The mask Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

From the instant we’re born, we’re brought up to know how to wear a mask and carry it all our lives. There’s no use, actually, in struggling to tear it off at one point or another, because we’d soon discover there’s nothing to be found behind it. Nihil. That personal mask each one of us carries is, after all, only the incarnation of our selves, hence representing reality or the world of perception if you prefer. Some say the eyes are windows of our souls, and our lips waves following the streams. Who am I to judge what I just perceive or personally interpret?

This photograph was taken during what we call “Promotions” in Switzerland, the “defile”, and the party thereafter, ending the school year for children up to the end of elementary school. The afternoon is filled with the sound of children laughs, but when night approaches, the summer heat soon reveals other facets of children being.

luisafonso, falves, robiuk, designsoul, goodwill has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

berek (28849) 2006-07-30 14:25

Hi Gal,
good b&W working.nice composition and framing. TFS
Berek
Meaning Sense :-))
Framing :-))
Idea :-))

Zepi (22848) 2006-07-30 14:27

Salut Gal,
Une image plein de douceur, de tendresse et d’amour.
J’adore la petite mine du gamin qui semble tout crispé, tout concentré pour passer à l’action…
J’adore ce genre de prise de vue, c’est beau, simple, parfaitement maîtrisé !
La classe quoi !
Belle image
A++
Sébastien

pilpel-adom (3016) 2006-07-30 14:53

Hey Gal!
Very nice idea and good use of B&W to enhance the lines and composure of the girl's face.
I feel like I want to see a bit more...Sometime the cocealing-more-than-the-exposed composition works well, but here I feel I would have liked to see the whole face over the shoulder more clearly than what you show us here...maybe this was a snap with no time or space to recompose better...
Even so, good use of limited DOF to take the shot (although you didnt really had any reall choice right??)
:)
Looking forward for more of your work!
Chen

Mireille (2596) 2006-07-30 15:31

C'est rigolo, j'ai fait presque pareil il y a 2 mois de cela lors d'une fête de quartier. J'aime beaucoup la profondeur de champ et le fait que l'enfant ne regarde pas l'objectif...

luisafonso (858) 2006-07-30 17:09

A tua nota é fabulosa Gal e só por ela este já seria um fantástico post TE. Parece que hoje andamos os dois a tirar fotos com a mesma 50mm. Aparte disso, ainda me lembrei de ti porque estive na estação fluvial do Terreiro do Paço e também tirei uma série de fotos entre as quais algumas semelhantes ao teu post anterior. Voltando a esta foto, gosto muito do momento que capturaste. Está tudo na tua nota, mas o olhar do miúdo ainda diz mais coisas. Eu gosto do bookeh inverso a escoder o outro olho... dá uma sensação de timidez, de secretismo. Como se quisesses esconder aquela cara por detrás da máscara que se pinta. Isso traz também um sentimento maternal para a foto, mas isso já é outra conversa. Grande foto, cheia de simbolismo e sensibilidade. Como todas as tuas, é preciso dizer...

s10001in (1485) 2006-07-30 20:12

Gal,

Brave idea..
Nice selection of B/W.
Tight framing..Nice ambient created..

Well done.
Shailendra

yanseiler (20) 2006-07-31 3:29

Salut Gal, une très bonne idée de cadrage, j'aime beaucoup ce visage qui se laisse découvrir derrière cette maman ou maîtresse... Le NB colle au poil... Sympa ce regard fuyant de l'enfant... Marrant ta note, j'hésitais à écrire un truc du genre pour mon post d'aujourd'hui...
A+
Yan

ALSOM (6616) 2006-07-31 5:28

C'est la journée des masques aujord'hui (cf la photo de Yanselier).

Une photo tout en discrétion par dessus l'épaule comme si moi-même j'étais à la place d'un enfant qui attend mon tout d'être maquillé.

Un pdv qui montre juste ce qu'il faut et qui en révèle bpc à travers ce regard, ce contact.

Une composition 'cruciforme' subtile, divisée en 4 cadrants dans lesquel chaque élément prend son importance: l'épaule, la main, le regard, la tête de cette femme.

Merci Gal, Alain .

adrost (2366) 2006-07-31 5:59

Hi Gal.

First time i saw Yours photo and im very delighted.
This is amazing work.

This look like secret and intimacy.

Im back here.

Best regards
a.

falves (1403) 2006-07-31 8:26

Hi Sr. Gal,
Gosto muito desta foto. O POV escolhido é excelente o que deixa a cara dessa menina meia escondida e aumenta o significado da foto. Gosto do ar paciente dela à espera que acabem a pintura por forma a que ela possa juntar-se à festa. Mais uma excelente demonstração do mestre.
espero que esteja tudo bem.
Aquele Abração
Fred

athos99 (6894) 2006-07-31 9:15

Salut Gal
Avec ce point de vue, j'ai l'impression d'être à la place de la personne qui maquille le gamin.
Le passage au N/B renforce le côté intimiste de cette scène de vie.

robiuk (10763) 2006-07-31 14:49

Hi Gal,
He is absolutely cute with this gaze and looks so grown up now!
Lovely DOF and BG made of a long-haired girl behind him.
Happy summer to you & your family,
Robi

Furachan (0) 2006-08-01 2:06

I don't thing, Gal, you could frame this any better than you have here. I feel like I'm watching an movie, part Man Ray, part "La guerre des boutons" or "Quatre cent coups" by Truffaut.
I don't care what you come up with it is ALWAYS inteligent, searching and yes, touching. This is no exception - not only is the photo of a high order but the first part of your note is absolutely superb - a deep and stirring meditation.
Please post more, we could all benefit!
Kindest,
Francis

designsoul (21394) 2006-08-02 13:05

The shot: excellent angle... I suddenly thought you went to a jungle along the Amazonas! The single eye in focus is what makes the composition so beautiful and in fact meaningful to me, Gal, while wrapping the curvature of the woman's shoulder in soft focus.
The note: It looks to me as if you contradicted your image here, for that (the shot) is so full of soul... just looking at the eye of the young person who is applied a mask. But while I agree that masks are unfortunately unavoidable accoutrements of our existence, there I believe lies something behind them, not just NIHIL. Something perhaps unnamable.
Hello from a sweltering Ottawa,
sasa