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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Four: Finding meaning in details > Lace, Budapest, Hungary, 2003
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21-APR-2003

Lace, Budapest, Hungary, 2003

The beauty of lace rests in its complexity. To best define the nature of such complexity, I moved to within a few inches of the subect and photographed its intricate detail. To me, this detail speaks of the skill and ingenuity that Hungarian artisans bring to their work. If had photographed this lace from farther back, it is only lace. By stressing its detail, it becomes a work of art.

Canon PowerShot G2
1/400s f/4.0 at 21.0mm hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time21-Apr-2003 17:35:17
MakeCanon
ModelPowerShot G2
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length21 mm
Exposure Time1/400 sec
Aperturef/4
ISO Equivalent
Exposure Bias
White Balance (-1)
Metering Modematrix (5)
JPEG Quality (6)
Exposure Programshutter priority (2)
Focus Distance3.130 m

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Phil Douglis23-May-2005 23:30
Thanks, Ana. You prove once again that it's not the subject itself that makes an image express meaning. It's what we do with that subject as photographers. By moving close to abstract the overall piece of lace, and including just enough of it to demonstrate the intricacy of the craftsmanship and the beauty of the lace, I've been able to stress its tactile qualities and express the point at hand in terms of human values: complexity. Thanks for so responding to this image with such wonderful imagination, Ana -- that's what expressive photographs can do best!
Ana Carloto O'Shea23-May-2005 22:59
I find this one an image of uncontrolable beauty, which is strange, because it is only a photo of lace... And yet, being on account of the light, the patterns or the colours, the truth is that I love it. It's beautiful, because I do not see it just with my eyes, but there's a tactile experience involved when looking at this composition and to something this powerful, I respond with emotion. It's a mystery! But beauty is the greatest mystery of life, so it can't be just in the eyes, it has to be in the mind... And the mind says: Yes!!!
Phil Douglis27-Dec-2004 22:36
You are exactly right, Nut. The Hungarian artists who made this lace are masters of a complex form of expression. The detail in this picture defines that complexity. Yes the detail is the matter, or substance of this image. And my meaning is, as you say, intended to express the very soul of these artists.
nut 27-Dec-2004 07:24
And the meaning of this photo is to express the "Soul" of Hungarian artists that express their soul into this lace and this detail is the matter.
Guest 11-Dec-2004 20:43
Is like we don't have time for hand madre craftworks anymore.
Phil Douglis30-Nov-2004 23:40
Thanks, Clara, for your comment -- when you move in very close with your own camera, you can discover a world of beauty hiding in very small places.
Guest 24-Nov-2004 17:38
beautiful play of darks and lights and textures!
Phil Douglis04-Dec-2003 04:12
Thanks, Jane. Your words define the basis of beauty. My picture attempts to express that beauty through abstraction, emphasis, and organization of detail.

Phil
Guest 04-Dec-2003 01:29
So very beautiful... the light, the pattern, the rhythm of repeated shapes
Phil Douglis02-Sep-2003 03:26
Thanks, Denise, for the comment. Interesting pictures are everywhere -- you just have to dig them out. I was walking through a Budapest market, saw how the light fell on this lace, and just kept moving in until the idea presented itself -- the skill of a craftsperson, revealed in detail through a closeup vantage point.
Denise Dee01-Sep-2003 22:12
i love the light through the lace. thanks, denise
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