this was the only photo in the art challenge that went straight to my heart ..
the reality of a photo is irrelevant .. its how it speaks to us that counts ..
and it spoke to me on many levels .. some quite difficult to put into words ..
but something along the lines of loneliness .. loss .. and the passage of time ..
i see the old man’s wet footsteps on the concrete .. and know that when he’s gone they’ll linger for just a while .. which makes me think of the mark we all make on the world .. will our mark be a soft whisper or a shout .. will it speak of joy or sadness .. or both ..
i see the darkness he’s approaching and wonder if it could be seen as a metaphor .. will his declining years be fraught with illness, pain and being invisible ..
he looks ragged and unkempt .. it makes me feel sad .. :(
There is a quiet determination and grace in this photograph. The exposure and toning contribute to the overall feel, but my favorite part is you can “see” him walking because of those footsteps in the snow, his stride short but sure. This capture of a simple everyday moment in time is one of the reasons I love photography.
Art tells stories. Or at least it suggests them and lets the viewer fill in the narrative gaps. Of all the images in this challenge, this one most appeals to me for its storytelling. It wonders, "Where is he headed? What important life matters have compelled him to get out in this weather? The darkness at the vanishing point of the frame is deliciously open-ended—as if this could be a man marching resolutely to his own certain demise...or maybe just to the dentist for a routine check-up. The viewer projects his or her own story on the proceedings, and that's to this image's credit.
Perfect moment. A millisecond sooner or later, both feet would be on the ground and the umbrella wouldn't be almost perfectly vertical, making it a less interesting photograph. The visible raindrops are the magic ingredient, making the whole thing sing.
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