The search for something lost

[pjm1]

This was a bit of an experimental grabshot... My son was in my parents' garden, it was pretty sunny and I was shooting with an ND filter to cut the shutter speed back to allow on-camera flash (through a mini softbox). The sun dipped briefly behind a small cloud and I took this.

It's an aggressive crop and with such shallow DOF, it's certainly not a classical "portrait" by any means, but I liked the story it told. As well as the more obvious search, it was lovely seeing him just enjoying himself in his own little world, carefree - something we perhaps long to do as adults.


The search for something lost... by Paul M, on Flickr

I don't know whether it works as an image - whether the grass is too distracting etc. But I'm always keen to try something different. Comment and crit very welcome, as always.

And yes, he found his ball

 

[Kodiak Qc]

•


The subject photograph is meaningless in this take.

I recognize he is a young boy I don't know, knees bent
and doing whatever close to a tall grass area… could
be any boy, anywhere, doing something. The little boy
is not the subject: not him specifically, not the way he's
dressed, no demonstrative emotion. A peaceful scene.​

The rendition quality maybe?

No more significant for sure. It is just a correct rendition
of an "as seen" situation, converted to B&W, which was
a very tasteful decision. No spectacular graphic approach,
no appreciable point of interest to be seen and no visible
visual effect. Only the clever crop reveals an artistic intent.
​

…but then, what could be interesting here, why does this shot
exist, what could beep the eye on this photograph?

The story telling is almost the only thing and its everything!

The story telling, here, transcends both the subject and its
rendition. This take talks, narrates, describes in the simplest
of ways, and very well, what is in the title: a search.

A search is not an object but a situation. This take reveals
the full attention and interest directed toward something: a
search, a discovery maybe… or just the opened mind curio-
sity of childhood. ​

 

[pjm1]

Well Kodiak, thank you for the very detailed critique into the picture (deliberate choice of words rather than "photo")... if it means anything to you, I think you've nailed precisely why I took the photo and then liked it. As you say, the subject and location is largely irrelevant but I was hoping to portray a scene which also reflected the photographer (and perhaps viewer, I can't speak for others) and what we sometimes search for - that naivety and sense of disregard that children enjoy.

Thanks for taking the time

 

[juggler]

I like the mood, composition & conversion. The technical stuff is clearly well managed.

I can’t see what your son’s doing or looking at. His attention goes down his arm to the undergrowth but that arm is completely out of focus and I can’t see the hand. That turns it from a picture anyone could be interested in to one only really of interest to people who know him.

I’m not sure it needed either flash or a shallow DoF tbh. Perhaps a reflector would have served you better?

 

[pjm1]

I like the mood, composition & conversion. The technical stuff is clearly well managed.

I can’t see what your son’s doing or looking at. His attention goes down his arm to the undergrowth but that arm is completely out of focus and I can’t see the hand. That turns it from a picture anyone could be interested in to one only really of interest to people who know him.

I’m not sure it needed either flash or a shallow DoF tbh. Perhaps a reflector would have served you better?

Thanks Simon, it's always great to hear what others think when they see an image. That was really the point of the photo being taken and then posting it: what does it make you think? Some images are simply just portrayals of a "look" or a subject... probably most portraits in this section. That doesn't make them lesser or greater, simply that their purpose is to portray something accurately and with a particular artistic intent.

So back to the purpose of this image was to ask the questions you've asked... what's he doing, what's he looking for? But then I realised they are questions we ask ourselves and the fact we don't always know made the shallow DOF and key parts being just out of view all the more apposite.

I've probably posted this in the wrong section as it's not a portrait, despite being of a person. I also know I overthink things, but as my photo it's my perogative this time