roseberry guitars

I generally don't like nudes but I find some of the ideas here interesting. I like the way the models left leg parallels the log and the way her right leg and arm almost mirror the log and reflection. Her meloncholy almost detached expression is intriguing.

I think there are some compositional and exposure issues but as an idea I think it's very good and deserves further exploration.

I have no idea if this is a composite or not but there may be a clue...I cannot see a single bird that is partly hidden by the human figure. I would expect that with this many birds in the air there would be at least one or possibly a few which would be partially hidden. There is empty air space completely surrounding the human. The bird by the right elbow looks like it could be partly hidden but upon close examination it's left wing is dipping downward.

And a thing that I find a bit disconcerting is that the birds are traveling in a 9:30-10ish direction and the human more toward 11:00-11:30ish. Another small detail but for me it disrupts the right to left motion AND maybe points toward another clue...

Manipulated or not I do find this an interesting photo.

I agree with Tom. What one reads into this photo is what is in ones own self. For all we know the lady has just vacated the seat/bench after a pleasant morning watching the fog roll in off the moors and is now off for some tea, crumpets and warm laughter with her life long friends at a local favored cafe. Death has taken a vacation in this interpretation.

Technically, this photo follows many of the standard rules admirably and for me that is what helps draw my thoughts away from the easily applied interpretation of "death". By breaking the "rules" I feel there would have been more of a feeling of interruption and unbalance thereby giving rise to a more sinister interpretation. Just my thoughts.

Another point I'd like to make is that, by looking through the photographers portfolio one sees that this series of benches has been a point of interest for at least some time. The photographer has worked this scene to get different moods, views, levels and such. That knowledge, for me, helps take away the feeling of being force fed a specific idea. Maybe that doesn't have a bearing on this photo as a stand alone but in context of the whole group it helps me to understand this photo more.

Like some of the others, I found the connection between the two photos unclear. I, however, think the lighting, composition and mood of the left side works very well.

Then I focused on the shadow of the girl flowing into the lower left corner and the right photo subject flowing out of the lower left corner. With the help of digital photo manipulation I flipped the right photo and placed it on the left side.

Maybe the result can be said to be predictable, obvious, staged, trite or ??...let others deside. For me sometimes predictable works.

I hope you don't mind that I messed with your photo.

I would like to have seen this photo in the original format (Here I am assuming it was landscape). I am not convinced that a square is the best for this subject. After looking at the photo for a while I get the impression that the movement implied in the grass (wheat?) is cut off too soon which leaves me feeing a bit frustrated and boxed in. I tried cropping the top and bottom to obtain a more horizontal photo but much of the interest in those areas is lost, not good.

I am not saying it is the wrong format; I would just like to compare and become convinced either way.

I have to say I agree with Philippe in that the sky could be a little less blue, a little more subtle and a bit more mysterious. In keeping with the poetic line with the ear (of corn, wheat??) reaching toward the unknown afterlife. Just a thought.