A girl looks out over a city, from the 11th floor balcony of her hotel. It’s too early in the morning. The light is cold and so is the day. She should still be in bed. But she has a plane to catch.
Time is at her heels, and so is her shadow.
Re-shoot/re-edit
The original version of this image took in more of the city, which was visible to the girl’s right. And the color was warmer. I liked it originally because of the asymmetry, in which the girl is the focus of the picture, but she’s over to the left, and her shadow, the other focus is at the edge.
But I like this version better. It better captures the grey cold of that morning, and the moment’s seized peace before we had to leave. And it’s better to have the girl, who is the focus of the picture, actually take her rightful place as its focus. Really, it’s a re-edit rather than a re-shoot, because it was taken in another country and I won’t be back for a while.
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Nice study.
Thank you! I hope it looks photographer-y. I mostly have a sense of what I want to capture, without the technical skills and resources to do it justice.
What a lovely composition! From the shadow stretching out behind, to the cityscape in the distance. Love this! ~C
I’m glad you like it! There was a lovely view of the harbour in the bit I cut out in editing, But this version creates a mood much better.
Actually, to tell the truth and ruin things, the actual moment was happy. It was just that as an image it seemed sadder and colder than the reality was, so I emphasised that. Photographs aren’t “true”, of course.
That is such a striking image. And for the next reshoot, if you took the same image but from the front, I think the yellow sunrise lighting would be so pretty…. 😉
Hah! I know what you’re after. But come back next week and you may get your wish. In a sense …
I love this image and the story that goes with it.
Thank you!
Since I’m telling bits of truth now, I should probably mention that I was going to catch the same plane she was. But there was something about the light in the photo that came out of that moment, that made me want to tell a sad story out of that image.
And the sadness wasn’t entirely wrong; we were going to have to part (for a while) in a few days after this.
What a great shot! So much detail to interest!
Thank you! I just love the shadows. As with all my best photos – I’m not a very good photographer – the best effects, like the shadows, came about almost accidentally.
I manipulated the light a bit afterwards to make the mood, but most of it happened accidentally. I suspect the secret of photography is not in the taking of images, but in seeing potential in the images later. Seriously, I speak as an utter beginner.
I must have missed the original photo . . . shame on me!!! . . . so I am so glad for this re-edit, re-post because it is just beautiful!
I love the silhouette and love the shadows. Gorgeous!!!
Xxx – K
Thank you so much! The early morning long shadows really added to the atmosphere, I think. Glad you like the silhouette, too. (So do I.)
Lovely image indeed!
Rebel xox
Thank you! I do appreciate these positive comments, because I’m no great shakes (whatever “shakes” are) as a photographer. With a lot of help from the model and the light, though, I think this one is lovely, too.
This is brilliant. It one of those images that would make a perfect writing prompt if you ask me as there are 100 different possible little stories it could inspire.
Mollyxxx
Thank you!
If you ever did use it for that purpose (which you can and may!), I’d love to see the story or stories!
One odd thing is that the actual taking of the image was done in a quite happy, light-hearted mood. But to me the picture looks sad. I guess it’s the way the early morning light looks so cold in the photo, while in reality it just looked bright and cheery. So I filtered to make it look even colder, to make the image even more different from what was actually there at the time.
I suppose it’s also that I know it was getting close to the end of our time together, at least for a while, and that may have shaded my perception of the image.
Gorgeous outline and shadowy form
Thank you! I wasn’t quite expecting to get a silhouette. (Actually I didn’t quite, in the original photo; some play with filters was required for the image’s final form.)
And that long shadow of her legs was another bonus.
She is standing with purpose, a strong woman who knows the day ahead
Yes. A tough day in many ways. Hours on planes and trains ahead. But getting herself ready.
… and so is her shadow. Wonderful line! She looks like she could pull a Peter Pan and fly out the window with a little bot of fairy dust and belief. I love the silhouette effect – really lovely picture.
Yes, she probably could, actually. Me, I’m more the plummeting kind. I love the silhouette too. Thank you!
The shadows in this are wonderful, something so intriguing yet wistful about it.
Wistful! That’s what I was going for. Not when I took the photo, but when I starting messing about with it. Thank you!