'Watch What's Going on in Tehran, Dammit'

This young Iranian woman in America directs our attention to recent

events in Iran including the recent killings and woundings there,

including a beautiful young woman killed named 'Neda' who has become

a sort of martyr to the cause of rebellion against what rebellious Iranians

view as a rigged election. Your ratings and critiques are invited and

most welcome. If you rate harshly or very critically, please submit a

helpful and constructive comment; please share your superior

(O)

I'm lost. I never saw a (0) before. Is it contextual with the eyes in this photo or has it another meaning?

 

john

 

John (Crosley)

Please share your superior photographic knowledge to help improve my photography. Thanks! Enjoy! John

 

Please no inquiries about this woman, her group or her 'friends' and/or 'cohorts' as just baring her face to be photographed is a sufficient act of courage for any Iranian these days, and she did so willingly, but I won't be helping anyone identify her further, even as to country or location or even time and in fact, I'm taking down the 'city' in which this was taken from 'details' and will not post it again. I take photos as art, not to jeopardize lives.

 

I judge this with her look of earnestness and the three views of eyes, (mirroring) to be true art) and not any form of exploitation, but of course the local newspaper(s) were there and so was television, and not just a small station or two, but I won't say which or where.

 

John (Crosley)

might also be Canada, Western Europe, Singapore, Australia and many other places with such architecture and pretty Iranian women protestors. I believe in disinformation. My sole purpose is to advance my art (which is conjunctive with her goal of advancing her protest) but I do not wish to increase the danger she has willingly exposed herself to by allowing herself to be photographed withiout face scarf.

 

John (Crosley)

A great image -- very striking and simple, nothing interferes with the message.

Very clear comment; straight and to the point.

 

And I like your critique; it captures the essence of my photo so well.

 

Thanks for such a clear and concise comment.

 

John (Crosley)

 

p.s. I accidentally shot jpegs only, was underexposed a little, and tonalities were very important so it took a little wrangling with contrast and shades of gray, but I think I got them right.

 

jc

John,

 

I think you got everything right. And with an image of such force, I wouldn't likely to notice -- or care -- if a highlight is blown on the upper quarter inch of the woman's sleeve!

I can't find the highlight that you say is blown, unless you mean the sky.

 

But the woman's face was fairly dark, as a Middle Easterner, she has more melanin in her skin and contrasted with the pure white of the sign, she came off looking very dark, so I lightened her a little, to keep the equivalency of the two images -- the eye on the paper and her eyes against her face background.

 

It was the intensity of her face and that she was not looking at me that caught my attention - especially that was so intense and so 'purposeful'.

 

I look sometimes in 'street' for strong images or images with intensity, and this is my first for a long time. 'Street' means many things to many photographers, as I said in a forum post last night, and intensity of emotion is one, and this is good example.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

 

John (Crosley)

John,

 

No, there is no blown highlight -- I just wanted to say that a viewer of this image isn't likely to focus on minor technical glitches, not that I see any -- unless the viewer is a pixel gazer, which I am definitely not. Again, a great image.

Thanks for the clarification -- it had me wondering. Sometimes critics find some unusual failings on my part, and I do respond to their critiques and find some faults that I have overlooked. Thank goodness not here in this photo.

 

I do appreciate your critiques; they are always welcome and they needn't always be approving. I can take criticism, also, though I do not always agree. Often some of the best colloquy here is from those who hold opposite opinions from me and the colloquy is how we resolve our differences.

 

John (Crosley)

It is easy to join the "bandwagan" and protest but not easy to come up with solutions. So; World Open your eyes and then what?

This message is an ellipsis with the predicate to be filled in by Western observers.

 

Open your eyes . . . it says, and for most of the Western World that means with modern communication aided by 'Twitter' (I thought I'd never see myself write that), and Facebook (I also never thought I'd see myself write that either), those social network sites, the world has come to see the inner workings of the Iranian revolution when Western media mostly have been barred, as telecast and broadcast by the protesters themselves.

 

The ellipsis is that if you open your eyes and see, 'you will see injustice, killings and woundings and be outraged.'

 

The official US position, having installed the Shah in power who committed many atrocities which have back lashed into this current Republic, is to let them be, as this fervor easily can be turned against the 'Great Satan' the United States which is not without fault.

 

But half Iran or more is under age 30 and disengaged from outrage over the US their forebears had and tired of the Revolution -- they have a rich nation and a failed economy and want better.

 

Some will lose their lives -- if there's true revolt with guns, etc., perhaps thousands or tens of thousands or more.

 

Officially, the US is playing it cool, as it must -- it cannot officially take sides in what is a 'civil war' even as it hopes for greater enlightenment with its fingers held behind its back (unofficially).

 

To see (injustice) is to know the answer .. .is the ellipsis she refers to.

 

I see her point,. but I am not a US official and not a newsman; only a photographer/artist trying to take good photos. I hope this is one.

 

John (Crosley)