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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Eighty-one: A city portrait – impressions of Cuenca, Ecuador > Big swing on broken bridge, Cuenca, Ecuador, 2011
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10-SEP-2011

Big swing on broken bridge, Cuenca, Ecuador, 2011

I found this woman swinging from the remnants of Cuenca’s famous “broken bridge.” Called the Puente Roto, it is the remaining third of an old stone bridge that once spanned the Tomebamba River. This woman looped a very long purple band of fabric around the old stones, and has made a huge swing out of it. As she turned upside down over the cobblestones far below her, she threw her head back and appeared almost as if she was in trance. I framed the image so that the purple bands enter diagonally from the upper right hand corner, while the old ruined bridge curves diagonally away from it. The cobblestones follow the thrust of the bridge, as does the outthrust leg of the woman. It is a very musical image, full of whimsy, and a hint of danger.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5
1/400s f/4.0 at 10.7mm iso80 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Phil Douglis08-Jan-2012 19:50
You have summarized this image beautifully for us, Romuo -- thanks for pointing out the contrasting balance of trust and danger, along with the contrasting color and texture. I created these contrasting elements by constantly moving my camera position, shooting the relationship between the woman, swing, bridge, and cobblestones. She was continually in motion, and so was my camera. I must have made at least twenty images of this scene, and this is the one where everything you mentioned comes together and stops forever.
Romuo Maldonado 08-Jan-2012 07:10
Fantastic capture of contrasting elements of the beauty of the girl and the perceived sense of danger, both beautifully mixed in a balance of trust afforded by the bridge, the daring colors and the allof rough surface of the cobble stones. It invites a move for closer look, however it commands a subtle but firm impulse to stop so as not to disturb the balance and let it be uninterrupted for ever.
Phil Douglis03-Nov-2011 23:07
I meant to disorient the viewer with this image, Iris. The woman herself is disoriented, so why not those who come to look at her as she swings upside down through space from an aged, broken bridge? And yes, the strong diagonal that seems to come from nowhere does indeed underscore the perilous nature of the moment.
Iris Maybloom (irislm)03-Nov-2011 00:55
This image gives me an eerie feeling. It appears to be a dangerous dance from broken bridge......leg thrust out, head flung back and appearing very close to the cobblestone. For me, the diagonal purple fabric, that doesn't seem to be anchored anywhere, heightens the sense of danger.
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