photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Sixteen: Story-telling street photography > Hair Salon, Antwerp, Belgium, 2005
previous | next
16-JUN-2005

Hair Salon, Antwerp, Belgium, 2005

This is a pre-visualized street photograph. I noticed that I could shoot into one window of this hair salon and out another. I also saw a large photomural, depicting a woman in a state of thought, next to that window. All I had to do was to wait and watch, as pedestrians passed that rear window. When this woman turned to look inside the salon as she passed, my picture came together. She can’t see what we see – the photomural is invisible to her. But we can see both her and the mural. The woman on the street becomes the object of not only our attention but she also seems to incongruously draw the gaze of the woman in the photomural. We are left to wonder what both may be thinking.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20
1/60s f/2.8 at 48.8mm iso80 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
share
Phil Douglis04-Mar-2006 07:14
Thanks, Xin -- just as both of these women seem to be asking questions of themselves, this image asks questions and demands answers from the viewers. And that is what expressive photos are supposed to do.
Sheena Xin Liu04-Mar-2006 06:34
I am drawn by the bewildered look of the two women. Apparently, both are wondering about something, looking at different directions and having no clue they are being taken pictures. They are juxtaposed in the same frame, leaving the audience to wonder about their thoughts¡­
Phil Douglis24-Jan-2006 04:53
You are right, Christine -- this image is a clash of styles and looks, which is certainly appropriate for a picture involving a hair salon.
Guest 16-Jan-2006 06:44
What is also striking in this picture is the big difference between the sophisticated look of the woman on the photomural and the "ordinary" look of the real woman, both looking in almost the same direction. Christine
Phil Douglis08-Oct-2005 01:48
Thanks, Ana -- yes, it is a game of sorts, isn't it? Not only is this a matter of freezing a moment in time -- I tried to freeze that moment within a particular context that gave it meaning. I found the context first, and then waited for a person to give me something to suspend in time.
Ana Carloto O'Shea07-Oct-2005 06:56
This one came up really interesting... I like all this game of different layers almost. The woman on the publicity panel with here pensive look and then the other one on the street that to me has the expression of someone caught doing something she was not supposed to do... It's funny because she looks about to open some door or something like that...
How come I've never noticed this one here before??
To me it's a fantastic shot and quite evocative of the power of the frozen moment in photography, because we can really see how it can change our perception of reality...
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment