on this dirty concrete floor? What does her elaboration on the circle mean? Why is she drawing that wide mark toward herself with the side of the chalk? Yes, camera POV or not, the kid looks very alone. What does that fence behind her mean?

And that leaves you cold?

About the circle, who knows who drew it and if the child is just adding markings to it (though I do think the circles were already there). I can't analyze why the child is drawing certain things in the circle because it's impossible to read a child or their motives. I find myself surprised daily by their reasoning.

It leaves me cold because it's not a comforting shot. Mainly because the child looks so unkempt and alone and before you go saying "pajama shots are not meant to make you happy", I know this. I'm just saying that is my reaction.

RSL

lizzard_nyc wrote: »

Mainly because the child looks so unkempt and alone...

And that reaction is "leaving you cold?" Maybe we don't both mean the same thing when we say "leaves me cold."

lizzard_nyc

RSL wrote: »

And that reaction is "leaving you cold?" Maybe we don't both mean the same thing when we say "leaves me cold."

Could be as I am unfortunately known for getting my idioms wrong. So I googled "leaves me cold" and turns out you are right, "Lack of emotion or response" is not what I meant to say. To me that expression meant leaves me apprehensive, with my hair standing on my neck.

RSL

Fair enough, Liz. That makes sense too, even if it's not the usual meaning of the idiom.

DonRicklin

RSL wrote: »

Fair enough, Liz. That makes sense too, even if it's not the usual meaning of the idiom.

In reading Liz's comment I took her to mean what Liz says is how she meant the idiom. Maybe this is because I know she live and shoots in NYC!

Interesting shot, for sure, with lots that could be read into it. Where was this shot?


Don

RSL

Don, I shot it on the floor of an open-air auditorium here in Manitou Springs, Colorado. Kids hang out a lot in the place because of the stage. Usually they're not this young. Here's another shot from the same area. The two guys are on the stage.

Richard

I think disquieting is the right word for the first shot. We see some signs that may mean distress--skinny, no shoes, stringy hair, alone--but ultimately we can't conclude anything with much certainty. She might just be a perfectly happy, skinny kid amusing herself in a schoolyard--the gate at the top and bright light beyond suggest to me that she is in some enclosed area. One can read many stories into the image, which makes it successful.