Yojimbo

Hei Jack, After back from Japan I seem to appreciate your photo better. Does this man need a GPS?

A muscular build with army boots, solitary and approaching a border barrier where any minute some soldiered guards will step out to check his papers. I think he could be an assassin  or government agent.  The presence of good looking bikes does soften 'the edge'.  I do get a sense of Europe in the forties - almost, because there would be no air-conditioned units.  

It feels good to realize from time to time how simple things can be. That's the effect that this image had on me. A classic street b&w. Like it.

Regards,

ricardo

I love the title, since it gives a clue regarding the presence of the lone human figure in the scene.  He appears to be traveling alone, with a backpack for company; there are no other people even watching him as he walks through this community.  Perhaps he is ronin, an object of scorn.  Hopefully, his future hold the key to his regaining his honor.

Exceptionally powerful, Jack.

The more I study the surroundings, the more it fascinates me.  I love photos that give me a sense of place, and particularly a sense of place that feels distinctly different.   Like places that I travel to in my dreams that are familiar, yet alien.  The closely packed buildings along this narrow street (?), pathway.  Those railings at left, and the ramp that seems to lead to a building or shed.  Is there a canal running underneath there?  At right, are those some kind of vending machines?  They look old.  Not 30's or 40's old, but perhaps 60's or 70's?  Then there is that railroad crossing, beyond which the vista seems to open up. The man, looking to his right.  Looking for an address?  Or is there a gathering of the unseen bicycle owners?  A solitary man, walking down a narrow pathway.  I have no idea where this is, or what the area is like in general, but this narrow area has a "come as you are" coziness to it. 

(Ah!  If I had taken the time to look up "Yojimbo" first -- or had been familiar with the film -- more would have resonated.  Gives an interesting coloring to this wandering stranger.)

I always like photos where the entire emotional heart depends on such a small detail as the angle of a head.

For a moment, as Yojimbo makes his way, the whole surrounding hold its breath, Time has stopped! the houses, the trees, the bicycles, the signs... everything is in suspens as he makes it through, No trains, even the security barriers are lifted for him as a show of respect. Jack, what a captivating image you've taken, this is Excellent photography.

Thanks for taking the time to comment on this photo. Some pictures are impressive at first viewing but lose their edge over time while others seem almost an afterthought initially and show their true character only after repeated viewings. They have staying power, like an iconic image from an ongoing story For me, this picture belongs to the latter group.

Jimmie - Sorry we couldn't link up during your stay in Japan. Next time, I hope.

Tony - Thanks for the extended comment. I really had nothing in mind when I took this picture. I wasn't really aiming for any period effect though I agree with you, without the bikes and air conditioning unit this could have been taken 60-70 years ago.

Ricardo - Thanks for your comment on this picture. Certain pictures seem to suspend time in a delicate balance and that's what this picture does for me. Maybe that's what you mean by classic.

Michael - Thanks for the comment. Yeah, the picture suggested the title immediately. I think if you haven't seen the film you can't possibly understand the image of the ronin samurai who senses incipient tension and danger as he enters a forlorn village in the middle of nowhere.

Steve - As always, your powers of observation are right on the money. All these period details are like the brush strokes that give life and form to a painting. Here they provide framework to an ongoing story (and yes that's a canal on the left, probably as old as the town which is pretty old. The vending machines on the right are probably thirty years old at least.) Nothing much has changed here. Like much of rural Japan, it is a village that is falling in on itself as the remaining residents grow older and older. There are very few young people in the countryside; they have all fled to the cities as is the case in much of the world. That's my friend and frequent photography companion, Yukihiro, playing the unwitting role of Yojimbo in my picture. This is his village in Namba. He was walking ahead of me as we were going to the train station to return to Osaka. I was lagging behind shooting pictures as usual when I took this shot.

Jeff - That's a very astute observation and one that I didn't fully appreciate until you pointed it out. Now I see that it really is the linchpin of the picture.

Bachir - Obviously you have seen the movie and know why I titled it like I did. Kurosawa is my all time favorite director. His appreciation and inclusion of the telling detail is without peer, as was his sense of rhythm within the flow of a film and his overall compositional brilliance.

I've had this photo bookmarked since the week you published it. I looked at it multiple times, and multiple times dreamed off into the story unfolding in this photo. It has a terrific amount of story to it. Traces of melancholy, hope, bits of despair, it's all there.

And now, after looking at it for n-th time, I'm giving up on writing a decent normal critique. I cannot get it done. But my oh my, is this a rewarding image to dive into and let fantasy roam around!