Carefree

I deliberately printed it dark, trying to capture the way the scene

looked through sun-glasses, against the dazzling sunlight. I thought

she expressed the carefree holiday feeling of enjoying the perfect

combination of hot sun and cool Atlantic Ocean.

 

What do you think? Comments and crits are welcome.

I personally do not think your portfolio has space for a image of this quality. It could distract from some otherwise lovely work. I have found another series of the same lady in the doorway series, there are probably only 4 or 5 that are worth doing something with, are you interested? If so I shall email them to you and you can at least give me a opinion of what you think.

Yes, please do. I'd be interested to discuss them.

 

I agree this is different from much of my other work in that I have not captured an especially elegant moment - indeed she did not look very elegant (people rarely do when running through shallow water). But there was an exuberance about the way she was enjoying the situation: she is not really a nude, she just isn't wearing anything - and that same feeling is reflected in the slightly unclear (because of the high contrast) photo.

 

I have tried to recreate what happens when you look up from reading the paper, having heard a noise, and for a fleeting moment you see a scene which is somehow beautifully emblematic of the situation ... and then it's gone, but the picture stays in your mind like an after-image, not clear enough to examine in detail but just the essential elements - a naked girl running, the sunlight, the splash of the sea, the dark shadows of the rock, the distant island in the haze...

 

Maybe I should play with some blur etc. to bring this out more clearly - I'll experiment further.

I think you've succeeded with your goal in this picture, which is to capture the flavor of the beach in an all-too-short summer. I would add that you've as usual managed an interesting composition, what with the placement of the rocks, the dry sand, the wet sand, and in particular the distant peak. I can't for the life of me see what's wrong or awkward with the position of the figure; she bespeaks exuberance.

I can see where the penon could be seen as too dark. But to lighten it would take away the reflection in the shallows. The cheap way would be to pose the subject more centrally to give her more status.

 

BUT..... it is her position to the right that gives the photo its timescale, emphasising the space in front, the anouncement in the reflection, the beach she is running onto rather than the sea she is running away from. The onlooker is spiritually to the left watching her come on. That is where Jonathan achieves his goal of capturing the optimism of the fleeting moment. In that respect, the penon is the sleeping giant, oblivious to the daring naturist runner.

 

Wonderful!