henry l

I really like this photo. I'm probably rating it higher than what will be the average rating, but I like the level of contrast, relatively few hues (mostly green, yellow to brown, black) painterly composition (I'm thinking of contemporary composition, the New Leipzig school inparticular). It feels surrealist and contemporary and also like sharp, modern wildlife photography. If the giraffe was a rockstar this would be its album cover.

 

In the right space it would look good really big if the resolution is there to keep it "photorealistic."

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Daniel --

 

I agree that a religious association can be made in your photo, but think one has to look to the Judeo era of Christian mythology to make the most apt connection. The already mentioned as heroic figure stretches an arching, muscular arm, his classically curving hand just makes a finger's contact with the hook. I definitely see an associative link to many Renaissance era paintings of god giving life to Adam (think Sistine chapel ceiling). Figure in the helicopter (distanced, mechanical, but also used to lift the injured and sick to safety) and the walkie takies (more distance and mechanization, but also a helpful utility) and one might even read a distinctly modern revision of the original myth into the image.

 

A title that suggested the association, or a juxtaposed display with an original work (a reproduction of course!), or even a composite or overlayed image might, imho, be interesting. Of course the photo stands up on its own wonderfully too -- like it a lot!

Excellent photo, from both a photographic standpoint (compositionally, technically, etc) and from a skateboarding standpoint too. Too many people take pictures of sports they don't truly get and end up being proud of work that looks lame to skaters/surfers/snowboarders/mt, bikers etc. Can't tell if it is sharp enough, but really just right for a Thrasher covershot -- picture the title and all the copy on it!

My new desktop!

I disagree with the previous post. Photojournalism by nature has an intertextual relationship with words. To put it more plainly in photojournalism the signifier is 99 percent of the time composed of two parts, image and caption (jut open a National Geographic). Why not let the caption direct the reader? Doing so does not necessarily have to take away from the quality or power of the photo. Rather it can enhance the viewers entire experience of experiencing/interpretting the photograph.

 

And yes, of course there is plenty of merit to documentary photos that don't require a caption. I just thing that ultimately one can't justify a hierarchy. Needs caption and doesn't need caption are just different; one is not intrinsically better than the other.

 

This is a fantastic photo and the added significance in the "caption" just enhances it. I would be beside myself with happiness if I'd seen this image appear from a roll of film from my camera. Nice work!

keep trying