Winter's Bleakness Photo

Photographer’s Note

The rolling prairies around Calgary become very bleak on a gray winter day. Notice this is color, not B/W! This scene is in a park on the outskirts of Calgary, and was shot from the window of a moving airport shuttle bus (hence the 1/640 speed.) It's somewhat of an experiment for me to post this type of shot; we'll see if all you TE people like it or if it falls flat.

faganrodney, rbassin, Floydian has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

bombilla (3402) 2006-12-21 12:35

The image of two people dwarfed against a desolate landscape never seems to get old. It's one of the kinds of images that really speaks to the fragility of human existence on this planet. In this case, the road reads like a ribbon of silver, guiding them through a hostile land; or even like an illuminated artery through a body they inhabit. -Hugh

partha (13667) 2006-12-21 12:36

Huge land and small people. A nice shot.
Partha

Clairedelune (4885) 2006-12-21 12:39

Well Ken, it doesn't fall flat for me! Far from it. I look at this photo, and I have some lumps in my throat. There is an incredible power in that photo. However, I can't say why. Is it the seemingly barren land? The immensity of the place? The little path whiter and those two persons who seem to be alone it the world? The desaturation (natural, not by PP)?

I can hear the sound of the wind and the silence that comes with it.
I can feel the cold and the silence that comes with it.
Hear it... Feel it.
Do you still have any doubt?

I am two. Always been. I love happy-puppy (borrowed that expression from George!) kind of photo. I love very sad and nostalgic one too. This one touches me deep...

Claire

faganrodney (496) 2006-12-21 13:14

I don't think it fell flat. As I think, your note gave a great description of your conditions and the surroundings. I think that you achieved what you wanted to present the day you shot it. TFS Rodney

Cormac (26455) 2006-12-21 13:25

Great shgot Ken! The simplicity is what gives this it's power. The road winding through the landscape, with two tiny people on it, gives a great impression of desolation. It's hard to believe that this was taken from near the Calgary airport. Well done!

rbassin (4265) 2006-12-21 13:27

Bonsoir Ken,
Dans les conditions où cette photo a été prise, le résultat est plutôt bien.J'aime bien ce type d'image sous un jour gris: l'aspect unicolor,l'ambiance sobre et de grand calme.
Le cadrage avec le chemin et les promeneurs est un +
Roland

cessy (13647) 2006-12-21 16:16

I like it :)
great find and nicely captured
it looks like somewhere in nowhere land

Floydian (30970) 2006-12-22 3:28

Hi Ken,
A kind of mysterious picture. The road leads to nothing and the people are on their way to nothing. Composition is excellent, that winding road is making all the difference with the two people on it.
Regards, Henk

Polonaise (5638) 2006-12-22 11:52

A gem in your collection, Ken.
No reson for further writing.
One of those works you have no 'buts & ifs' about.
Falls flat?
You teasing us, are you (:-))))
I don't know mow much of a PP is done there (If any?), but the final results are stunning.

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It's a photography, Ken.
No more - no less...A PHOTOGRAPHY.
With all elements of a photography in place.
It symbolizes nothing except itself.
Pure photography as it is now. A composition of different shades of colors in certain order.
A picture.
No political or social drama. No photo gimmicks.
No idiotic (and untrue) made up for the occasion - notes attached to it.
Visual pleasure for our eyes. No pretentiousness of any kind.
True to the bone view of a winter field in Alberta with the lonely pair of people walking through.
Purely yet beautifully passed on us in your photograph.
Nothing more and nothing less.
A REAL PHOTOGRAPHY.
Sacred, decent work.
Please, trust some of people with their comments about this photo of yours...They know and they're honest in their opinions (most of the time (:-) )
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Do you realize Ken, that I feel a better man after scribing these honest words about THIS picture.
...or is it a Christmas spirit...?
Who knows...?
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Instead in replay section, I decided to expand my original comment and post it into main window.
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All the blessings possible for you and your dearest, Ken.
Might be the brightest Christmas of them all.

jmcl (14145) 2006-12-22 21:11

Ken,

this is just a stunning image Ken. ... something I have learned from being a musician is that simplicity can be much more difficult than complexity. When I teach .. the first instinct of my composition students when something is not working is to add another element to the mix .. never to take one away

.. the people .. the path .. the vastness .. the threatening sky .. what would anything add to that .. ??

some highly saturated .. high contrasted thing .. has more immediate entertainment value .. but art needs the object to have the need for reflection not bombast ..

That all said for me this image brings back such thoughts of South Dakota .. where I grew up ..

Estonian composer Arvo Pärt wrote this piece for piano .. Für Alina .. you need a copy .. it and this image circle the same thoughts in a way.

take care,

John