photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Twenty Nine: The Layered Image – accumulating meaning > Faces, Namdaemun Market, Seoul, Korea, 2006
previous | next
17-MAR-2006

Faces, Namdaemun Market, Seoul, Korea, 2006

At the heart of this market is a flight of stairs leading to the Seoul Subway. Over the steps was a large advertisement, featuring a seductive model. People were constantly coming and going around this entrance, and I was able to find moment in time that weaves its meaning through six separate layers of people. A foreground layer holds the softly focused back of a person in a purple coat. That person represents all of us. He or she sees what we would see if we were there. In the primary layer, a young man with a backpack, is trying to dodge cars as he tries to cross the street. The morning light catches his face and highlights it, making him the focal point of the image. A car enters the image at right, a surreal reflection of this young man etched on one of its windows. At far left, in a supplementary layer, a man leaves the scene – he has turned his back on all that is going on behind him. The advertisement provides another significant layer. The large Korean words offer a sense of location, and the huge face of the woman fixes its gaze on the young man trying to cross the street. He does not look back at her. Finally, in the pictures final layer, the tiny face of a woman emerges from the depths of the subway. She will soon have to find her way through the crowds herself. Taken together, these layers form a street photograph that expresses the swirl of activity that surrounds this marketplace.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30
1/500s f/8.0 at 30.6mm iso80 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
share
Phil Douglis14-Jun-2006 17:39
I am glad you like the image, Jack. More importantly, I hope you can take away some knowledge about layering from it. That's why I have explained this image to you in such detail. As a learning resource.
Guest 11-Jun-2006 22:01
This is the first image I have viewed after reading your introduction, explaintion. Once we here from you there's nothing left to say except that I like it very much!!
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