Comment from BigFuzzy
I love shadows. I can really see where this was an appealing shot.

The issue I have is twofold:
Deadspace
Contrast

Deadspace: In the end, I'm assuming that the part of this image that drew your attention is the shadow.. then, I would focus on that. I suggest a crop in the graphic editor to show what I would have done to draw attention to what I feel is the interesting part of this image.
Contast: The image feels flat. I think first converting this to b&w and then boosting the contrast would really have made this image pop.

In the end, I see what you saw, and think it was really close! I also understand you put that you posted this with no post processing... but, to me, the whole point of post processing (especially the simple things i mention) is really to make the image as 'expressive' as possible.. but then again, if you think it's as good as it can be this way.. ignore me and stick to your guns! :)



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 Comment Written 21-May-2009

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reply by the author on 21-May-2009

Thank you a lot Big Fuzzy, for your generous, honest and thorough review. Especially for your tought trough input. I hope you won't be mad if I disagree. I'm not against post processing it all. Actually I have several different versions and of post processing including B&W as different crop's. But they don't do the trick for me. They may look good but loose the story especially6 since it goes with the poem. The softness of the shadow is intentional symbolising fading memories.
The break in the concrete is there for the same reason. I wiggled a lot to get the shadow just in the position were the body is aligned with it. This is not a shadow just happen, it is a shadow put just in this place to illustrate a story already written.

reply by BigFuzzy on 21-May-2009

Thanks so much for taking my review as it was meant.. and of course you can disagree without me getting mad.. it's all subjective in the end.
In fact, now that you explain it as you do, it makes more sense and I'll revisit my score. Thanks for talking me through it! :)

reply by the author on 21-May-2009

Thank you a lot for taking it as it was meant. :-)
For me it's never about the score but about how people receive it. But thank you for revisting your score. :-)

Comment from Paparazzi
Excellent creative effort for the Human Form contest.

Love shots like this one, just showing the shadow of what the subject is.

Could that be you in a cowgirl hat?

Technically solid all around, as the gray-black outline of the subject is perfectly composed over the neutral dusty graveled ground.

 Comment Written 21-May-2009

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reply by the author on 21-May-2009

Thank you for another complimentary review. :-)
As usual you understand my intentions well. :-)
Yes the cow girl is me. You need these hats down here against the sun especially if you with a camera. Cleo :-)

reply by Paparazzi on 21-May-2009

If I didn't know the silhouette was you, I would've sworn it was that of Don Diego della Vega -- El Zorro!

P'zi

reply by the author on 21-May-2009

Don Diego is my long lost brother. As you know I was stolen as kid by John long Silver and worked for a wile on the Espanola wile it was sailing to Treasure Island.
By the way in this case I just remember its not a cowgirl hat but a sombrero.
Cleo

Comment from Sketch1960
unusual photograph but very effective did you take the photo first or was it inspired by the little story keep up the good work

 Comment Written 21-May-2009

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reply by the author on 21-May-2009

Thank you so much for your kind review.
It was both. The story was there. I have a memory for story lines. [My husband calls it overflowing imagination] So when the shadow was happen on a trip south the story were somewhere in my head. I just wiggled around until I had the shadow in the right position. Just taking opportunity I guess.

Comment from Bluesavanagh
My personnel views on your presentation;

A very poginant & creative piece of work by you cleo. nice job I love the verse by the unknown auther matches your piece well. And very true many ways to so many people.~



~Initial impact 5
~ Creativity of Presentation 5
~ Colour of Harmony 5
~ Centre of Interest 5
~ Technical excellence 5
~Technique 5
~ Story telling ability 5
~ Lighting Management 5

Thank~you for your work to review,always a pleasure

Jinni.~

 Comment Written 21-May-2009

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reply by the author on 21-May-2009

It is always a pleasure to receive your through and kind reviews. Thank you,

Comment from Eleanor Perrotta
Lovely poem and a nice photo to match. Very creative in idea. I like the simplicity and composition with shadow as your subject. Focus is clear. Nicely done. Eleanor

 Comment Written 21-May-2009

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reply by the author on 21-May-2009

Thank you Eleanor, It is always a pleasure to receive your kind reviews.

Comment from MinoYasue
Very symbolic and conceptual! It is nice to see an alternative expression for the human form.

This provokes me certain sadness. Shadow as human form ? memory, forever-gone-time, etc.

Good luck for the contest.

 Comment Written 21-May-2009

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reply by the author on 21-May-2009

Thank you so much for your thoughtful review.
It could be seen to ways. Yours is one. But the shadow is on concrete in bright sunlight. Shadows could be captured for a long time with different media. In the believing of ancient Greek the death are living as shadows. If nobody remembers they will fade away but the smallest memory will fill them with the colors of life. Memories are like sunlight. the shadows are there how long the sun is shining.

reply by MinoYasue on 21-May-2009

Thank you for the explanation. Very interesting to hear!

I guess it (the way people perceive) depends on the one experience. We say an interpretation of artwork is subject and this is very good example of it.

I have to tell you a tale.

When I was a student (Junior), we have field trip. We basically visited several neighborhood cities. One of those was ?Nagasaki?. It is very beautiful place with a lot of hills, but it is also a place of Atomic Bomb (other place is Hiroshima). We have a museum for it for not forget cruelly of the war, and we had to visit it. There are a lot of related artifacts (?), and I can tell you it is not pretty sight. What imprint in my brain then was one of photographs that appeared to be shadow of a human on the concrete path. The bomb is so powerful and it changed human body to a piece of the shadow at that instance; there is not even single remain of the body. It had such strong effect one for some uncertain reasons; transition of life and death, for a fraction of a second ? it is very difficult to explain.

This memory may affect on my interpretation of this artwork.

Take care,
Yasue.

reply by the author on 21-May-2009

Hi, Thanks a lot for your explanation.
I'm sure the memory is affecting you in more than the reception of an art work. I know the photo you are talking about. I've seen "Hiroshima, mon Amour" and reed "The Cloud" and "The Flowers of Hiroshima". I was born into the the ruins of the city of Berlin after WWII. I was born into the country who caused that wore and were the idea for the atomic bomb was born. I grow up in a Germany in Cold War. We was teached in school how the bomb works and what to do if it falls. What a sorry site, we know even as kids there is know survival when the bomb falls on the city.
Ireally understand.
Cleo

reply by the author on 21-May-2009

Hi, Thanks a lot for your explanation.
I'm sure the memory is affecting you in more than the reception of an art work. I know the photo you are talking about. I've seen "Hiroshima, mon Amour" and reed "The Cloud" and "The Flowers of Hiroshima". I was born into the the ruins of the city of Berlin after WWII. I was born into the country who caused that wore and were the idea for the atomic bomb was born. I grow up in a Germany in Cold War. We was tought in school how the bomb works and what to do if it falls. What a sorry site, we know even as kids there is know survival when the bomb falls on the city.
I really understand.
Cleo

Comment from sirthomas1960
Lovely concept and text...and the image to match.
Composition is good with a pleasing balance between darks and lights, very good focus, and subdued colour to suit the mood you're trying to create.

 Comment Written 21-May-2009

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reply by the author on 21-May-2009

Thank you so much for another lovely review.

Comment from GaliaG
excellent idea for the contest and excellently done
very nice touch with the poem, I love it

thanks for sharing and good luck with the contest

# Initial impact 5
# Creativity of presentation 5
# Color Harmony 5
# Center of Interest 5
# Technical Excellence 5
# Technique 5
# Story Telling Ability 5
# Lighting 5

This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.

 Comment Written 21-May-2009

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reply by the author on 21-May-2009

Thank you Galia, for another kind and supportive review.