May 2009
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The story behind it
01/05/2009
I am in Coimbra. I was on a photography commission for a client. I started by making the most of having no wind and of having the good morning light, close to the river Mondego. I then followed to the old Baixa neighbourhood. Going along the old streets, my eyes, ears and nose bring up vivid memories of my times in Coimbra. Much hadn't changed, in the old part, for the good and for the worse. I had been there, 20 years before, looking for original photographs for a high-school contest. Some doors and windows were in the same place, apparently having stopped in time. But time has passed!Comment
Technical issues
01/05/2009
This photograph was taken with the Hasselblad XPAN, panoramic, film camera. There were no crops, after the film burn. The film is the Fuji NPC 160, colour negative. This film allows large dynamic range (compared to slide film), little grain and natural saturation of colours. In this case, I chose to convert it to B&W, after digital scanning. I used no tripod, since there were no critical light or depth-of-field issues to deal with.Critial review
01/05/2009
This is urban photography, capturing the richness of detail from the walls, windows, things on the windows, the hanging line, clothes and the lamp. This is why I chose B&W, to bring up textures, light contrasts and the simple relations within its contents. Although I wasn't able to be at the same level as the windows, I was still able to balance the photograph with the clothes' shadows. These shadows form a diagonal line, coming from the lamp. The photographs on the windows (a hairdresser) substitute the real people at the window. These are mirrors of what is inside and of a stopped time.Where you should place it
01/05/2009
It can be printed in large format, for example, 120cm long, since it was taken in film, and the film used has fine grain. This is not a photograph of large expansive views, but of detail. It will go well in an urban space, with modern lines and furniture. It will contrast with the old part of the photo, in terms of content, and with the modern concept behind the photograph. I suggest it to be framed without a paper mount, with a simple and thin frame, on a colourful wall.
