Bruce, Looks as if your camera is overdue for a CLA.But on a more serious note, it's interesting stuff, but closer to painting than to photography. You probably ought to attach an "artist's statement."
This shot must be from the Minolta CLE I dropped rather than the Leica, I was using back then. I liked photography, but I didn't print; I shot slides to trace to make rather unsuccessful paintings on paper. I kept seeing the photos in my head when I looked at the paintings, but other people didn't seem to. One of nine parts to the no-longer extant painting is attached. Back then, I also photographed the painting neatly assembled, with much glare on its glossy wrinkles. That photo as well as the nine somewhat foreshortened parts [the black wedges on the side of the attached are not part of it] are in this stew with the original photo layered. I have tried to balance the painting against the photo so that they both have their say. PhotoShop seems to have the loudest voice, however. The meaning of this work of art is: Why is that women walking down the street one of the best reasons to believe I can find?BruceP.S. In the attached I have blended another day's photoshoping fifty-fifty with the first of these postings and likely as importantly did not sharpened this one.
I think the photograph is better the more you leave it alone! Well, there's probably some stuff I would tweak, but it's definitely got some of the right stuff in it. I like the guy's face, expression, etc.