DualMechanized on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/dualmechanized/art/wAlk-254212852DualMechanized

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Daily Deviation

Daily Deviation

May 9, 2013
wAlk by *DualMechanized The Suggester says: "Like something out of the Matrix, the mannequin seems surprised to see this young man and his bizarre glasses".
Featured by myraincheck
Suggested by ActiveShooter
DualMechanized's avatar

wAlk

Published:
6.4K Views

Description

.
Image size
810x580px 388.36 KB
Make
Panasonic
Model
DMC-LC1
Shutter Speed
1/125 second
Aperture
F/3.4
Focal Length
7 mm
ISO Speed
100
Date Taken
Apr 25, 2011, 10:58:37 AM
© 2011 - 2024 DualMechanized
Comments35
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kingwen's avatar
:star::star::star::star::star: Overall
:star::star::star::star::star: Vision
:star::star::star::star::star: Originality
:star::star::star::star::star: Technique
:star::star::star::star::star: Impact

You have a great sense of the diagonal in your compositions (I looked at many of the street photos in your gallery), and this one is an especially good example of how you can apply it both overtly and subtly to wonderful effect.

The composition of this photo starts with two bisections -- the vertical line that splits the frame into left and right (that dotted line right down the middle, as if to fold the photo), and the horizon line. The eye goes to the convergence point and then almost forcefully BOUNCES down along the solid white line, noticing the white dots of the car's headlights (a VW BUG, it appears). The solid white line takes us to the young man, who was a peripheral focus to begin with because of his unusual glasses. His dark form makes the eye go down his leg, and then up again, noticing the little black posts (an inversion and parallel to the dotted white line). As the posts curve, the eye notices the mannequin's pose. She makes us follow her gaze, back into the street and down to the man again, as if she noticed him. But that is not possible.

Now we can notice things at more leisure. The diagonal tiles in the street versus the horizontal/rectangular ones. The dark black square on the left versus the transparent square of glass on the shop window.

Then the title occurs to me. The capital letter isn't the first letter, but the second. Normally, the title would be Walk, but it is wAlk. This gives a sense of lilting motion, perhaps like the way the man is walking. It also highlights the A as a shape, and I suddenly see that both the man and the (man)nequin are A shapes. Now that I associate them together, they form an M shape, which turns out to be the W upside-down.

Finally, it occurs to me (in words) that the man has CROSSED the street at a CROSSwalk and there are X's on his eyes. His eyes have been CROSSed out. The two bisections (horizon and street) form a CROSS. The A and the W (and the V W Bug, which makes me also think of "bug-eyed" glasses) -- these are all criss-CROSSes (zig-zags).

All of these compositional and thematic issues (even the wordplay) are in keeping with your "duality mechanized."

One of your richest street photos. I can see how it represents the thematic ideas you discuss on your profile page. It's unusual to see a photographer who can put his ideas into practice so clearly. I am very happy to be one of your watchers.

Cheers!