Hi Frank, The frame around the image isn't white. It matches some of the grey tones in the image. The photo is supposed to be oppressive. Shooting heroin is a very serious business. The print looks a lot better than this cheesy web image ... the black is richer, the grey tones glow, the specular highlights add more life to the scene than can ever be conveyed here in pixel-land. And, of course, the print is bigger - much bigger, which puts the viewer into the scene a little more, becoming more a participant than an observer.
It's not unusual to have someone help you when shooting smack. I'd say that in more than half my experience with smack shooters there's another person helping out, most often to help the shooter tie off. Thanks for your comments, Frank. Really appreciated. Shel > [Original Message] > From: frank theriault <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi Dave, > > > > Thanks! You're the only person to comment on this pic, and probably one of > > the few to have seen it (based on web page stats). > > > > Lighting was from one small window located above and behind the scene. Pic > > made with a banged up old Spottie and a yellowed Super Tak 50/1.4, should > > anyone care. > > > > Shel > > Shel, FWIW, I didn't get ~either~ of your posts; only Dave's reply > showed up in your mailbox. I'm sure that's why not so many have > looked at it. > > I think it's a jarring photo. I'm not so sure that I like the black > background, but I think if I saw an actual print, I'd feel > differently. As presented, with the black background of the print, > the thin white frame on a black page, I find it a bit oppressive. > It's a very heavy image to begin with. I don't mean to make too big a > deal of it, because the image itself is so strong, one becomes > somewhat transfixed. > > I guess I'm pretty naive about shooting heroin, but what bothers me > the most about the image is that there is an extra set of hands in it. > Is that usual? Does one normally need help to engage in this > activity? For some reason I find that very disquieting, but I'm not > sure why. > > The composition is terrific, and I find the slight motion blur of the > finger about to press the plunger of the syringe to be about perfect. > > A very strong image indeed.
