* R E D * for Forbidden Photo

Photographer’s Note

Forbidden City, Beijing

The Forbidden City is getting its XXIst century lifting and beauty facials to regain full glamour for the Olympics in 2008.

The brand new repainting of the the WuMen (Meridian Gate) has just been completed. And it just looks fabulous.

This gate, the main one to enter the Forbidden City, was built as the very limit between two worlds: the common world of the Earth for all humans to live in, and the world of the Sky, represented by its Son (the Emperor), residing in it.

The huge, oversized, gigantic wall crowned with flying pavillions with colourful carved roofs was merely meant to create a feeling of huge weakness as well as respectul fear.

6 centuries later, in the middle of the Beijing modern craze, the wall-effect works pretty much the same, making man look so weak at the foot of Chinese grandeur.

robertosalguero, PeterC has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

PeterC (2242) 2006-09-28 23:43

Anne Marie,
A great compostion. I love the while you have isolated this woman to show the scale of the place. It is a so so so big. I also think this would have worked with just the red background and cropped about halfway up the photo. I find the shot a little underexposed though. I have done a little workshop to try and brighten it up and add a little more contrast. I hope you dont mind.
Cheers
Peter

[workshop] [compare] +

robertosalguero (110) 2006-09-28 23:46

Hi Anner Marie,

this composition is very good showing man in their diminute state against a giant wall. Very interesting historical note attached to the picture. The colors are very nice. Well done.

Roberto