The Roman Coliseum

A few months back I posted about an upcoming trip to Italy. We're back and the photos are "in the can," so to speak. This post is not the typical post. While suggestions for improvement are always welcome, I'm really quite pleased with this one. I realize many people won't care for this, and that's ok. It fulfills my "arc of intent." So, I suppose my post is really for the purpose of sharing a photo that I am proud of, that pleases me (but could always be better!). It was taken in the Roman Coliseum.

Standing on that ground, I was overwhelmed with the knowledge of what had happened there; of the incomprehensible barbarity and misery. I wanted to somehow show the horror I felt. This photo represents what I imagine a victim might have "seen." I call it "Coliseum Screams."

Thank you for looking.



Taken March 1, 2008 at 1115 am; Canon Rebel XTi; f/5.6, 400, 1/2 second, 75 mm.

Rachel,

Welcome back Rachel I love visiting the Coliseum! I learn more each time and try to listen to the guides who are excellent historians. I wish I could have seen it before tthey stole the marble for St Peters and the male statues too.

Clothed in white marbel, the place must have been magnificent for the crowd as it was terrible for the "contestants".

Have no fear, I have no issue with this but I would lile to see a full size print as this is surrealistic and I feel I'd enjoy it. At this size, I find we do not do justice to something that means somuch to you.

How did you get to do this? Tell us how this was constructed?

Could you switch the image to one that's say 700-800 pixels wide as this thread has to be about your own ideas and the image and we must put effort there.

Asher

I'm delighted to do so, Asher. I've switched to Flickr for photo hosting and they have preset sizes easily gotten. This one is roughly 700 x 1000.



I was inside the Coliseum in one of the corridors looking toward the exits (escape beckons, I thought). The day was overcast and rainy, so I put the shutter speed quite slow and moved the camera upward while the shutter was open.

Thank you for commenting. I found it cathartic to express the strong emotion evoked in a nonverbal way. One of my children is actually in the photo, so symbolically it also represents the evolution of kindness through the ages, a growth of gentler cultural standards.

Thanks for showing more, Rachel.

Where is your child?

Asher

You can just make out her head in the lower left corner of the lighted portion.

Rachel Foster said:

...I wanted to somehow show the horror I felt. This photo represents what I imagine a victim might have "seen." I call it "Coliseum Screams."

Click to expand...

Hi Rachel,

As far as I am concerned, you've achieved your stated objective with "flying colors" (pun intended).
Excellent work, thanks for showing.

Cheers,

Cem

Thank you, Cem. It's not often I get one that approaches what my mind's eye saw.