a quantum of solace, a photo from Rome, Lazio

Photographer's Note

Rome, this afternoon.
Autumn afternoons in Rome can have a special light quality, if the sun is shining like it was today. After days of torrential downpours it felt good not to have to worry about the weather. Probably the only thing I am not worrying about these days here in my native town. I had just left an interesting and very lovingly curated exhibition on Henri Cartier Bresson and was heading back home through the usual afternoon traffic along the Tiber, when this play of shadows decided to challenge me. Especially since I had forgotten to charge the batteries of my D300 and was running very low on power... luckily for me I had just enough to take a few shots before the camera shut down.
Taking pictures has always had the power to make me unwind, forget myself. And coming back to Italy, to Rome this week I suddenly found myself in the middle of so many social and human issues that I needed to find solace somewhere else than in the people around me. Some sort of fire escape if you will.
It didn't last long but sometimes a break is all you need.
I didn't process the image on my beloved Mac so the b/w is not exactly what I had in mind... I'll never get used to these Windows laptops :)

holmertz, SnapRJW oznaczył to zdjęcie jeko użyteczne

Critiques | Translate

ajayrawat (676) 2014-11-20 10:49

This has some untold story.

holmertz (102096) 2014-11-20 11:44

Hello Cristina,
Your rare appearances are always welcome. This is pretty much in your quite characteristic style. Black and white with a fine greyscale and a suggestive play of light and shadows. The "drama" is centred around the bike and the signs but there are fine details on the cracked wall to the left and in the street as well. It's a picture with a lot more integrity than the averahge postcard.
Kind regards,
Gert

daddo (28748) 2014-11-20 13:05

Ciao Cristina. i know the feelings you describe as I too had come back to Melbourne after being away and came back to the same if not more pronounced issues of our place in our region, our economic situation, the upcoming elections and many disturbing flies in the ointment. By the way, it is a pleasure to see your evocative (and here melancholy) work and to read your wonderful notes. All my best wishes cara. Klaudio.

SnapRJW (31631) 2014-11-20 20:12

Hello Cristina - So lovely to see you back and with a wonderfully evocative and creative shot. The contrast here is strong but perfectly balanced and attractively graphic. What appeals to me is the opportunity I have to fill in the blanks of the narrative.

Warmest regards

Rosemary

rigoletto (34279) 2014-11-20 21:54

beautiful and intriguing image. the shadow looks like belonging to a roman statue.

dkmurphys (79209) 2014-11-21 3:48

Ciao Cristina,
Superb artistic scene. You've played amazing with the shadows of the day. Well done!

Daniel

CLODO (45116) 2014-12-04 6:21

Hi Cristina

I like the contrast of the hard silhouette of the bike and pole against the sweetness of this rounded shadow!
All the best
CLODO

willperrett (14195) 2014-12-04 12:04

Hello Cristina

Sorry I missed this when you first posted it. You'd just left a Cartier-Bresson exhibition? I'm so jealous! And this reminds me of his work a bit - you just omitted the human element! A stonking shot, though - as usual.

Kind regards

Will