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Despair
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Despair
Tmax100, gelatin silver print
Protacio Serna |
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Protacio Serna |
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one more. Regards Pserna.com
June 30, 2005
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Pam M |
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Protacio, Why did you leave so much space above the man? I'm not saying it's wrong at all, in fact I know of a good reason for it to be there ... but I'm just wondering what put you in the frame of mind to do it. This is also true exhaustion. I hope there are fewer chunks of brick under him than under the edge of the cardboard. Last time we went camping, I only took a thin airpad to sleep on ... it being summer and all. When I look at this man ... all I can feel is pain, emotional and physical. pam
June 30, 2005
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BetterPhoto Member |
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Protacio, I at first would agree with Pam but I think I know what you were trying to do. The space gives us the despair, not the man, all that wonderful detail and decay. I do believe a square format would get you a pulitzer. Get out the Hasselbald perhaps? Thanks for showing us this one. A wonderful shot. John
June 30, 2005
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Tammy Scott |
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Very dynamic and striking image, P!!! I think everything about it perfectly conveys your title!
June 30, 2005
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Protacio Serna |
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There was a fire about three years ago at this old downtown cafe. Nothing but the walls and part of the roof remained until it was demolished a few months ago. About a year ago I went in there to explore for a photo opt, like textures, smoked walls, something like that. When I got to the kitchen I saw this man sleeping on the floor. I wanted to keep him on the lower part of the frame to show the person as a "finding". What I like the most about this image is the arrangement of lines, verticals and diagonals, creating a spot where the man scapes from reality to dive into his dreams for a while. Thanks Pserna.com
July 01, 2005
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Pam M |
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I knew you'd have good artistic, mmm ... people sensitive reasons !! ... and the Gestalt Theories say ... because the subject is so far out of balance with the background it creates even more tension. I definately felt it. You have a way of dragging us right into someone's "personal space" ... that space where in most cultures (I've heard of exceptions) if one person gets that close to another, one or both will do something to avert attention away from the fact that they see or have been seen that closely. That's what makes me both fascinated and uncomfortable with photographing people. I feel like sometimes the camera shows me something they didn't really intend to reveal ... especially if they didn't realize I was shooting. Does that pull ever lessen between wanting to protect and wanting to reveal? gotta run! battery going out. have fun, me
July 01, 2005
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Dana Whitford |
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I love the fact that you caught so little of the man. It looks like a peek and that's really all we want when we run into a situation like this. This is definetly a picture for the psyche.
July 02, 2005
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Protacio Serna |
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ups...I forgot something...thanks for your comment John. I'm a fan of the square format and when possible I crop the image that way, since I don't have a Hasselblad...yet. I'll try cropping as suggested. Thanks Dana for your lines. I'm glad you felt it. Interesting lines about "revealing or not revealing" Pam. I know you're not a people's photographer, and now I know why, and even while this neg is several months old, I have printed it only an 8x10 proof. I hesitated about posting it, don't know why...perhaps because I felt I was intruding on someone else's misery. I don't know...finally something made me pull the print from the box to scan it and share it. Regards Pserna.com
July 02, 2005
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Sharon L. Wack |
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Protacio, WOW! I do commend you on this Photo. It's heart wrenching,But a smack in the face to reality.My mother drumed in our heads when we were small (2 paychecks away from the poor house}Well there are no poor house"s today. This is it! My own opinion ,, My eye went to the light and pipe first then lead me downward,to emotion. I think this is MEMORABLE! Just as you have it. GREAT SHOOTING*****
July 02, 2005
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Stan Kwasniowski |
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Protacio, what a capture in time, one moment,I like everything about this image, well done, As for the Blad, I have one but dont use it as often as I use to, when I had space for printing etc at a lab. but still love that camera
July 06, 2005
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Pam M |
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Well, I'm not promising to refrain from photographing people ... but ... probably I will always hesitate unless the person knows i'm shooting. All the same, I am finding it very intriguing to watch a person begin to relax and talk to me even though I have a camera in front of me. When that happens, that's when I get great pictures! Right now I still get too involved with enjoying them to remember to use my brain's knowledge for good compositions. Way too often I forget and let the camera just run like a copy machine ... especially with people. Sigh ... I missed my camera all day today! I finally actually handed it over for repair. anyway ... I feel a little more sane about the conflicting feelings I have knowing that you also have some hesitations about revealing your subjects. have fun, me
July 06, 2005
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Eran Shpigelman |
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Hi Pocatio, Excellent photo, great capture of a moment, and well exposed photo. A+++++
July 07, 2005
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Irene Troy |
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I don’t often visit this part of the web-site, but tonight I finished my own work and decided to take a look. I am so glad that I did! If the purpose of art, any art, is to make the viewer “feel” something – any emotion, insight, etc. than you have certainly succeeded with this dynamic image. Having read what others have posted there is little I can add, except to say that I am moved not only by your subject, but by your obvious eye for detail and for catching the essence of your subject (POV). I took a look at your gallery and am extremely impressed. Perhaps if I have about 100 years of practice and learning I will be able to produce images of a similar quality! Thanks for the inspiration!
July 07, 2005
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Protacio Serna |
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Thanks Sharon. Thank you very much. “Downward to emotion”. Just perfect. Thanks Stan. I appreciate it. You know? Is important to exercise our vision and our eye by switching to a different format every once in a while. Your blad should be missing you. Hi Pam…I got a compadre who has the same symptoms as you. He finds someone interesting to photograph, gets to talk to him/her, but at the moment of taking the pictures he forgets everything about photography. Then I step in and take a few shots myself to put him back on track. Then he’s ready to roll. Thanks Eran…never had that many “+”s Irene…thanks for visiting both the critique area and my gallery. I enjoyed your lines. Thanks.
July 09, 2005
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Tony Gutowski |
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Humanity stand naked in all its glory and its despair. We all have to realize this exists, even if we want to insulate ourselves from it. Great capture and composition. Thanks for making me think and see!-T.G
November 19, 2005
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Protacio Serna |
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Thanks to you Tony...I appreciate your comment. Regards Pserna.com
November 19, 2005
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Protacio Serna |
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I agree with you Kevin...thanks for writing. Regards Protacio
November 28, 2005
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