Afternoon Fantasy

Tanya, this is another powerful and touching photo with a clever and striking composition. I have commented before on the power of a triangular composition that faces upwards and the positive feeling that it conveys. The flowers, the open coat and the branches in the background all combine to tell a story, and one is intrigued by what is going on and what the image means.

 

On the downside, the photo is too grainy to my taste. Maybe you are trying to soften the impact of the photo, but I feel that it takes away from it and that's a shame, because it otherwise conveys a strong message to the viewer and that message it's you that is transmitting it.

 

This is very good work Tanya. Do feel free to express yourself because you have lots to say.

 

Just another angle that i think interesting. Thanks for your time.

Warm regards, tanya.

pose, look, idae all great, but agree too much grain. Still very nice

Tanya, The model's facial expression is very powerful, the link between it and the flowers is bemusing to me at least. Great image though, but as above a little too much grain effect

Thank you all for giving your critiques. John, i am afraid to say you know me...too well. On a second thought, how long have you learned "women's studies"?. JK. Warm regards, tanya.

This is a very challenging photo, like the expression. The high-key grainy print removes the details suggesting the fantasy is not yet fully realised. But the framework is there: the conflict between wanting tp reveal your inner secrets - your soul or sexual identity - to the world, and the anxiety about how you will be perceived. So the coat is only part opened and the secret flower hides behind the substitute, publicly acceptable, blooms of the roses. Maybe in time the fantasy can become bolder, and take flight...

 

There is no hurry.

 

Best wishes, Jonathan

It is a wonderful delight that you are taking a genuine interest in my photography; however, i am not sure how to interpret what you commented above. When you commented this photo, there seemed to be a confusion in your interpretation of this particular photo,of the model,of me as a photographer, and of me as a person.

 

As a thinker, it's always fun and stimulating to the mind to analyze someone through a few evidences and draw a (hopefully right) conclusion about that particular subject. Please correct me if i am wrong, but it seems like you have already decided who i am and/or what my direction is in photography through this "thought-provoking" photo. I certainly hope my assumption is wrong, and if it is, i am not awared of how powerful this image is (that alone, it can preresent me) comparing to the rest in my porfolio.

 

Jonathan, since you and i are both interested in philosophy, i also would like to invite you to read about Confucius who is another great ancient Chinese philosopher. His thinkings are opposed to Zhuangzi that i have introduced to you earlier. The third person who also influence my thinkings is a great Chinese Warrior called Sun Tzu with the book: "the Art of War." Maybe, you can understand me better by then....:-)(if you like.)

 

I am flattered that an experienced, talented photographer like you having a deeper interest in my art. I thank you for your time and thought, and you are quite interesting yourself.

 

Warm regards,

 

tanya.

You are quite right that one artwork does not represent the whole artist and I am sure my response to this photo is both subjective and quite possibly plain wrong, since I know so little about you as a person. But ... the whole isgnificance of art is that each artwork does, consciously and subconsciously, present at least a small facet of the artist's personality.

 

Now it's possible that you composed this picture as a kind of "commercial" popular fantasy image representing the imagined wants of the viewer (like an advertising designer would do) but this does not look to me to be the case - it is not nearly exploitative enough! So, the alternative is that it is a fantasy of yours. The source of a fantasy, like a dream, is our inner self about which even we can only know a small part. Even the apparently consciously chosen components of our pictures may well be symbols of unconscious elements - the more powerful they are, the more well-concealed. So it IS quite possible that someone else can see in the imagery a story that that the artist does not immediately recognise.

 

Anyway this is what makes it fun looking at pictures, especially ones that seem to be deeper than decorative snaps.

 

Thank you for further reading suggestions - I am already slightly familiar with Confucius and a great fan of Sun Tzu. May I in turn recommend to you the ideas of Carl Jung, particularly a small book: Tracking the Gods: The Place of Myth in Modern Life" by James Hollis.

 

Best wishes, Jonathan

i am glad you agree with me that the process of analyzing is already fun to start with regardless of the end result (whether our educated guess is right or wrong).

I have the feeling you also like the "Relativism" theory of Albert Eistein.

 

Jonathan, you are a man of intellect and wisdom, i could have not been any happier that you have intellectulized my art material to YOUR 4th and highest level of appreciating photography/art. At first, i thought you examined my work through the eyes of Sigmund Freud....

 

Now that you recommend me to read upon Carl Jung, one of the world most famous and respected founding fathers of Western Modern psychology who also has had major impact on modern philosophy and art. I will be very pleased to read upon that and have a discussion with you. Carl Jung accepted I-Ching, and it's not a suprise you are a fan of Sun Tzu.

 

Since our interests are more than just PHOTOGRAPHY which is the main focus on this forum, i would like to have futher discussions with you through our emails (if you like.) May i end this with Carl Jung's quote: "The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both transformed."

 

Warm Regards,

 

tanya.

Outstandingly strong image, and more sensuous than it would appear to be at first glance.

this is amazingly fascinating, it's a really a rapture... grainy and monochrome but so enchanting. the look of the model is so sensual you can tell she felt really ok during the shooting....

Thanks, Marco. This is one of my earlier work with B&W film. I added the grainy effect in PS after I scanned it. Ha! I have not changed much, have i :o)?!!!.

This is the shoot. Grainess light. ...I like your expresion. Tanya you are my hero. Please keep it on

You are sweet. I am glad i have added some inspiration to your talent. Please do more of your self portrait too. You are a beautiful, soulful and talented woman, Emma. Warm regards, Tanya.