Image Of The Month 7 - Amen

[Admin]

http://www.releasephotogroup.org.uk/iom7.htm

Our 7th Image Of The Month is now on our website. We invite all our members to participate in what we expect to be an interesting discussion.

[Droog]

Congratulations to the photographer on having his image selected as image of the month! I look forward to reading the views that this strong image inevitably will provoke.

Andrew

[IAN]

Joe
Many thanks for giving us a baffling yet evocative image this month. I really am at a loss as to what to make of it and therin perhaps lies it's success. If this image was to come up in front of me at one of my judging evenings I would be grasping at all sorts of cliches to cover my confusion. It has the look of a billboard or poster emphasised by the text Amen across the bottom yet there seems to be pictures overlapping pictures.
Then we have the incongruity of the baby doll in that very prominent position out of odds with the background. Perhaps the baby is about to be taken up to another world after it's death?, or am I being too morbid. I can't wait for your explanation of it's conception...the image I mean, and what story lies behind it.
I'm also interested as to what other Releasers make of it.
I enjoy the colours used and the mysticism that lies within it's depths.
Well done
Ian

[Joe Tully]

Good thinking Ian. You are on the right track is all I'll say for the moment and you are not being too morbid at all. Droog knows this piece from before so it looks like he is keeping his powder dry for the time being. I promise to let you all know exactly what this is all about in a few days time.

Byeeeeeeeeeee

Joe

[Wearwell Mike]

Hi Joe

Thanks a lot, this is one of those images which if hanging on a gallery wall would stop you in your tracks, I’m trying to grasp what it is your saying here, firstly death comes to mind as the figure or angel is holding up this little doll for the other figure to see, and then again it could be the birth of this little one, a life beginning it’s long journey! I have looked at this image a number of times now and still I can’t make out what it is you are saying, well done you for making me stop and wonder and not just pass on by. 

Regards.

Mike.

[Overbeyond]

I may be totally up the left with my thinking here but I am seeing this image as a possible outlet for the expression of grief by it's author for some loved one. On the other hand of course it may be, though I doubt it, an expression of celebration or thanks.
The main angel may be welcoming back, with open arms, an infant who has had a short stay in this life. Could the figure in the bottom corner be the Mum, saddened but accepting the grief of departure. The word AMEN adds a finality to the departure. I don't know really and I dare say the author is hardly expecting us to know either.

But it is visually attractive , made so, mainly, by the homemade colouring and interesting mixture of funereal imaging.
I do feel though that the whole concept is let down badly by the total lack of integration of the doll/baby into the overall composition, however symbolic it's blatant presence may be. It looks so cut and pasted (almost not part of the image) and it's artificial shape ensures a lack of compatibility and sympathy with it's surroundings. For me, this is a great pity and I suggest, the potential for something really interesting and original has been lost here.
Joe, forgive me if I am totally misunderstanding your submission but this one has not been easy; but that is good and I can only look forward to more of your awakening images.

[Glenn Rossiter]

Joe.
As I have said elsewhere, I'm just taking a look at your IOM after returning from WA.  Congratulations on its production. I like the way in your comments, you suggest the final Image is all that is really necessary, although to us technical types it is often interesting to also find out a little more about this production process. I find the elements of the Image intriguing with obvious religious and loss emotions coming to the front. I also find the use of orange tones to compete with the bright doll rather good as well together with the Angel like background figure.  I also think the overall shot would work with darker tones, especially at the edges of the frame, almost vignette like and a motion blur to the doll figure. I do not know what to make of the Text Amen ... still deciding whether I like it included ..... I feel the image works strongly enough without it message wise.
many thanks for a thought-provoking Image.
Glenn.

[Joe Tully]

OK guys, a quickie before heading off to London.

First off. I think I may have caused some little argument right from the outset. I was initially asked to submit 3 images and unfortunately these only led to a hung jury so I had to submit another set. This image wasn't my personal first choice but I submitted it because it was the first image produced as a personal project for a very long time and meant a lot to me at the time.

Basically you guys have gotten it right on the nail, so therefore the image is obviously not a disaster and succeeded in conveying just about exactly the message that I was attempting to put across from the beginning.

The story is as follows : Some years ago a very close relative of mine became pregnant with her first. All was excitement and joy of course up to the time of delivery. With one hour to go all was well. An hour later the baby was still born. There was no constant monitoring of progress during this final period and the baby strangled on the umbilical cord. This of course was a great disaster for the mother, who suffered greatly as a result and took a very long time to get over the worst of it. Happy to say, she did so and on her second pregnancy, brought into the world a lovely daughter who is now just about finished third level education. Told you it was some years ago. Indeed, now that I come to think of it, all of this preceeded the arrival of digital photography to the mass market,by years.

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't subscribe to all the mumbo jumbo which is believed  here in Ireland concerning Guardian Angels and such like, but many do, so I decided to use them(the angels, that is) as my starting point and spent over a year scouting through graveyards until I reckoned I had the right ones. A suitable shot of a baby was not forthcoming however. Then one day as I was walking across the bridge in Arklow what should I see face down in the mud but a doll and a dolls pram. How they got there is anybody's guess but here at last was my "baby". Indeed I reckon it is all the better for not being a real baby... it makes the whole thing even more surreal. What we have here so, is a scenario where the angels, with sad expressions (the child is dead after all) are taking care of the infant and preparing to bring it to a better place in the afterlife. I have tried this shot with a moody blue colour scheme but I prefer the golden hues which speak of hope and triumph rather than doom and gloom.

So, there you have it. The pundits were not far out at all and basically read the message pretty accurately. Technically this image is ok until you come to the baby which is somewhat "cut and pasted". In view of the fact that it is not a real baby, I am quite ok with that and prefer to leave it as it is. It would be different with the real thing though. As it is I prefer the surreal slightly unnerving feel of the thing.

Thanks for your "participation". I really enjoyed it. Maybe again some time?

Joe

[Martin]

Hello Joe,

Thanks for your explanation.  I think it shows how personal a picture can sometimes
be and how we can all be perplexed when we have not been party to the original
event(s)

As it is I have held back from commenting as I really haven't known what to say!!
Quite an unusual event for me.  I have to say this is not an image I warm to (I know
that's not the point) and I don't really like the way the doll appears to be stuck onto
the rather elegant background.  I could also do without the Amen word which seems
to me a bit blatant.

Anyway it's certainly provoked some comment and interest which is, after all, what
this section of the site is meant to be all about!!  Many thanks indeed for your
contribution and looking forward to your further comments.

Martin the Medieval.