'Sisters, Sharing'

Secrets about the Holy Ghost, or about priestly gossip? Who knows for sure

because they're not talking. Two sisters share a confidence in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Your ratings, critiques and observations are invited and most welcome. If you

rate harshly, very critically, or wish to make a remark, please submit a helpful

and constructive comment; please share your photographic knowledge to help

improve my photography. Thanks! Enjoy! john

This could have also been titled "The Whisper" to reflect the closeness of the mouth to ear of the two.From the crease in the jaw of the whisperer,I assume that she would be the more senior of the two and the message is obviously being absorbed with a certain submission given the bowed position of the head of the young nun.Just my take on this excellent image of an intimate moment.I also like the tight crop which futher enhaces this intimacy.

Meilleures salutations-Laurent

You have read this photo precisely correctly, so I'll just direct viewers to your critique above rather than reiterate.  Congratulations on reading it so well.

They are so intimate, one might consider whether this photo implies sexual overtones -- at least there's great intimacy involved, and with the Church and all its secrecy, who knows?  

After all, all those pedophile priests being closeted and molesting in various countries for all those years and never being called to the carpet one knows there has to be some chicanery among clergy, so why not nuns (sisters) too being involved in some sexuality too?  

But then again, I can't be sure these sisters are of the Catholic order or at least a Roman Catholic order rather than some Eastern Orthodox order and await direction from some Ukrainian or Russian expert on such matters to place in their critique which hopefully will appear below.  The cross atop the younger's head covering (what is its name, anyway?) has not been seen in the Western world even among nurses, for decades, so that gives this photo a very dated look to this Westerner.

Also, the younger sister, is in a very nonsexual way, rather pretty, indicating she is a native Ukrainian or Slav, as her agreeable features seem in accord with those one sees on the street.

But this is only a passing moment, and a crop from that, so we will never know most of the answers, unless against all odds one of these two comes forth (or a member supplies us with some answers at least as I requested above about the identity of the religious order).

Best to you, Laurent.

john

John (Crosley)

Laurent Frigault mentioned a 'tight crop' above, but in fact, this is NOT a tight crop, but indeed a very loose one - at least when viewed within the totality of the very large frame and when one considers the real estate taken up by these two women's faces.

However, their habits are essentially so high key and nondescript that they amount to little more than nothingness.  Not complete nothingness, as they are more than matting, but the habits are merely some whiteness with folds, and within that is the very closely seemly touching two faces of the sisters, which makes it appear as though it's a tight crop.

In fact the 'tight crop' is an illusion (to my way of thinking) but one which I endevoured greatly to achieve. I figured the more whiteness of their habits that surrounded the greyness of their their features, the more it would set the faces and their features apart, and apparently I have succeeded.

So, in fact, this is both an extremely loose crop and a very tight crop at the same time.  This is one time when both ways have their own correctness, I think.

One more subject:  The folds of their habits seem to be repeated in the lines of their faces, and so the repetition of their habits to the frame's edges is very important to the framing here.

The more framing (and habit folding) the more it seems that the faces are unified with the habits and arise out of them, sort of like a sculpted faces seems to arise out of unfinished stone from which it is chiseled.

So, to my way of thinking, the folds of the habits give rise across the frame to a sort of repetition, and that repetition is both carried forward, yet interrupted somewhat, by the faces with their folds, which both interrupt and repeat the pattern.

(Got it?  E-mail me if you don't, and I'll try to explain further)

;~)

john

John (Crosley)

Hypnotizing image for me. Absolutely fantastic composition. "Uberskilfull" treatment of whites, very delicately presented story. I am astonished!

I'm not known for my post processing skills, but they did have some play here.  I think you'd be proud of the way I handled this, but I won't discuss it.

This is a crop -- about 1/2 of the frame -- and the extraneous portions have been excised.

I'm overwhelmed by your praise.  Thank you. 

I'm known for more 'gritty' photos, but I can handle the 'delicate' with skill also, I think you can see.

john

John (Crosley)

I read all the comments about this shot. I think it's just a delicate moment of contact of the two like-minded people.

In the end, despite speculation, you're probably right.

If you know or can guess reliably, what religious order are these two women from?  Roman Catholic or an eastern order?

I look forward to your reply.

Thanks.

john

John (Crosley)