May 2008
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The story behind it
01/05/2008
Alentejo. Heat. Mid-day. The brightness of the road and wall burn. The wall survives to the harsh elements. Severe winters and summers, holding firm. I stop the car, after going through the dust, in the fields. Protected inside the car, the cameras are ready for shooting. The simplicity of a poppy flower, fighting for a position in the world, on the rich and old texture, awakes them. Me too!It was in 2007. After a year, the wall will not fall anymore - it's been renewed, following the old style. The poppy? After the photo I took it sent many seeds, to the world. Only the photographic record and history remain.
Comment
Technical issues
01/05/2008
This photograph has been taken with the analog camera, with Kodak Elite Chrome 100 slide film. No tripod was used, since depth-of-field is not an issue, and because there is plenty of light. Light metering had to be judicious, running the risk of ending up with an underexposed photograph.For this, this record is very rich, with great detail, texture and volume, on the wall. The grain only helps in this. The lens barrel distortion is nearly imperceptible. It was slightly cropped and straightened. The colours are the real ones. Straight photography, this time!
Critial review
01/05/2008
This photograph stands for its simplicity, with few elements and lines. The inorganic texture of the wall's surface, stones and remains of several plaster works, contrasts with the organics of a poppy's simple life. In B&W the red of the petals and the green tones of the leaves, especially bright, would be lost. In terms of scale, the small plant compares to the enormous wall. In spite of being much larger, its rich texture avoids getting monotonous. The composition remains balanced.Due to simplicity and balance, each one may see several meanings in this photograph.
Where you should place it
01/05/2008
This photograph nearly recreates another wall, an old one, when hung over a much newer wall, indoors. In this sense it directly affects the environment. It is not particularly demanding in terms of lighting, being simple and very clear. It goes well in a countryside cottage, on a large living-room wall, with diffuse natural light. At night, I suggest a directional lamp towards the left side, going for the poppy. These are only suggestions!
