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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Eighty-one: A city portrait – impressions of Cuenca, Ecuador > The angel, Santo Domingo church, Cuenca, Ecuador, 2011
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14-SEP-2011

The angel, Santo Domingo church, Cuenca, Ecuador, 2011

An angel is often regarded as a mythological guardian, protector, or good luck charm. Just inside the entrance to this church, a huge angel stands in the shadows. It is large enough in scale to dominate the scene, but since it hides in a dark corner, one must look for it in order to find it. This man is stepping into a pool of light as he enters the church to pray. He holds his hat, and does not seem to notice the angel watching over him. Yet his body seems to unconsciously acknowledge its presence– the position of his arm, brilliantly illuminated in rim light, echoes the sharp angle of the angel’s wings. His thoughts may be elsewhere at this moment, but his position and body language are in protective custody.

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Phil Douglis04-Mar-2012 21:56
You are correct, Jude -- it is shadow that creates a canvas upon which the light plays and the meaning flows here. When I saw the interplay of light and shadow, even before this man entered the church, I knew I had the basis of a potentially expressive image within my frame. The body language of the man, and the play of light and shadow upon his form, perfectly compliment this setting.
Jude Marion03-Mar-2012 23:23
Beautiful.
The protector.
I like how both the man and angel emerge from the shadows, which further connects them visually for me
Phil Douglis03-Nov-2011 23:05
I am glad you feel what I was feeling as I made this image. It took a long time, and many images, to make this happen. I saw an image like this in my mind, found the most expressive vantage point, used my spot meter to expose on that bright pool of light, and then photographed every person who passed through that light for more than 15 minutes. Some may say that photography is often a matter of chance, or luck. In some cases, they may be right. But in this case, I feel that I was able to increase my chances of getting what I managed to produce here by carefully considering my goals for this image, and then spending enough time "working it."
Iris Maybloom (irislm)03-Nov-2011 00:36
This is a wonderful image, Phil. The light is mystical and spiritual. The angel in the shadows with outstretched arms, the man emerging from darkness, and the visual relationship between the angel and the man stimulate the imagination.
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