Just a Thank You to those who helped me with this...

[Todd Suttles]

Thank you to those who helped me with this submission. These are the seven I ended up. Prospectus: "Forgotten" -"The Forgotten, people, places and belongings that once mattered, that have been left behind. Things once being of importance to humans …personal items, homes, special places, letters, etc. Anything that has been left behind or replaced. Any object, being, place or property that once had the importance to another."

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Good stuff, Todd. Every single one.

[Todd Suttles]

Cont'd...






-appreciate you, -t

[David Eckels]

Good stuff, Todd. Every single one.

Agreed

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

The last picture has a protruding element that is out of focus. I think it could be easily cropped out, without affecting the meaning of the rest.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Excellent work Todd.
These seven function well as a harmonious group.

[Todd Suttles]

The last picture has a protruding element that is out of focus. I think it could be easily cropped out, without affecting the meaning of the rest.

Thanks for this idea, and your other comment. Thanks, -t

[Todd Suttles]

As always, thank you David and Eric for your help!

[Ivo_B]

I could agree with the other comments. But that wouldn't help you any further. It's in the critique section, so I guess that's what you are looking for.

I don't have comments on each single picture on it's own, but I do have a comment on the series. I miss consistency in the series. Why mixing B&W and Color? The series looks like a random pick instead of carefully selected images telling a story.

Just my two cents...

Ivo

[RSL]

I'll add two more cents. I don't often agree with Ivo, but this time I do.

Todd, can you explain what you're trying to do with this series?

[James Clark]

Todd states it quite clearly...

 "Forgotten" -"The Forgotten, people, places and belongings that once mattered, that have been left behind. Things once being of importance to humans …personal items, homes, special places, letters, etc. Anything that has been left behind or replaced. Any object, being, place or property that once had the importance to another."

I don't think a "story" is necessary - the invocation of a feeling or a contemplation is more than sufficient to allow the viewer to be pushed toward his/her own reaction.

[Ivo_B]

Todd states it quite clearly...

 "Forgotten" -"The Forgotten, people, places and belongings that once mattered, that have been left behind. Things once being of importance to humans …personal items, homes, special places, letters, etc. Anything that has been left behind or replaced. Any object, being, place or property that once had the importance to another."

I don't think a "story" is necessary - the invocation of a feeling or a contemplation is more than sufficient to allow the viewer to be pushed toward his/her own reaction.

It’s not necessarily about the narrative story, it’s about the visual story, the unity in visual language. This series is French, German and Russian in one sentence.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... This series is French, German and Russian in one sentence.

What's wrong with that menage a trois. Sounds like the EU in a nutshell

[James Clark]

It’s not necessarily about the narrative story, it’s about the visual story, the unity in visual language. This series is French, German and Russian in one sentence.

Life and loss is like that though, isn't it?  I'm not being dismissive, by the way (nor do I mean to be overly deep or insightful).  I appreciate your question.  I'm just not convinced that such a universal experience needs perfect visual harmony to convey the message.  In fact, I could argue that the divergence of style makes a statement about the universality of loss. (OK - now I'm trying a little too hard )

[Ivo_B]

What's wrong with that menage a trois. Sounds like the EU in a nutshell

Did you ever experienced a ménage a trois with a German AND a French?

If so, you wouldn’t even ask.

 

[RSL]

I don't think a "story" is necessary - the invocation of a feeling or a contemplation is more than sufficient to allow the viewer to be pushed toward his/her own reaction.

I agree with that, James. But I also agree with Ivo that the sequence of pictures doesn't really hang together to produce a feeling or a contemplation. If you want to see an example of how to do what you're suggesting Todd's trying to do, sit down with The Americans and study what Robert Frank did in that book; not just to flip through the pictures, but to study them and to study the sequences he used to make his points. The main point was that America wasn't really the America being portrayed by Norman Rockwell or Alfred Eisenstadt. I think Todd's trying to get the viewer to feel the conflicts that are there in the new Old South. There's nothing wrong with his photography, but he's going to have to commit himself to the project to the point where it becomes painful. It ain't easy to do what he's trying to do.

[James Clark]

Did you ever experienced a ménage a trois with a German AND a French?

If so, you wouldn’t even ask.

 

"Hey ladies... Wanna check out my Maginot Line??"

[RSL]

Leave it to Ivo to toss in a reference to his past (or maybe his present). Don't tell his wife.

One problem with the series is lack of context. For instance, that's an interesting old door with the broken window panes. It's even pretty good wabi sabi. But it hangs in the air. How does it fit with, say, the bicycle, or even the gravestone. Where is it? It's an interesting artifact, but to do what Todd's trying to do it needs to be placed in context with surroundings that help convey the message. Is it out of place in its current location or does it fit a surrounding loss of dignity? Same thing with the trailers. They're interesting artifacts, but where are they?

[Ivo_B]

It was Slobodan’s remark. The ménage a trois thing. 

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Oh, my God, you guys. It fits the narrative "forgotten." Every. Single. One. No need for context. When you are forgotten, who cares about the context?