wandering

This photo has all the distinguishing features to be as POW. And form my point of view, this photo also has more impact than the pervious one of the last week.

Bozena, I wonder if your intention was to allude to Polish history. Many families were broken and displaced during World War II. Your photo reminds me of that, the mother and child are not wearing modern clothing. Even more it reminds me of scenes in films by Andzej Wajda depicting events from that time. So your photo, which was staged, brings up the complicated relation between actual events, many of which were never photographed or filmed, and photographic or cinematic recreations of them.
gratuluję!!

I almost never comment on a photo but this one caught my attention. If they are models, then the little girl's expression of despair and defeat is worthy of a oscar. 

I love the exposure, composure and aperture of this image. Perfect in B/w!

This image tells a story that saddens the heart. I pray that if these are not models that they find their way. This shot is strong enough to almost bring tears to this man's eyes.

I'm new to this forum, so my comments may be old hat. I like the photo regardless of whether or not it's staged. It's refreshing to see photographs that are not contrived in post production by mashing elements together. I'm a big proponent of getting it in the camera. Now to the photograph itself.
I think the horizontal works fine, however, I may have put the subjects to the right of the frame and or recomposed, if possible, to emphasize the leading lines from the train tracks, thereby allowing them to draw me in to the subjects. Otherwise, I like the propping, the misty background and the expression in the young girl is absolutely believable.

Positives: B&W contrast; misty background
Negatives: Story not conveyed; why are they on what looks like a disused railway line; terrible composition takes the eye straight to what looks like an ill-defined railway sign - all compositional rules broken.
Overall: Strange choice (again) by the Elves; very little to commend it

I recieved this months newsletter from Photo.net - I saw your photo above had been selected as Photo of the Week.

It goes with out saying but I'll say it anyway - Great looking image.

and it made for a great excuse to stop back by Photo.ne t again as I haven't been here in a while to take a closer look and say congrats on it being selected.

well done Bożena

- chase -

Nice photo but it seems...well, staged. Was that the intent? If this is supposed to evoke a bygone era, the two people look way too neat and clean and the white bag looks like it came from Walmart :\
Sorry, Elves, this one is a close-to-missed, I think.

Great photo, spotless composition. Is it a candid shot or is it staged?

Great photo - spotless composition. Is it a candid or is it staged?

Wonderful. It shows a universal bodylanguage...

I like the fact that they are unaware of the camera.

It's worth the discuss the subject of the photo. the idea is nice. If the models were closer the work would be better. Great work !

This image is very compelling to me due to the contrast of the dark clothing and soft gray industrial fantasy-like background.  I keep finding myself looking back again and again to the white bundle... perhaps because of the stark contrast with the dark clothing. "What is she holding? Is it a baby? Is it food? Hmm..."  I love the element of mystery that it introduces!

The only thing that bothers me about the photo is the bright background behind the girl. For me at any rate it keeps distracting my eye from the rest of the picture. Have to say though I would be more than proud If I had a photo half so good.

Although I liked the photo for the grittiness it presented by the background, I found it overall too staged. The models seemed stiff and and not engaged with each other as if they were two strangers and not a family coping with daily life and strife.

me gusto la foto, aun cuando se puede ver que está preparada, los colores las modelos el vestuario todo. Me sugiere una pequeña discusión entre ellas, la chica menor se detuvo y la mayor se detiene también e intenta dar razones para la pequeña niña. Pero esa es mi percepción.
Aún cuando sé ingles te respondo en mi idioma que es el Español, para decirte que está bien aprender el oficio. yo he aprendido bastante, pero nunca como para llegar a ser profesional, aún así el arte es arte, y me molesta cuando siendo algo tan libre, el arte como expresión total y absoluta del ser interno, se encapsula se normatiza y encuadra en reglas ridiculas, que a los unicos que les importan son a los que no tienen un talento o instinto artistico natura. Esta bien que haya reglas, no lo niego, el arte también necesita moderación, pero creo que si hacemos caso a todos los consejos que nos dan para mejorar una toma entonces se perdería una parte fundamental de la idea artistica en cuestión, hay veces en que las cosas puras son arte igual y por ello son bellas, aunque no para todo el mundo!!!
A mi me encanto la foto!!! felicidades
saludos desde Chile

The environment is quite peculiar, almost post-war.The composition is excellent, the exposure and contrast are fine and the theme, indifferently if set up or real, alerts the minds.Whether by war or a natural disaster anyone of us can be forced to be a wanderer.Beautiful work Bozena.My best regards.

I think it's a strong and emotionally impactful photo.
The point that I would like to add is that the awkwardness of the composition is infact congruent with the awkwardness of being displaced, lost or disenfranchised. In this context, the composition contributes perfectly to the theme conveyed. Moving an element here or there or changing its tonality may make for a technically more balanced and pleasing general composition, but it would not be as effective in delivering the message. Being balanced and pleased is not what this photo is about.
Appreciate your work greatly - keep it up.

 

Initial impact... great. On closer look the clothes look to crisp and clean though staged in an attempt to look otherwise. I may be wrong but that was the empression.
Still a great compsition that catches the eye and draws you into the image.
HSS

My interpretation, before reading the comments, was that this is an artistic, compelling social statement about the poor, displaced, human beings of the world. A mother and child lost in a cold, uncaring, industrial world, with only the clothes on their backs and a small white cloth bag holding their meager belongings. Bożena has presented her idea of what this might be like and it stirs feelings of empathy. She has done it very well I think. She is an artist who, with the help of her models, made a haunting, artistic, statement on a horrible, ongoing reality for too many people on our planet. It may not be technically perfect but it has the great virtue of creating emotion and this is what makes it compelling. She has done this with both this and last weeks photos. I think both images grabbed the elves attention because of their emotional impact. She has done this with integrity. She didn't claim that this was a real situation. She even apologizes for not having better props.

It is very interesting to read the different interpretations of this image. We all see, analyze, assimilate images through eyes that have judged their own personal and unique experiences over a lifetime. John A sees a child who is “obviously sulking” I see desolation, exhaustion, confusion in her face. Some don’t like the staged aspect, some see the technical problems like the blown out bag or the shiny shoes. There are some who don’t like to see any digital enhancements. I understand this, and am not trying to argue with anyone about their own personal judgments here.

I don't see that a big difference in using one's creative energy and vision to create and choreograph a beautiful, moving ballet, a novel, a painting, a beautiful peice of music or a dynamic photo. It all comes from the artist's creative soul. I will take an image that has spirit and soul over one that is technically perfect any day.

Brilliant!

Too few of us use black & white. It is still the standard of photographic art. Nitka uses it well, blurring the background and allowing the subject to appear dramatic and dominant. Knowing that these shots are posed rather than candid spoiled it for me. That's one of the problems of being an insider, I suppose.
Still, good work.

nice shot it has a lot of felling you can see by her face expression. 

 

It's like something out of the past. Interesting subject matter.

Thats a great shot, beautiful composition, well executed.Gratulacje !!!