Closing in..., a photo from Lisboa, South

Photographer's Note

The shadows of things
start closing in when day falls
growing like weed reaching out
longer and longer
about to touch the horizon,
and burst from their own length;

but no: they dissolve themselves sideways; into the black of night; bursting of breadth instead.

The shadows of people aging
also grow longer and longer;
losing contrast with the ground
until it seems to absorb them;

but just then: they intersect the horizon; surround the globe; complete the circle; live in tomorrow.

delnaja, riclopes, charmante, luisafonso, falves, Galeota, syd1946, KevRyan, Francisco_Brito, marknunnerley, quillo oznaczył to zdjęcie jeko użyteczne

Critiques | Translate

delnaja (2056) 2007-04-11 13:27

superb pooint of view... legs but a completely silhouette that help the eyes to see what is there in the background...
Good choice of the b&w.

scobert (5355) 2007-04-11 15:39

Hello Peter,
You have created a very unique and provactive image here. It goes perfectly with your poetry. The composition is very original and individualistic. Excellent work!
Stan

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charmante (1090) 2007-04-11 17:29

wow, here the figures don't talk a thing, it's shadows that talk.
the shadow of the man guides the eye to the depth of the shot, to those 2 other men, to the branches shadow on the wall, the viewer's eye swirl in this shot.
how did u find it, how did u capture this moment?
and yr note, wow, didn't expect to read such touching & deep words, TFS Peter!!!

vts_ch (2624) 2007-04-11 18:58

Hi Peter,
Great angle and audacious shot you made here, original and well caught.

Well done

Vince

jinju (14265) 2007-04-12 1:47

He could be watching them...spying...they dont even know.Heck, they didnt notice you:) I really enjoy creative POVs and crops like this. We dont always have to see the face, body language is BIDY language and its 60% of our communication.

riclopes (35577) 2007-04-12 4:11

"How close can you get?"
Tăo aproximado que ficou cortado :))) Bela nota poética e que grande imagem de sombras. Excelente composiçăo artística a apontar para baixo. Claro que os nossos companheiros (se eles soubessem...) săo importantes e estăo muito bem colocados lá atrás, mas isto é um grito ŕs sombras. Também o nosso amigo a emoldurar isto tudo dá uma excelente profundidade, mas depois destes achados o que fica para disfrutar săo as sombras. Original e muito bem conseguido!
Ricardo

luisafonso (862) 2007-04-12 6:28

I can see that you won the literary contest... :) Nice game of shadows here. They are all over the scene, casting a special mood and presenting a different layer to what was supposed to be a simple story. Very original pov.

falves (1405) 2007-04-12 10:51

Hi P.,
Very nice. Great play of shadows and light here. The projection of the shadow of the man, lead our eyes into the two characters that are seated in the background. Nice realxing mood.
Um abraço
Fred

jasmis (58653) 2007-04-12 15:18

Well, well, we have here the whole story told by the photo. B&W works very properly. Interesting note, as well.
Really good work.
Regards.

Galeota (10352) 2007-04-14 2:06

Wouahhh...beautiful note...really, the photograph is so, so, but your text is pregnant of talent and poetry. I love it.

Edit: I'm coming back to elaborate a bit more on my first comment on your photograph, which was written in a rush. I think it is smartly composed, with a very good play of light and shadows. The shadow laying on the floor leads our attention to the gentlemen in the background, hence allowing an easy reading of the scene. Also love the shadows of the trees on the wall, like a menacing thought above them.

I feel personally less enthusiasm, and that's the reason why I qualified the photo as "so, so", by the croppped body on the foreground, even if it makes his double role of closing the frame, and being at the origin of his own shadow (which is essential for the whole). Perhaps a different crop (not sure how) or slightly more distance (his foot seems to me too close from the bottom of the frame).

designsoul (17843) 2007-04-14 14:46

Gorgeous bw shot, Peter! Very elegant crop with the shadow extending to where the couple sit, with the shadows of the beranches behind. The note is just as poetic, very lyrical, beautiful. Bravo,
sasa

Kristo (543) 2007-04-15 5:32

Gostei bastante desta Pedro :-)
Boa escolha este primeiro plano, depois a sombra do homem a conduzir-nos aos outros em amena cavaqueira lá atrás... e claro o P&B resultou que nem gingas.

syd1946 (1167) 2007-04-15 14:29

Hello Peter,
You have so fine gallery, I enjoy it very much!I like this so one very much,for the scene,for the black and white format and most of all for the nice play with light and shadows...

Wishes,
Thomas

Furachan (0) 2007-04-16 8:08

This is very good indeed, Peter - the sense of space, the disproportion between the huge paird of legas in the foreground and the tiny men beyond, and the glorious shadow in between.
Masterly,
Francis

KevRyan (22956) 2007-04-17 17:27

Peter - a pure work of art - a wonderful composition - great shapes - the way this shadow points to the guys just above the thirds ...great tone too - really good creativity in black and white!

best wishes Kev

vagabondtravels (6511) 2007-04-21 4:45

Hi Peter

Nice low pov. Good comp, the leg on the right and the two men in the distance. Nice depth and soft light. Very sharp with good detail. Well done.
Ben

Francisco_Brito (219) 2007-04-21 20:44

Great photo and poetry, although my english is not sufficiently good to appreciate conveniently.
The shadow is eloquent and well positioned.
It's not an oldman Seated at the Garden, Like Mafalda Veiga's song, but maybe they are also remember fragments of the past :)
Francisco

ninaL (21348) 2007-04-22 5:25

Very interesting composition with the great effect.
Excellent POV.
Best regards. Grazyna.

brevbrev14 (140) 2007-04-25 7:22

Hi Peter, beautiful image!
i love your idea and the strong crop of the man in foreground...great his shadow..and very very good to see two frineds on the left side...
Congrats for your eyes!
ciao!
Valeria

marknunnerley (2780) 2007-05-14 8:06

Hi Peter,
this is a great photo you have here and is very creative in it's set-up and the poetry works so well with it. Can't really add much to all the good words said before me for a fantastic shot. Errrrm, glad to be back ;)
br,
Mark

sebinho342 (19329) 2007-05-25 8:55

Hi Peter, i really do like your eyes, the scene you present here on TE ... but as you say in your intro you are "fond of photography" you should post more often pictures here, cause the way you shoot and your compositions needs time to be aggressive and effective, difficult way in that "art" which perhaps designsoul or luisafonso lead here on TE, post post and post would be my advice, so that points on your pictures permits you to see which one are better than the others (in your own gallery of course) and capitalized on them ... Here on this one, this is beautiful how the shadow lead to those 2 sitting men ... perahps a little bit too contrasted (dark) to my taste.
This is excellent anyway

quillo (11858) 2007-06-19 19:00

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Hola Peter, revisando tu galería me encuentro con esta foto en B/N que me parece interesante tanto por las características del encuadre como por lo que transmite le imagen, además bien acompańada por una poética nota, felicidades amigo.

Un abrazo.

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