Sinful Sunday Weekly Round-up 432

Don’t forget the prompt for August is out now. You have 10 more days to work on your images
This week I am delighted to welcome back to the round-up the wonderful Mrs Fever whom you can and should go and find on her blog Temperature’s Rising
Mrs Fever’s Top 5 Pics of the Week
It was a bit of an introspective exercise for me to choose five photos from this week’s postings, because in the two and a half years since I last did so, my own approach to photography – and therefore my appreciation of specific aspects of others’ photography – has changed tremendously. And while that broadening of perspective was noticeable to me while trying to pare down my ‘favorites’ (it’s such an unfairly value-laden label, isn’t it?), I was also somewhat surprised in that the additional knowledge/experience I’ve gained has simultaneously served to narrow my preferences. Lighting, contrast, color, mood… I’m most attracted to minimalist-style photos that use those elements in such a way that the subject matter comes across as both simple and profound. And it definitely piques my curiosity all the more when something (preferably more than a little something) is left to the imagination.
So while everyone’s offerings were wonderful, it is with those things in mind that I am choosing to highlight -in no particular order – the following:
‘Poignant’ is the first word that comes to mind. The black and white retro fade on this photo somehow serves to highlight a sense of alone-ness. Snuggling is not really something one can do on their own, and the vulnerability of this Little Spoon offering their back to a potential/willing Big Spoon left me with a remembered feeling of separation from a partner and a renewed sense of wanting.
The carefree color pop amidst the greenery, the saucy tilt of hip, the bright cheery form against a backdrop of lushness on an obviously dreary day… This photo puts me in mind of Mary Poppins, somehow. Only all grown up (obviously) and bound and determined to make the best of a rainy day.
The saturation of color – golden wheat, cerulean sky – drew my eye in toward the subject, and then the play of light on her shoulder got me noticing all kinds of other tiny details: the striping of her hat, the tilt of her head, the tag on her dress having been turned out during her apparently impromptu dishabille. Motion has obviously taken place (she’s in a state of partial undress, after all), and yet there is an utterly relaxed stillness to this photo as well. It has all the potential to be a ‘busy’ photo, and yet it’s perfectly calm. ‘Serenity’ is the perfect title.
Exactly what state of dishabille this subject is in is unknown, but the close-up revealing a slipped strap over goosebumped skin implies much without actually telling anything. The soft lighting and resultant shadows create a sense of warmth and intimacy that counteracts the textile textural harshness of leather and rope. It’s a study in contrast.
This photo pushed so.many buttons for me. The sharp contrast between light and dark, the nude male form with focus/de-emphasis on the penis, the shadows that highlight imperfectly beautiful musculature, the veining in the hands… All of it. And even though this photo shows so much, it leaves even more to the imagination. Just lovely.
One Response
Yes! Nodding to all your knowledgeable observations and loving the selection you chose as your top 5.