Luminous Landscape Forum
The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: Dave (Isle of Skye) on February 21, 2013, 07:29:20 pm
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I find this to be a very sad and at the same time a gentle and heart warming image.
Dave
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If only I could recognize what that thing is?
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Very nice, Dave. The juxtaposition of the blooms and the decaying whatever it is is interesting. I'm not sure it's sad.
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I wish I could agree, but it's not real enough for me to figure out what it is and not abstract enough for me to full appreciate simply line and shape and color. Sorry, not trying to be offensive.
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Really, guys? Never seen a tombstone before?
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Seemed pretty obvious to me, but I have shot tombstones before! ;) I like the snowdrops as an ephemeral contrast to the stone. At the same time, I don't think it's sad. I once saw a tombstone that was simply a large boulder of raw jade. It obviously meant something to whomever had it placed there, but there was no name carved on it or any detail at all. I thought it was among the best headstones I've ever seen.
Mike.
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Really, guys? Never seen a tombstone before?
We obviously live in different worlds. Where I come from, this thing would never be used as a tombstone. Nor I see anything similar here, in the States.
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We obviously live in different worlds. Where I come from, this thing would never be used as a tombstone. Nor I see anything similar here, in the States.
I've seen many gravestones that look similar to this one here is Massachusetts, especially in 18th century cemeteries.
But maybe Massachusetts doesn't count, because it's a "Commonwealth" and not a "State?"
I like the image.
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I've seen many gravestones that look similar to this one here is Massachusetts, especially in 18th century cemeteries...
A tombstone without inscription?
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Looks like a molar to me. Perhaps from a large mammal washed ashore and died. Happens a lot on the West coast of Scotland. There isn't anything in the image as to scale it to.
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I'm sorry this image doesn't work for me. I, like many, do not recognize the object. Dave tells us it's a tombstone but it does not look like a tombstone to many, mainly because there is no text on the tombstone relaying the message that death is involved here. Accordingly, many do not get the messages and imagery from the juxtaposition of life (the flowers) and death (the tombstone), and so on.
People who recognize that the white object is a tombstone, will appreciate the imagery. For the rest of us, I would have included more tombstones in the image in the hope that seeing more of them may make it clear to viewers not familiar with these objects that they are tombstones. Working more of the environment into the picture would in my opinion make it less of a "product" shot.
The small size of the posted image means it is difficult to tell if it is sharp. I consider the tombstone should be sharp. The subject matter may suit B+W better.
Roger
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I find this to be a very sad and at the same time a gentle and heart warming image.
Dave
Yes it is a very old and worn away tombstone, it is so old and neglected and weather worn in fact, that all the words like the memories of the person buried there, have long since faded away.
The reason I find it both sad and heart warming, is because the story it tells to me, is that even though this grave still holds the remains of someone who was once loved and very dear to their family, that over the passage of time the grave has become neglected. No one comes to the grave anymore, no family visits, no flowers and no mourning for the life of the person buried there. In fact no one even knows who is buried there anymore, it's as if they never existed, just vanished with the passing of time. Yet heart warming because mother nature still brings flowers and tends the grave and gives comfort to the remains and will never forget.
Yes for some reason, this image seems to have uncovered the emotional female side of me (put me in touch with my feminie side I meant to say here and as the popular saying goes :))- and as I also mentioned in another thread, this is the type of stuff/nonsense that goes through my head when I am working a scene. Who said you have to put something of yourself into the photograph? Well that is what I put into this one - it may be miles away from the reality, but that is what this image says to me and the emotion I was trying to capture when I created it.
Dave :)
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The shadow makes the stone look more like a broken teapot, rounded in more dimensions than it is, which is possibly why Slobodan is puzzled. It took me quite a while to "see" it as flat, after my initial impression. The shadow on the stone is actually cast by some object out of frame, correct? It is so soft-edged that it appears that it is cast by a curve in the stone itself (a curve which does not exist).
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.... neglected...
uncovered... goes through my head ...... something of..... the reality, but......me and the emotion.....
Dave :)
I celebate this revelation... :)
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The reason I find it both sad and heart warming, is because the story it tells to me, is that even though this grave still holds the remains of someone who was once loved and very dear to their family, that over the passage of time the grave has become neglected. No one comes to the grave anymore, no family visits, no flowers and no mourning for the life of the person buried there. In fact no one even knows who is buried there anymore, it's as if they never existed, just vanished with the passing of time. Yet heart warming because mother nature still brings flowers and tends the grave and gives comfort to the remains and will never forget.
Very well written Dave. Lovely thoughts.
William
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"For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more."
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I never visit cemeteries.
I’m definitely of the burn ‘em persuasion. Once dead, all that remains is spirit and that, much as with Tinker Bell, lives as long as one refuses to say fairies (spirits, here) don’t exist. If you see a dead loved one, you can’t avoid realising that you are no longer seeing the same person but a mere cold, almost impersonally sad shell of what lived within. I believe it’s nature’s anaesthetic for the living.
That’s where eternity resides: in each one of us. And I think we can build chains of it that survive us. The horror of a life without love?
I’m happy enough with that warming concept… I think.
Rob C
P.S. I’m afraid I have no picture to illustrate the point.
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A tombstone without inscription?
Didn’t it occur to you that an inscription could be worn away? I would have thought that the title of this thread, “Worn Away”, might be a clue.
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Didn’t it occur to you that an inscription could be worn away? I would have thought that the title of this thread, “Worn Away”, might be a clue.
Sorry, too subtle. Looked maybe like a pottery shard; we could be dealing with cultural differences. I understand the sentiment now that I know that this is a grave marker, but I guess I needed to be hit over the head with that ::)
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I remain convinced that there are:
- people who see the object as it is, a flat slab
- people who see it as a rounded pot-like object, which is a very convincing optical illusion in this case
The first group have no trouble accepting it as a tombstone, and the second do. If you can't accept it as a tombstone, go look at the image again carefully, and try to envision is as a flat slab. It is! I promise!
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try to envision is as a flat slab. It is! I promise!
How can it be with that modeling light coming from the right?
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There are shadows being cast on the slab by things which are out of frame. The lichens also assist in the illusion. It's startling!
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There are shadows being cast on the slab by things which are out of frame. The lichens also assist in the illusion. It's startling!
Wow. I just can't see it. Maybe if I turn it upside down ;) Not meaning to trivialize the image.
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Sorry, I wasn’t clear in my post. Eric wrote: “I've seen many gravestones that look similar to this one here is Massachusetts, especially in 18th century cemeteries.” To which Slobodan replied: “A tombstone without inscription?” It seemed to be that it would not be unusual or surprising to find a lot of 18th century tombstones where the inscription had worn away.
Also, I meant no criticism that anyone didn’t recognize the photo as a tombstone. It’s very understandable, even though it seemed pretty obvious to me. I was just surprised that none of the first three posters could recognize it.
You never know what people will read into what you write. I meant my initial post to be good natured. If anyone read it to be derogatory or critical, it was not my intent.
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If anyone read it to be derogatory or critical
Not at all.
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Dave, it's a vertical standing flat slab, not one laying flat on the ground. Does that help clear up it up?
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Also note that the shadow on the left half of the stone continues on the ground, it's not a modeling shadow at all! There's SOME sort of odd window or something casting a light onto the right side of the thing.
I love this thing more and more, the more I look at it. Not, I regret, as a photo, but as an illusion ;)
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Dave, it's a vertical standing flat slab, not one laying flat on the ground. Does that help clear up it up?
It looks to me like a curved but angled surface with that light coming from the right side of the frame. Don't worry, I can't see craters on the moon--they always look like raised bumps and Escher (sp?) would give me nightmares!
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A tombstone without inscription?
Most gravestones I've encountered only have inscriptions on one side. This is obviously the back side.
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Most gravestones I've encountered only have inscriptions on one side. This is obviously the back side.
No, no, that's too pat; the backside would carry the inscription Please View From The Other Side. Those guys with the chisels got paid by the letter. Union rules.
Rob C
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Hi all,
The headstone is outside an ancient and very tumbledown little church in Lochcarron and no there wasn't any writing visible on it, either side. The light is coming from slightly to the left and to the rear of me. The shadow is being cast by an old tree growing out of the equally tumbledown dry stone wall surrounding the graveyard, also behind and slightly to the left of me.
I know this is not an earth shatter image or something I would ever wish to print, but I thought it worth sharing with you all by way of explaining what led to its creation.
Dave :)
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Hi all,
The headstone is outside an ancient and very tumbledown little church in Lochcarron and no there wasn't any writing visible on it, either side. The light is coming from slightly to the left and to the rear of me. The shadow is being cast by an old tree growing out of the equally tumbledown dry stone wall surrounding the graveyard, also behind and slightly to the left of me.
I know this is not an earth shatter image or something I would ever wish to print, but I thought it worth sharing with you all by way of explaining what led to its creation.Dave :)
Well, David, you certainly got a lot of people confused! And that can't be too bad.
;-)
Rob C
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I remain convinced that there are:
- people who see the object as it is, a flat slab
- people who see it as a rounded pot-like object, which is a very convincing optical illusion in this case...
Wait! I know!
This must be the definition of ambiguity. It thus belongs to Russ' Street Thread. :P
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... I meant my initial post to be good natured. If anyone read it to be derogatory or critical, it was not my intent.
Too late... I was already offended. >:(
P.S. Just kidding!
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No, no, that's too pat; the backside would carry the inscription Please View From The Other Side. Those guys with the chisels got paid by the letter. Union rules.
Rob C
Ah, I see. So Dave's headstone was for someone who refused to pay the union chiselers.
Dave, I like the photo. It has charm. I have photographed many headstones myself, and almost always the back side, since the patterns of lichen and weathering on old stones are usually much more interesting (to me) than the inscriptions.
And SB: I'm sorry you haven't yet come across a headstone with an uninscribed face. Come to Massachusetts some time and I'll show you some.
Eric
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Ah, I see. So Dave's headstone was for someone who refused to pay the union chiselers.
Eric
Yes, probably was, but then I forgot something when I quoted the traditional chisel-wielder's standard sting in the tail: had said chiseler been a real artiste, the verso would have borne his imprint, serial number and edition details.
From the evidence presented by David, this must have been the work of an artisan and not of an artiste.
So, lower middle class work, I'm afraid; not much curatorial prospect there, then.
Some clans were better than others.
Rob C