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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Fifty One: Using diagonals for guidance, energy, and meaning > Shopkeeper, Old Quarter, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2007
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19-DEC-2007

Shopkeeper, Old Quarter, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2007

The narrow streets of Hanoi's historic Old Quarter are crowded with shops. This woman is anxiously waiting for a customer. Every building in the old quarter carries the stenciled phone numbers of contractors who have made repairs on them. I noticed how the diagonal position of her forearms echoed the diagonal thrusts of those stenciled numbers, and thus pulled the image together through rhythmic repetition. This image becomes whole, instead of divided into two separate sections. The two diagonals created by the stenciled numbers also act as an arrow pointing to the anxious look on the woman’s face – the ultimate point expressed by this image.

Leica V-Lux 1
1/80s f/3.6 at 61.3mm iso200 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Chris Sofopoulos06-Mar-2009 21:09
Yes you are right. I haven't relate the "red" arms and letters!!
Phil Douglis06-Mar-2009 18:44
Thanks, Chris, for this thought. Those diagonal stencils do indeed become arrows that point to her, and underscore her anxiety. The stencils also rhythmically echo the diagonal arm placement. Those arms and stencils are also red, creating a color linkage that draws woman and the stencils together and makes the image whole.
Chris Sofopoulos06-Mar-2009 14:11
The diagonal stenciled numbers are like arrow, yes I can see them, and it's like they try to underline us how much anxious she is. Strong image Phil.
Phil Douglis21-Feb-2008 23:53
You are welcome, Suwanee. My eye, as I told Cyndy, has been honed by 50 years of experience. I no longer just look -- I have learned to see. And there is quite a difference between the two. I saw the color and contrast immediately -- the white wall and dark shadows, the red shirt and red letters. Once I saw these elements, it was just a matter of shooting until her expression and body language best reflected her feelings. The pursed lips, the pressure of the back of the hand on the chin, the hunched posture, all combine to tell a story.
Guest 21-Feb-2008 05:14
I wholeheartedly agree with Cyndy about your sharp eye and ability to see fine details and meaning in your photos. Thanks again for sharing with all of us.
Phil Douglis29-Jan-2008 23:25
Thanks, Kal, for pointing out the way the parting of the hair echoes the rest of the image. One gets so used to studying the face that it is easy not to notice the negative space created by parted hair.
Phil Douglis25-Jan-2008 00:28
Thanks, Cyndy, for appreciating not only my images but my intentions as a teacher. Learning to see all of these elements, and then isolating them and relating them within the frame, comes with practice. I have been at this kind of thing now for 50 years, but have made my most significant strides since going digital in 2001. The instant feedback in my LCD is worth its weight in gold. Every picture becomes a learning experience in itself, and I put what I learn to use in the next shot. I made several picture of this woman from different spots, and it eventually came together for me.
Guest 24-Jan-2008 22:10
I am always amazed at your ability to "see" all these elements within your viewfinder. These images are great teaching tools.
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