I think what is left out of an image informs the mind and appeals to emotions and imagination in a very personal way. The photos here were composed with that in mind and best illustrate how I connected with the subject and why I took the picture. The creative process is very different from cropping for details and removing unwanted information, an activity that can occur hours, or days after the "click." These are the result of an instant decision.
I was captivated by these windows at the home of our French hostess. The casual draping and knotted exterior curtains suggest an exuberant family lifestyle (and, indeed, it is!)
We were lucky there were so few people at Etzna. In our solitude, I could look at these old worn steps and hear the whispers of the ancient Mayan civilization. I thought this simple silhouette expressed it best.
Mere Point, Brunswick, Maine. 23 June, 2009
The summer of 2009 may well be remembered as the worst summer in years with hardly a peek of sunshine. It was, however, a photographer's dream for the rich saturated greens and wildflowers. You don't need to see the pines to understand their towering majesty.
This old place has been abandoned for as long as I can recall and I have photographed it hundreds of times. Plants are growing between the porch floorboards, the curtains hang in tatters, but if you peek through the windows, one has the sense it was recently vacated. All manner of debris litters the property and it is impossible to walk around the house except in early spring when the tall grass is matted and the nettles and bushes have not yet pushed their way through the previous year's growth. On one such day, I made my way to the back porch and it too, was a jumble of discarded items. The trees were still bare permitting a slant of sunlight to fall across the wall and door obliterating the mess and, for one moment, creating a dazzling scene.
Autumn is a glorious season in Maine, a season for walking and on this day the church loomed in front of me of me dividing the vivid sky behind the red berries with the resulting unexpected composition.
Experimenting with vivid colors and a skewed perspective.
Today's link from "You Must Remember This."
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Amazing post! Thank you. Barbara
ReplyDeleteThat abandoned house sounds amazing -perfect for halloween! Fall in Maine sounds heavenly, probably the best time to visit I take it?
ReplyDeleteThank you Barbara!
ReplyDeleteStefan, I will rummage around in my files and do a post just on this house for you. The town of Brunswick owns the property, and one of these days, will probably tear it down for a parking lot (seriously.) July through October are our best months...your room is ready!
I think nobody could offer resistance to your remarks or to your execution of the art of editing. Apart from being very appealing and also simply 'strong' as photographs, some of these images will move everyone in almost exactly the same way -- and this is true not merely where you offer no choice (the brilliant Mayan silhouette), but also where you do (the curtains). May one add, it seems appropriate to place equal moral value on both images; I could not possibly say, one is more important than the other.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful presentation to consider.
Laurent ~ You have intuitively put your finger on exactly what I try to capture with my camera...my sincere thanks for that and for your kind comment!
ReplyDeleteI love this style of photo - and that first one is particularly spectacular. Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Rachel!
ReplyDelete