The Red Chairs

[mindforge]

Appreciate the straight-talk mindforge. I agree on the coolness aspect of the chairs in the middle of the road. This was a personal shot so the house needed to be there for my purposes alone.. and I agree it is a distraction.
Thx - M

I pretty much figured that the house was a necessity for the image. Years from now, if you did it the way I suggest you might say "Man, I wish I had the house in the shot." Who knows.

[Michael Van der Tol]

Hi Marko,

I like the hat-in shot. One other extemporaneous question for you - Do you think this shot would have looked better as a square crop? Just curious? I don't know what was out side the frame, but would be interested in knowing your thoughts?

Regards,

MikeV

[Marko]

I think it WOULD have looked good as a square shot, had I cropped out the house in the vertical shot.

Had I made the shot horizontal and cropped square....hmm maybe, but maybe the house and chairs would have appeared too small.

I guess all shots can be artful and personal, but for this shot, the personal was more important (for me) and I had to have the house (my dad's house) in the shot.

Even though most people think the hat shot is better (and I agree artistically), the hatless shot reflects my feelings and mood for the shot MUCH better. It is indeed a sad, and very personal shot and that was my intent.

Thx everyone!

marko

[JAS_Photo]

I think I understand the the symbolism of the photo, now. I agree that that having the hat off gives respect to the person who is missing from the photo, the chair and possibly your life. In that context it's a very moving, poignant photo. I hope I am not being too presumptuous and maybe I am completely wrong, but my understanding of the photo is that the chairs depict or represent change and loss.

[Marko]

You are 100% correct raiven. They represent both change and loss. The fact they are on that corner is actually the spot that they were being discarded and they were a part of my life for several decades.

Thanks everyone
M