This image has already been bashed to death on several photo forums, so now I4m trying here to hopefully get more of an explanation as to why it sucks :) My own theory is that most viewers want it to be a portrait, which is not what I intended. Rather I would like to portray the concept of temporality and impermanence (a word I4ve been accused of inventing :)

I was out with my local photo club. We went to a castle and one of the guys, who is a passionate girlie shooter, brought two teenagers. This girls name is Benina. When I noticed the dead flowers, I asked her to stand next to them and make as if she was cold - she thought I was crazy...

-- Christel Green (look.no@film.dk), October 02, 2000

Answers

I don4t post enough to this forum - I forgot how to do it. Here4s the pic.

-- Christel Green (look.no@film.dk), October 02, 2000.

Sucks? Hell no. It is wonderful to me. I can see how it might make some people uncomfortable, especially once you begin bring in 'mutability' as I call your 'impermanence', since you are portraying a subject most want to SEE AS IMMUTABLE.

But those are the once who fail to see the truth, especially if you spend any time with children, where you realize, on their own level, they are as fascinated and concerned with death as their older travelmates through Life.

Sorry if I've read more in to it than you intended Cristel.

-- shawn (seeinsideforever@yahoo.com), October 02, 2000.

'once'=ones.

duh

-- shawn (seeinsideforever@yahoo.com), October 02, 2000.

You haven4t :)

-- Christel Green (look.no@film.dk), October 02, 2000.

Oh btw - my homepage - recently uploaded and nearly finished. If anybody feels like taking a look, I would appreciate any criticism or good advice you have to offer. It4s sort of a first attempt :)

-- Christel Green (look.no@film.dk), October 02, 2000.

I think this is a great sketch of something that needs a little more to be fully realized. You could set up in the studio with the same flowers and girl, and get a little better focus on the flowers- a little more open lighting, just a little, and it's ok i guess if she doesn't but if she would only, only, only look into the camera....

A very nice spontanous-posed shot to be sure- expand on it

-- Chris Yeager (cyeager@ix.netcom.com), October 02, 2000.

Christel, I really don't have anything else objective to say about this photo, except that I can't stop looking at it. It's etched in my mind, and I think you've taken one of my all-time favourite photographs. Thanks.

-- shawn (seeinsideforever@yahoo.com), October 03, 2000.

I think everything is good about the picture except for the model. Her expression isn't genuine enough for the picture, though that's understandable considering the request and her reaction.

Good models are so hard to find.

-- edward kang (ekang@cse.nd.edu), October 03, 2000.