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July 2009
The story behind it
01/07/2009
Mindelo, Cape Verde, end of afternoon. I had been at the market to take photographs. I took the chance of going to the small pier, towards the bay. Along the pier I had many occasions for several photographic situations. There was a small boat, loading or unloading. They asked me why I was taking photographs, since some of them didn't want to be photographed.The light, like in many other late afternoons at Mindelo, is diffused and yellow. I hear the water, in breaking small waves onto the rigid concrete pier.
Some boats are anchoured, far away in the bay. Some seem that have never moved, for years. Behind me, I feel the energy of the city.
Comment
Technical issues
01/07/2009
I used the panoramic Hasselblad XPAN, 35mm lens, with negative B&W TMAX100 film. It's an excellent lens. I used a red filter, to enhance contrasts. This was not a situation of low light, even with the small aperture used to acquire the wide depth-of-field seen in the photo. See how the Sun makes part of the composition, causing very little lens flare. On the contrary, since I wanted a backlit photograph, I might have spot metered light on the pier concrete. For focus I used the hyperfocal distance to be able to provide the maximum depth-of-field.The film was scanned with Vuescan, by Ed Hamrick, with the Coolscan 9000.
Critial review
01/07/2009
Simple in composition, detail and light. Fundamentally, there are two lines and two central points in the photograph: the vertical line of the pier, the boat line in the horizon, the fishermen (mainly the one standing on the pier) and the Sun. This simplicity is also helped by the use of backlighting, reducing detail to the textures present in the pier's floor and to the smooth waves on the water. These textures totally differ, between the roughness of the concrete and the smoothness of the water. This contrast is fundamental.Because of the composition, lens and focus, with the panoramic camera used vertically, the fisherman at the pier seems to be at the top of a vertical concrete column.
Where you should place it
01/07/2009
It can be printed large, coming from a film scan, providing all the detail in the concrete, people and boats. For its simplicity and being B&W, it will not compete with a complex or coloured decoration around it.I suggest a simple frame, with our without glass. A passpartout doesn't seem a good idea, risking confusion with the lines in the picture. Maybe a coloured one would do fine, like light yellow or burgundy. But I'd stick to maximum simplicity.
Either at home, office or a public place, it will fill your visitors with joy, besides you!
