Me and My Shadow Photo

Photographer’s Note

This is another photo taken along San Anselmo Avenue. The sun was setting over Bald Hill to the west of downtown when I spotted this young woman walking through an intersection with cell phone pressed to her ear. I raised my camera at precisely the moment when she passed though the circle of sunlight created by the shadow of a tree to my right. A moment later she was fully in the shadows once again. I'd like to believe that all things come to those who wait though even the most patient photographer can't wait forever to capture an ideal image. We sometimes get lucky, however. I was pleased with this capture. Without the shadow it would lose its charm, at least to my eye. Enjoy.

alekpet, Wirraway, Rinie_Hoff, torben, peter1892, Isabelle, fadingstar78, Rumio, aralda, asival, craiggc, evanrizo, Aspirin has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

boaz (385) 2005-10-19 2:54

I think it is a beautiful shot!
The light is fantastic and the composition is very good=!

alekpet (4659) 2005-10-19 3:00

Hi Curtis.
I love the choice of black and white, it's always good when something moving is captured. It works here perfectly as the shadow is becoming more similar to the girl than if it was taken in colour.

All the best, Aleks

torben (3084) 2005-10-19 4:25

An excellent work curtiss, the shadow is definitely the clou of this photo but all the rest works nicely along with it.
The girl with her shadow and the edge of a shadow on the wall makes a triangle that makes the main subject stand out in the composition, and the wall and windows behind draws a rhythmic series of rectangles across the frame that makes a great background. Each rectangle defines a distinct area in the background.
The large central window is background for the girl and it contains both her "mirror" the mannequin figure and the word "collage" that seems fitting for this composition of rectangles.
The stone wall is background for her shadow, the other main subject. So both the girl and her shadow have their distinct part of the background. The stone wall is also a good contrast in texture to the smooth window panes, it is different but still within the same pattern of rectangles, the combination of difference and likeness brings dynamic to the background.
The window on the left and the door on the right plays their part by being part of the diagonal cutting across the frame along the bottom of the glass areas, holding the frame together, and by being otherwise unobtrusive.
You achieved a beautiful b/w conversion too, I don't know if graytones can be called "saturated" that what they look like.
And then there is the little detail with the motion blur on her right food. Very good.

So, I enjoyed it a lot.

[13] +

Wirraway (1985) 2005-10-19 5:29

Nice B/W Curtis, well composed and executed, good note, keep them coming.

Regards Ian
Tropical North Queensland

SophieL (6030) 2005-10-19 11:22

It's a very interesting picture Curtis, I think Torben said it well. I really like the way the shadow is just in the ray of light. Well seen, and well done. The B&W adds strength to the play of light and shadow.

On all your latest updates though, I'm a bit disturbed (actually disturbed is not the word, let's say puzzled) by the fact that most people in your picture are turning their back on you, and we hardly see their face. And even when we see there face, there seem to me no relation between them and you (and so, between them and us). Is that a choice, or a step in your photography habits, or just random chance?

I like all these encounters, though. Keep going!

Rinie_Hoff (9332) 2005-10-19 11:33

Good morning, Curtis,
What can I possibly add or say after a critique of Torben, who can read an image like this so well?
The tones are beautiful , and yes there was no better moment as this, her legs are so looong this way. I like the blur on her right leg, though I was a bit surprised that with a shutterspeed of 1/100 you get that blur. With these looong legs she's probably very fast as well. It looks as if the focus is on the wall BTW, and not on the girl, kind of like that. And as you will not discuss crashing browsers, I will not discuss the lens you took this one with ;-), as, when I would have kept my big mouth shut, the lens would probably have been a Canon 28-200 ;-)

[2]

peter1892 (3201) 2005-10-19 18:30

Hi Curtis - I like the B&W tones in this shot, the composition itself works perfectly too. To my eye, it seems that the shadow is perfectly sharp, the girl less so (just a little) but that's what gives the final effect as she passes through the sunlight.

Other than that, I think Torben has said it all really ;)

Isabelle (9014) 2005-10-22 8:41

After Torben´s comment we can only enjoy your subtly complex, compellng, exquisite image, Curtis.
With my compulsion for tight crops, i would crop the right hand side - the panes - and leave the girl facing the manequin, but I am trying to cope with wider compositions :)
As for Sophie´s comment, about people being caught from the back, oh, i understand your pov absolutely! the moment we press the shutter is a pure delight, and the time we spend in front of the computer trying possible composition is an extension of that magic moment.
congratulations, Curtis, and have a great weekend.

shal (934) 2005-11-23 9:20

Great B/W Curtis,
lovely shadow detail and balance, excellent POV as well
good going,
Cheers,
Shal

fadingstar78 (404) 2005-12-21 9:42

Torben said all there was to say. You were very good in catching the precise moment for this shot. matter of fractions of a second.

great shot.

rbcy1974 (20742) 2005-12-24 17:45

Hi Curtis,
Excellebt shot, gret play of lights and shadows, good tones and contrasts, really great daily life scene.
Regards
Daniel

Salil_B (737) 2006-01-11 13:17

Great image, Curtis. Remminds me of Koudelka.
Superb timing. The slight blur of her right foot hasgiven the photograph a sense of movement that captivates me. Wonderful use of light and shade. Wonderful.
Salil

thaprem (2494) 2006-03-08 5:54

Curtis,
What a wonderful POV!...
II particularly like your selection of B&W on this...
An absolutely timed shot, makes this a real "to-be-referred" shot!.
Congrats.
Prem.

asival (4265) 2006-03-14 1:43

Hi Curtis

You just capture the right moment making it a perfect shoot, the sun angle and the compo are superb

Gj

Assi

evanrizo (456) 2006-06-17 10:09

An excellent shot, in a very good momment, very good composition with very good lightness. A perfect choise in black and white.

arjun_das (1850) 2006-07-13 2:17

Wonderful play with light and shadow. Really a good capture of a decisive moment. B/W effect goes well with the theme of the picture.
TFS.
Arjun

pady (4800) 2006-09-14 13:41

Great shot Curtis,
I like the shadow and you were there at the right time.
Greetings from Pierre-André

Photo Information

Copyright: Curtis Grindahl (cgrindahl) (6109)
Genre: People
Medium: Black & White
Date Taken: 2005-07-16
Categories: Daily Life
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Canon 28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS, Digital RAW, Hoya Super HMC 72mm UV
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/100 seconds
More Photo Info: view
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-10-19 2:48
Favorites: 2 [view]