Open for interpretation

[vonnagy]

All apologies to the critique forum mods, as this post intentionally goes against forum rules; not with malicious intent -it is just that i am looking for something different so I hope you mods can bear with me :mrgreen:

I will not post technical information becuase i am not looking for a technical critique, eg, I am not looking for "I dig the snap, but did you know you had a huge blowout in the center of pic?" etc, etc.

instead of feeding you context for this pic, i am hoping you can provide the context. What is the photographer trying to state with this photograph (if indeed they are trying to make a statement)? Thank for any responses.

 

[terri]

hmmm.....the answer is, I don't know. :razz:

It looks like a straightforward capture of a very pretty scene; possibly the addition of sepia toning was meant to aid in the sense of timeless tranquility we often get when we stand and contemplate the sea.

That's what I'm getting. A simple capture, really. And you don't wanna hear about the blown area, so I won't mention it.

oops. :mrgreen:

 

[vonnagy]

thanks missus terri, i knew i could count on ya

 

[Nikon Fan]

To me it sort of has a lonely feel...I'm not quite sure what that is in the sand, but IMO it seems to show that whatever it is on the sand is left there while everything continues...the tide and the bird in the air.

 

[vonnagy]

but IMO it seems to show that whatever it is on the sand is left there while everything continues...the tide and the bird in the air.

you are on to something unfortunately at this size you can't tell that thing in the foreground are the wings of a seagull.

 

[Nikon Fan]

you are on to something unfortunately at this size you can't tell that thing in the foreground are the wings of a seagull.

Ahhh, knowing that it really brings that lonely feel out b/c of the other bird in the image

 

[JonMikal]

for me it signifies death but life after. the bird has died...there's a segment of beach/ocean that appears lighter than the rest of the foreground...like a path for the soul to follow to the open heavens (blown sky). boy, that's pushing it eh? i'll go get my meds now

 

[ShutteredEye]

anyone else feel the swelling, surging of the ocean? ....it feels alive, like it's breathing and sucked a bunch of air in and is holding it's breath....

 

[tmpadmin]

I didn't read any responses so forgive any redundancy. It appears as though the heavens are shining down on the dead bird on the beach. Meanwhile, they heavenly rays are just barley touching the live bird flying in the distance. The positioning / scene of the beach also signifying the joining of the birds spirit to the universal (a drop of water is indistinguishable in an ocean of water drops). The dead bird not yet in the ocean but getting hit by the waves almost signifies purgatory, short tastes of nirvana but the reassuring rays (I call them Jesus rays - childhood thing) from the clouds is comforting to the late bird. However, the distance appears vast to the dead bird - it's going to take some time.

I'm not sure what to really make of the living bird flying in the distance, with my description, only have the shadow/silhouette could indicate evil, however not necessarily a bad spirit just the way we are not perfect. Furthermore the highlights of the dead bird, ocean and sky giving to the goodness of heaven/nirvana.

I could go on but I tend to get long winded. For what it's worth I LOVE these types of crtiques. A photograph should envoke a feeling, tell a story force the viewer to formulate ideas, opinions and either come to a conclusion or look for more. :thumbup:

 

['Daniel']

I read uncertainty into it. The dead bird, you can't tell how it's died. The black and white/sepia means there could be crude oil in the sea but you wouldn't know, it could b something else. Then you look out to sea life is there with the other bird, the old are being left behind and you go out into the unkown, which is the essence of life. The striving for the unkown.

 

[elsaspet]

I really love this one. I can't express my feelings as eloquently as those stated before me, but it does bring out an emotional response: loneliness, abandonment, the earth going about it's daily routine despite the loss of one of it's inhabitants. Powerful photo. Great shot.

 

[vonnagy]

cheers all, and jon, no need to get the meds yet :crazy:

I am happy to hear your responses, as I wasn't sure if anyone was going to see them same things I saw. i particularily like this photos for the exact reasons most of you stated so elequently above, the fact that it tells a story. While it may be a touch more subtle that most of my photographs, i did post process the following to make certain elements stand out more:

1. dodged the foreground around the 'dead' bird
2. applied sepia tone colouration

The other thing i quite like was the bird in distance. in fact it has almost the same shape as the dead bird - it does provide continuity to the image, and if you like - the story of the image.

cheers for you contributions :thumbup:

 

[DramaDork626]

this image is very relaxing in my opinion. Maybe if you gave it slightly more of a molasses (I dunno if i spelled that right) tone. But it's your shot, thats just what I would do. Very exellent shot though.