Perpetual Motion Photo

Photographer’s Note

St. Alphonsus parish was started by some 40 families who arrived from Rhineland-Westphalia between 1825 and 1845. The first mass was celebrated in 1851 in the home of Peter and Catharina Theisen Esper. They then donated land for a school which was built in 1846. In 1849 a cemetery was founded and in 1852 the first church built. The current cemetery was founded in 1878 and the older graves were moved to the new location one block north. In total there are 250 graves with markers ranging from tiny headstones to monuments like the one in this photo.

The names in the cemetery would be familiar to many Dearborn residents. Today schools and streets are named after these early settlers who farmed on land that now is home to thousands of people and part of a larger city of nearly 100,000 people in the heart of the Metropolitan Detroit region.

The church in the back is the new church built in 1930. The high school was closed last year against much protest. It was a result of cost cutting measures by the Archdiocese of Detroit. The elementary school remained open, however.

The title is a more common phrase but I take it particularly from Philip Glass's piece from Godfrey Reggio's film "Anima Mundi". The sound of the music and title give me a strong feel of constant change and energy. The world moving around this funerary monument. Farm fields being planted and growing and harvested. City streets being laid. Homes being built. Neighborhoods and cities forming. People passing by in horse carriage, Model T's, electric cars. And the constant strive of humanity to seek out the new and face the future and better themselves. Perhaps with a few stumbles along the way but always constant becoming more enlightened.

That's what this all gives me and so I thought I would share that in addition to the photograph. It just amazes me to think about how much this area has changed in 175 years. And if I could be this monument and stand here and watch the changes of time in fast forward I would instantly do it.

Hanssie, Zanni, whereami, elihesamian, bpelvan, mdchachi, wilkinsonsg, nwoehnl, papagolf21, kajenn, snuggleaphagus, jhm, orme, Kenny10pin, bertolucci, ChristianS, phi729, Rinie_Hoff, oochappan, mikee, nofer has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Hanssie (9133) 2004-10-20 1:46

I like the "same" colours in your shot, a beautiful statue, interesting note, but...
maybe I would have seen, that the statue is not before the church.
Note and image is a fine combination.

Zanni (5885) 2004-10-20 2:00

Maybe it wasn't your intention but looking at their sad looks perhaps this world is not changing in better. So for me the right title is "Perpetual pain" but it is only another point of view. By the way talking about your picture, your pov is efficacious, the imagine is clean as well as the dof. Another sensation of strong contrast: the suffering people without nothing (the statues) and the rich church behind them. The church of rich people and the church of poor people. San Francesco d'Assisi ...

whereami (1427) 2004-10-20 4:08

An instantly eye-catching photo - very powerful. The almost completely white sky is good here as it makes the photo very clean and contrasts well with the sharp focus and clarity of the subjects.
But for me there is some confusion as to what the main subject is. Quite often, I see photos like this where one object is in front of another and I'm left wondering what to look at. I guess you could take the photo from a different angle to minimise any 'interaction', but in this case I think it would be better to blur the background so that the cross really stands out while still relating to the background. Maybe it would be good also to crop away the bottom to remove the greenery and the plinth. This would help retain the 'monotone' effect.

harold (2271) 2004-10-20 7:25

Très belle réalisation joli travail de l'être humain, très beaux détails.

Spoony (3539) 2004-10-20 7:36

Here, I adore the global colors and your perspective choice!
Very, very well captured.

elihesamian (26091) 2004-10-20 11:10

It gives me a great and tranquility feeling,remainds me some Salvador Dali works and his atmosphere in his minds which he transfered in his artwork,and I like all them a lot,and you creat a photograph with your Sign as well in your works in a fine way,most of all I love this sky for this motif and you captured in this situation nicely,very well done Paul.
Details are amazing,with this colors range which are very harmonic and ideal,perfectlly managed and composed,I like it a lot,and thanks a lot for this note.
this note from you is a great respect to viewer,I take my hat,Paul.
Yours
Mohammad

bpelvan (3786) 2004-10-20 11:15

Yes Paul, you are right. The world is moving around such and similar monuments. A perfect and heart-touching note.

A perfect capture with perfect angle. Color of the sky is increasing the beauty of the foreground. A very well framed sharp picture.
At first sight, as if, it seems that the cross and the statues don't stand out, but, when continue to look at it, everything seems o.k.

Well done Paul, thanks for sharing...

mdchachi (1611) 2004-10-20 11:40

Despite the cloudy sky you have achieved some nice lighting conditions. I like the spiritually glowing window in the background and the fact that the whole shot is so crisp and clear. Nice composition too. Normally I would like to see a shallower DOF but in this case keeping everything focus works out quite well I think.

wilkinsonsg (8644) 2004-10-20 12:04

Great notes to complement the image - which due to the colours and POV gives up a very striking composition :)

nwoehnl (118) 2004-10-20 13:32

Hi Paul - at first I wasn't sure whether I liked the overlap between the cross and the tower, but the composition seems to be growing on me as I look at it for a while. The statue stands out surprisingly well against the church, probably the diagonal angle helps to that end. Supreme detail again in the brick wall of the church, and even though it's just a small part of the frame I find the green touch added by the trees quite delightful. Great and thoughtful note once again, definitely a writing talent there too besides the photographic one.

papagolf21 (55860) 2004-10-20 14:51

Un angle de prise de vue particulièrement original Paul. Vous n'avez pas choisi la facilité. Le résultat est excellent, la composition donne l'impression d'une photographie en relief.
Excellente lumière et détails étonnants.
La profondeur de champ est réussie (les deux plans sont parfaitement nets).
Excellent travail, Paul.
Merci de nous faire partager un patrimoine qui m'est totalement inconnu.
Bien amicalement.
Philippe

kajenn (2323) 2004-10-20 19:18

A strong monument, captured in a strong composition and accompanied by a strong note, Paul. Opening the image the clarity and richness in the details amazed me. It's a masterpiece. It's shot under excellent circumstances, giving a nice soft light and tint to both the church and the monument. The glowing window surprises me, as the positioning of the cross and the tower. Both of them are very effective and contributes to the spirituality of the picture. And just like you, I sometime find myself standing in front of a monument - reflecting upon life - and then walking away in some kind of serenity, more at ease with my 'time on earth'. Very well done - again!

pm22822 (0) 2004-10-20 20:18 [Comment]

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gaetantgp (1310) 2004-10-20 22:40

Very nice and crisp shot Paul and good note as usual. Well done...Gaétan

snuggleaphagus (4138) 2004-10-21 0:47

The sharpness is amazing> I was thinking a pretty blue sky with puffy clouds would be better but than I changed my mind. I think the white sky is perfect because it doesn't distract from the image.
I like the title there's something very catholic about it.
As always an awesome job.

jhm (81589) 2004-10-21 2:29

Hi Paul, you note is very interesting, the picture is very beautiful, the quality is fantastic, the sharpness extraordinarily, a pity for the small white part of the sky, but it's very great work.
Thanks for visiting my photograph.

orme (6741) 2004-10-21 4:50

The sharpness of the photo and your note are both excellent, Paul. Good POV with the cross seeming to be higher than the church. The colour of the statues also contrast nicely with the red brick work of the church. Well seen and framed.

Kenny10pin (19301) 2004-10-21 8:18

great composition and lovely details, very crisp and clear, well done

ma-tibou (4566) 2004-10-21 9:35

Bonjour Paul, de bien jolie sculptures beaux détails architecturaux, très belle réalisation.
amitié.

sn00zie (2384) 2004-10-22 7:00

wow! this is spectacular. very interesting note too. this is BRILLIANT :)

bertolucci (11976) 2004-10-22 9:19

A very well defined & strongly symbolic picture you bring us here Paul. Considering the feeling you wanna share with us I think the visual integration in the same plane of focus of the monument and the church works well here. The color range is beautiful and the sharpness spot on. Your very personal note is an excellent companion to the picture and let's our mind wander about the symbols of faith and the course & worth of progress and the interrelation between them.... Wonderful work & thanx for sharing.

ChristianS (2997) 2004-10-22 17:39

Very powerful and beautiful photo and a very informative note! Very good composition, good choice to have the church in the background, the details are nice, sharp and clear, nice contrast and light. Well captured!

phi729 (2099) 2004-10-23 8:11

Hi Paul :)

Here the shape (embossment) of the sculpture and expression of the faces are superbly highlighted by the POV and contrast. I like also the sharpness of architecture's details from the Church in background. The mixture of bricks of red color and anthracite, and the gargoyles recall me those of the churches and belfries of the north of France (Flemish region around the city of Lille). Your note adds the timeless touch to the sight, letting to imagine, like in a movie filmed since 175 years and displayed by an accelerated motion, all the evolutions of the surrounding all around this piece of Art. Well Done, Paul. You played very well with time here. And the title well-summarizes the general effect of this composition.

PS : Thank you very much to have added me in your favorites. It is an honor for me, my friend.

maphoto (8076) 2004-10-23 11:13

Very beautiful Paul, the colors and light are wonderful, excellent point of view with the church behind. The result is great but I can only imagine with a splendid blue sky, well done, good work.

Rinie_Hoff (9332) 2004-10-23 18:32

Hi Paul, as always, your notes are excellent and a pleasure to read, and the information you give us about the place where you spend your days, is really good, and I do like the personal element in it very much.
The picture itself is very clear and sharp, very bright and well composed, though I'm not sure how it would look if you'd moved a bit more to the right, so that the whole cross would have stood out against the sky, and not, like now, hiding a piece of the tower.
Nevertheless, excellent work, Paul. Thanks.
I think I'm going to find that music of Philip Glass, excellent composer

oochappan (22024) 2004-10-25 6:45

What a clear nice colored shot! Good POV with the church in the background. And a good note this perfect photo worth. Well done Paul.

mikee (1981) 2004-12-02 1:41

Great detail and sharpness. I like the positioning of the elements - the angle of the statuary group in relation to the church. Like the soft light and warm colors as well. Wonderful DoF. Well done.

"And the constant strive of humanity to seek out the new and face the future and better themselves. Perhaps with a few stumbles along the way but always constant becoming more enlightened."

An optimist perspective and a very nice way to end your note. I wish I would still share such optimism. However, analyzing the situation in depth, i believe it's quite the opposite, especially at present time on a global scale. Unfortunately, how the city of Detroit changed and what has become of it, is a striking example.