Drug overdose : 6th Place by Canon DSLR Challenge

Canon DSLR Challenge | all galleries >> Challenge 108: Low and Wide : Hosted by Vikas Malhotra >> Eligible : LOW AND WIDE > Drug overdose : 6th Place

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06-DEC-2007	© Cat

Drug overdose : 6th Place

23116

This is rather different from the photos I normally do. But Vikas had done something with drug long time back and I had that in mind as an inpriration (sounds ironic to be inspired by a suicide shot :) )
While I was shooting this, I was wondering what are the last thoughts in the mind of the person. I think they make a last desparate attempt to correct their mistake and try to fix the wrong they did. But generally it is "too little too late". I guess they have to be feeling real "Low" to attempt to go through that in the first place and overlook the "Wide" range of alternatives they have...
Anyway...

Canon EOS 20D ,Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
8s f/13.0 at 24.0mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto

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Canon DSLR Challenge		11-Dec-2007 04:13
Excellent high drama Cat. Well thought out and composed. The lighting really makes the statement here. ~ Regards Melbob

Canon DSLR Challenge		11-Dec-2007 01:10
Very intriguing and moody image, and thought provoking. I enjoyed reading your thought processes in its creation. --mlynn

Guest		10-Dec-2007 14:25
Thanks Lonnit, Lydia, Mikey and Traveller. Your view points make me think on the picture again. Traveller, I completely understand your point of view. Perhaps I think we are (you and me) are reaching at two different interpretation of the word "suicide = killing one's self" I did not intend it to be the equivalent of one who is giving his life with a higher purpose. For ex: a soldier, a extreme sports person (bungee jumper) a martyr even to an extent a suicide bomber for whom the purpose is brain-washed into their heads, and they cannot see anything else but the opportunity to fulfill that purpose. My take on this is from a common-man's perspective. One who is generally tired of living or depressed due to some incidences or experiences or the state he/she is in their lives. Also the thoughts of suicide do not come overnight. There is generally a long pause between "wanting to live" and "wanting to kill oneself" and generally they go back and forth hundreds of times before one of them start overpowering the other and the other succumbs ("will to live" looses to "will to die") but the duel in ones mind continues till the last breath. No one is certain about their deaths, unless they have a VERY specific purpose. In this case there is no purpose to be achieved other than the resulting unhappiness for the rest who are still living. And thus the reasoning behind the night light, which had weakened over time compared to the light inside the room (and with a new direction from Lonnit, which I did not think of initially) I hope you understand my point of view for this photo. Thanks for detailed evaluation and critique. I like how independent thinkers we are in this group, who share ideas and discussions and by giving it a proper thought before we say a word rather than getting influenced by what is presented to them and accepting it as the only choice they ever had. Kudos to all! -Cat

Canon DSLR Challenge		09-Dec-2007 20:18
Mr. Hamilton's son, Peter, was killed in a Duel 2 years before Mr. Burr, then the United States Vice President killed Mr. Hamilton in a duel on a New Jersey Hudson River bluff. I had the the night before read the exchange of letters between Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Burr that led to the shooting of Mr. Hamilton...the letters had a 17th century stilted kind of voice and word usage to them. My comment to Cat's very fine image was initially, I hoped, written in that kind of voice...hence channeling Alexander Hamilton. BTW, I will vote for this image also and think it is one of Cat's better image in his already wonderful collection of works. Best Wishes, Traveller

ctfchallenge		09-Dec-2007 17:24
It's interesting (and wonderful!) that an image can say all of this to a viewer... and something else to another viewer. This is art, in its finest purpose. I was glad to 'hear' your opposing viewpoint, Traveller. It makes me consider the image again and even more. BTW, what do your words "I've been channeling Alexander Hamilton" mean? ~Lydia

Canon DSLR Challenge		08-Dec-2007 23:02
Very dramatic image, Cat. Your processing makes it even more so. Nicely done, in spite of the "dark" theme. Cheers, -mikey

Canon DSLR Challenge		08-Dec-2007 20:49
Sir, it is with regret that I take some slight objection to your Art. Whereas honest people can honestly disagree....we honestly do disagree. Not on your art, nor on your visions, rather my strenuous objection lies in your casting of motivations within weary souls. However, I recognize that different life experiences lead to...different Art...ta da. Back with you, Cat, I've been channeling Alexander Hamilton having for some odd reason read the letters late last night that sealed his doom and death in the duel with Arron Burr. His son recently having been killed in a duel also, there is a real question concerning his decision to "Throw away his fire," as really being suicide by other means. Let me try for some profundity here, you are not a Suicide, hopefully never will be one, and so for you, you have to have the nightlight and see in it a purpose in the act of self-death...for you, as you are, as a person now. Not a Suicide. A real Suicide might well however not want to come back...hence the suicide in the first instance. By definition I would think, a true Suicide wishes to go in a different direction...a person crying for help is a beast of a different color entirely and for that person the nightlight represents actually part of an accident gone wrong...or too far. I sense that these are entirely different things and acts. I will grant you however than neither of us are Suicides. Neither of us can actually know what is happening in that last fleeting moment of existence...and I'll grant you that this could be different for different people. Maybe in the final analysis, I see this as not a suicide picture at all, but rather...like an accident, a car wreck, the wreck of a person. Still, a great and involving image. (I hope you don't mind me expressing myself on this) Best Wishes, Traveller

ctfchallenge		08-Dec-2007 16:04
No, Cat, you didn't do SOMETHING right, you did EVERYTHING right! :) I like your written interpretation as well - it shows that you really thought things through. I was thinking that the brightness is the heavenly light of the other side - especially since you can see the room at thru the bottom of the door, but you can't see it at the top; you merely see the light reaching to heaven. Now, some may argue that suicide would send the person straight to hell, but I don't believe that. A person in that much pain needs to be with G-d, and I don't believe He would abandon them like that. So, for me, the bright light inside adds, literally, an extra dimension. The image is brilliant indeed. :) ~ Lonnit

Guest		08-Dec-2007 16:01
Thank you so much Vikas. You're critique means a lot to always :) Kelly, I did not answer all your question yesterday...sorry! I have an old old add on wide angle lens which I had attached to my 24-70. No PS wrap. Yes, there is fair amount of PP done. The original capture was too clean, nice and smooth. Obviously that was exactly opposite of what I wanted to have for "suicide" shot. :) Its hard to explain the steps, but I'll upload a snapshot of the layers stack and effect of each layer for you in the pending. -Cat

Vikas Malhotra		08-Dec-2007 11:59
Oh Cat, this is brilliant, great interpretation of the suicide theme and the low and wide angle add so much to it; dont think you could get this kind of an impact from any other angle on this particular photo. Truly a great photo and absolutely 'bang' on target. Cheers, Vikas.

Guest		08-Dec-2007 06:38
Thank you all for the comments! Pops, there is IKEA... the lights are from IKEA :) Kelly, the numbers are the reference in my database for this photo. Lonnit, this is by far the best comment I have gotten from you! :) I must have done something right, LOL! Thanks again! Thanks Lydia, dying/suicide is not a new concept :) its the interpretation and execution is what keeps changing. Traveller, for the idea you are proposing, may be the night light is extra. But the point I wanted to show as I mentioned in the description the light is significant. For a fraction of a second they think they can reverse their decision, the small-night light represents the hope for them returning. Notice the direction of the hand and the medicine bottle is also pointing towards the night light, as if the person is desperately trying to come back from that state back into this part of the world. The absence of the night light would be darkness: no hope. Also at a higher level, above the night there are photos on the same wall as the night light (representing the loved ones) so if he/she can come back and reach the light, they will be able to see the loved ones once again.... Point is there is always a hope, that keeps us ticking. Notice the difference of brightness in the light inside the door and outside the door, representing that the forces inside the door are much more powerful than the forces outside, representing "too little too late" i.e he/she will not be able to overcome the ultimate result. Anyway, in the end its all a matter of interpretation and ideas... there is never a bad idea in concept and representative photography. -Cat

Canon DSLR Challenge		08-Dec-2007 03:20
Hummm....I tend to think that their last thought is..."Time to move on, let's embrace the light, there's no backwards in this scenario...." but maybe that's just me. In truth, the only thing that bothers me in this image is the hallway nightlight...for me, and maybe me only, it detracts from this powerful image. Best Wishes, Traveller

Canon DSLR Challenge		08-Dec-2007 00:04
What a concept! Well done, Cat. ~Lydia

Canon DSLR Challenge		07-Dec-2007 22:17
Total professionalism here! Kudos!!! Add this to your personal bests! - Lonnit

Canon DSLR Challenge		07-Dec-2007 20:08
Cat - First off - what does 23116 mean? What is the post processing on this? And does the lens really have that much barrel distortion or did you warp it intentionally? Interesting treatment all around! - Kelly

Guest		07-Dec-2007 18:50
Overdose? I don't see any IKEA there. I don't understand.