'All in the Arms'

A kiosk worker prepares to slice some chicken for a Middle Eastern flatbread

sandwich, while an old man leans on his cane, and through similar arm

positioning, the men mirror each other. 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

There was a recent long discussion in the street forum here about photographer's 'intentions', e.g., whether photographers 'saw' all the details they captured, or whether they captured, then the explanations and the detail were something that was captured became part of the richness of their captures that was discovered later.

I did not participate in that forum discussion -- it was too long, but I would have used this photograph as an example.

I did not 'see' the exact arm curvature of the man about to slice the marinated sliced chicken on a spit and compare it to the man, right, seated, and his arm on a cane, but I was somewhat aware that there was a comparison to make and took several frames, hoping that in the course of those frames (two or three) that some serious 'mirroring' or 'juxtaposition' would be evident, as there proved to be.

So, in part, this is not pure 'intention' to show the exact 'arm curvature' as 'mirrors' but it was my intention if such an occurrence were to present itself in a microsecond to capture it and to 'find' it in my capture, as I did.

That is the difference between full 'intention' and 'partial intention' as opposed to mere long later discovering some interesting comparison between the two subjects.

john

John (Crosley)

In full examination, though one can focus on the 'arms' of the seated man, right and that of the cook slicing the marinated spit-roasting chicken for middle eastern felafel, this photo is a bit more than just capturing the arms.

The comparison may escape at first look.

Consider that the man, right has his arm/hands attached to a cane/which forms a long straight line at near right angle to his hand.

Now consider that the cook's arm is in near contact with the marinated chicken roast on a spit -- a long straight line nearly perpendicular to his arm.

Aha, another part of 'mirroring' that is not evident (at least to me) at first glance.

That insight is something that was 'found' later and not part of my intention, which was focused solely on the two men and their hands.  I hadn't considered the split and the cane, although I am sure they entered my subconscious as I was shooting -- and caused me to feel 'good' about depressing the shutter.

Now I know why I felt so good about this capture and kept looking at it; it was slightly more complex than I first gave it credit for.  Sometimes 'details' can be discovered later and are NOT part of the photographer's conscious intention.

john

John (Crosley)

Best regards

PDE

Thank you for the compliment.  I was a little unsure if this was too subtle, so I provided some pointers; I hope that was not too off-putting for the more experienced members.

Thanks again.

Best wishes.

john

John (Crosley)