Inside Outside

Jack..What caught my attention is the down mask and the cigarette in hand...is this kidding oneself?Great timing and telltale shot!Salutations-Laurent

Laurent has a point - the mask and cigarette look weird (at least to European eyes) .... somehow they are an embodiment of typical human inconsistency. Anyway, what I like about this photo are the different layers that blend into each other and challenge the viewer's perception - the dark area (probably the van's seat) mirrors the man's posture and could be his alter ego.

Hi Jack: I am so very glad that I have made it like a daily routine as if pouring green tea upon awakening from the tatami. I need to visit your Portfolio, never a deception. Immensely complex and multidimensional. IMHO an iconic, present moment of the modern life, and how humans are either coping with it or taking in their stride. A riddle. My sincere and respectful recognition of your most exceptional and unique approach to Photography,,,,,and to LIFE! DG

Jack, although I've used a phrase several times in the past to describe my response to your work, it is entirely fitting in this instance. You've created a visual koan. I need not try to analyze the image;'s elements or to interpret it. My looking intently at it while trying to avoid using my sometimes overly active mind is entirely sufficient. (Yet another favorite)

Thanks, guys, for your comments. This picture was the final resolution of a picture I had fooled around with earlier but somehow never quite got to the point where I was satisfied with it. Originally it was a part of a larger scene; when I cropped it to this version and eliminated the outer body of the car and the surrounding street, I had what I wanted. I don't think I work like most photographers and usually go through three distinct stages. After I've finished a shooting I'm enthusiastic and expectant. When I download the images initially, I'm usually somewhat disappointed with the results. It's only after I focus closely on each individual photo that I see if there are any interesting possibilities or not and know where I want to go. With me, the pictures are in general raw material - not a very classic, Cartier-Bresson approach to be sure.

Hi Jack,

 

this is another photo in which you effortlessly seem to mix realities (like someone adding sugar to their coffee) . I like the clarity of the reflection and the strangeness of the world reflected. The building with the trumpeting cherub transcends smoothly into the scene with the man holding the cigarette, who to me is just not so particular about the poisons he inhales. A wonderful view of a indirect reality. Kind regards, Vincent

Jack what you sad is not uncommon , it happens to me sometimes too, to discover at a later time after contemplating my photography closely that the detail is more important than the initial scene. As a matter of fact I enjoy letting my imagination go and creating my own scene.Nice Shot.

Alina - Yes, I think that's well said. The act of creation is ongoing; it has no end.