A Bench on a Bridge

Benchmark

When some people die, they get an ornate bench dedicated to them - often in a park, or overlooking the ocean.

Some people, on the other hand, get this (this one too had a plaque of dedication on it).

Consider, however, that some people do not get benches at all.


© 2007 Dawid Loubser

As part of my continuous journey of learning, my question to you is - is this an entirely ordinary photograph (with a bit of nasty banding in it at that - see my camera woes in another thread in the 1D forum) or does it invoke a bit of melancholic emotion? I am not a people-photographer, and I try to capture emotion in simple, inanimate things. But since we are all so different, I may be overwhelmed by the simplest thing, yet it may be entirely uninteresting to the next person. (Refer to the video of the bag dancing in the wind, in the film American Beauty)

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Dawid Loubser said:

Benchmark

When some people die, they get an ornate bench dedicated to them - often in a park, or overlooking the ocean.

Some people, on the other hand, get this (this one too had a plaque of dedication on it).

Click to expand...

What was the plaque? That might be important here.

Dawid Loubser said:

Consider, however, that some people do not get benches at all.

Click to expand...

So you have two subjects, Benches with plaques, but we don't know whether or not this plaque is interesting or would help define meaning of the picture. So let's leave that question since you excluded it and focus us on the important topic of the actual picture you showed with its title which itself must limit the meaning we are directed to bring to it.

Dawid Loubser said:

As part of my continuous journey of learning, my question to you is - is this an entirely ordinary photograph (with a bit of nasty banding in it at that - see my camera woes in another thread in the 1D forum) or does it invoke a bit of melancholic emotion? I am not a people-photographer, and I try to capture emotion in simple, inanimate things. But since we are all so different, I may be overwhelmed by the simplest thing, yet it may be entirely uninteresting to the next person. (Refer to the video of the bag dancing in the wind, in the film American Beauty)

Click to expand...

So I must deal with the topic "Bench on a Bridge" and note that it has a plaque proximal to us.

I am impressed with the picture. The selective focus on the bench on a bridge traversing other paths carries symbolism of a journey. Again and again I'll refer to this, the most powerful metaphor of human life. Here the bench to me signifies the concept of being "left behind". We see confirmation in this by the emptiness. There are no people or animals. No evidence of current life, just the detritus, plastic bags left and caught by the roughness of the wood and the obstacle of the bench to the wind.


© 2007 Dawid Loubser

This image is an important work for you and I'd value it. Here is a perfect example of the irrelevance of chromatic aberration, MTF, aberrant lines or front of back focus of inches to feet. The idea is transferred and the work, to me transports a vision from you to me.

I, at a great distance from you, bring to your picture my own experience and use the most important tool for language, the one that is the only substantial frame work of communication, metaphor. Since all societies use the same metaphors for much of our world, these images will be interpreted in related ways with different nuances by most cultures when people discuss it.

I am thrilled with this picture by its crudity, simplicity and meaning.

Asher

Thank you for the meaningful commentary Asher, I truly value it. It is my aim in life to take more pictures where the technical deficiancies are uninportant (though, I so wish my camera didn't have the stupid banding problem when I took this).

I am thrilled that I managed to convey the metaphor - as I saw it - to you, for your description matches my intent. The contents of the plaque is unimportant and uninteresting, which is why it does not feature. Its presence, however, is significant. But not so much so as to have altered the composition.