Isle de Jean Charles

[RMW]

Southern marsh,Terrabone Parish, LA.
richardwallerphotos.com

[sdwilsonsct]

Nice framing. I wonder if a title that was less locality-specific would work.

[RMW]

Hi Scott,
Thanks for commenting.
I wonder about that, too.
This island is fast disappearing and one primary cause is the oil industry and it's extensive canals that let salt water intrude into the marsh. That intrusion kills the marsh grasses allowing a hurricane's storm surge to travel further inland wreaking just about everything it reaches.
What kind of title can tell something about all this?
Richard

[sdwilsonsct]

...What kind of title can tell something about all this?

Perhaps the information can go into a caption.

A title can be brief and generally engaging in the sense that few people may understand the region or the circumstances surrounding the subject, but they might connect with the feeling you are trying to convey. IMO.

[RMW]

Hi Scott.
Thanks for following up.
A caption is the way to go. I see it the same. But I wonder if people on this forum take the time to read them?
Also wondering if you're presenting a power point presentation, how long can a title be ? Just how much do the two mediums of pictures and words conflict in this digital age ?
(Reading words ain't what it used to be.)
Richard

[brandtb]

There are some very interesting aspects to this...not a hundred percent...and on the processing as well. It has some good qualities especially the rhythm of it. Was the color version interesting. By the bye, putting a gray border on the b/w image with so much gray tonality makes it difficult to "read" this image really well. I would think about using white for something like this.

[RMW]

Hello Brandt.
Thank you for your comments and suggestions.
Will definitely consider changing the border.
Do you think the rhythm of the composition adds to the subject matter or not- because this is a bleak story ? (Thinking about how they say a good poem sounds like what it means and vice/versa.)
The color version was too contrasty. Took this mid-afternoon in the very strongest light.
Richard

[brandtb]

Richard - On one level and perhaps the most important one, meaning based simply on what is the essential in the frame without our knowing any backstory, it is about the rhythms of the structure...then about decay. I don't really read it as bleak with a capital "B" - there is decay all around us, things falling apart as is the natural course of things. I think if this were part of an "editorial series" where the bleakness was further amplified with images then it would start to take on a stronger meaning in that direction. On the image, I thought it was interesting the building framing in foreground blends with the framing in the background and becomes somewhat indistinguishable like an M.C.Escher drawing. I think the time of day as you said very bright...maybe a little too harsh for this subject, not sure. An aside, the general context/place brought to mind the 1948 doc. film "Louisiana Story" by Robert Flaherty (R. Leacock  camera) - mostly shot in hot light. Worth seeing if you haven't before. /B

[RMW]

Hi Brandt,
Your comments are very helpful.
I'm going out there again soon and will photograph the scene in softer light.
And I agree with you that it needs more context to express the 'bleakness'.
The Flaherty film I'll watch once more to see how he works with the 'hot' Louisiana light.
Please know I very much appreciate your help.
Richard