Carousel

Wow! – This is really magical – another classic!

Beautiful light and shade! Very good composition and detail! Wonderful B&W shot! Congrats Deborah!

This is great. I love the way it’s composed and I love the treatment. Works so well in monochrome.

And, also, I really like the motivation behind it. I like it all the more because I’ve had a similar sort of theme happening myself of late

Another great shot!!

CAN ALMOST HEAR THE SOUNDS

great one , as usual looks like old stuff…
just stunning !

Deborah!!!!!!!! I love this. There is much mystery to it and intense mood. I look forward to the whole set!!!!!!!!!!!

Takes me back to my child hood -well done again Deborah///////////

this is great well done

Yes, childrens books can be very dark. If I look at this picture my eye goes indeed in the direction Abe is looking at. I remember that a lot of things that were supposed to be fun for children rather frightened me. It is a great and intriguing picture. When you see such a carousel in colour it always looks very happy, with al the colours and lights. The way you show the carousel gives it a feeling of emptyness. As if it is for us to dicide if this is fun or no fun. Almost like a parody on a carousel. I like the way Abe lookes at it from a distance. As if he is observing it and making up his mind. For me the darkness in this picture is not a sad darkness. It is just a totally different way of looking at childrens entertainment. Starting point of a mental process in the brain of the viewer. In other words: great job!

Great capture Deb. Love the sharp focus of the child and the carousel slightly out of focus and overexposed, as if a “fantasy” or “dream”

It’s like one of those dream sequences in a kids movie, with the slightly spooky music playing. All this from one photo? Yeah!

dave

I just love this Deb. I’ve always wondered about the darkness surrounding Children’s nursery rhymes etc. When I was very young, we had a popular kids book of the time called “Coles Funny Picture Book”. It wasn’t funny, it was just plain scary. I felt a little like Abe does in your image. Beautifully photographed and processed…

very very wicked cool!!! : ) you make some very creative blk/wht

Excellent as always Deb! Love it!

I like this Deborah…....you are such a thinker and your images always have a point and try to communicate something. I saw your comments on the Torfinn/Antoine thing. I think all your postings are superb and you have a lot to offer. I have learned from looking at your work and drawn encouragement from your comments. Dont stop!

Fantastic job. Very well done.

Great work Deb this is fabulous!!! love the dark clouds looming above has a sort of nightmare feel to it!!! can imagine the scary music!! – however your in “the danger zone”” good luck my friend lol!!!

Incredible shot! You did a great job Deb!!

It is a very powerful image Deborah! I keep coming back to this studying it and wanting to give you justice in my feedback! The thing that I feel from this is a sence of volnerability and danger for Abe, and yet there is a sence of helplesness because you want to be by his side, an adult like mother or father to reasure him! But because he is alone in this picture and you get a sense of movement from the carusel, you feel drawn into the picture and not being able to escape, hoping that at any moment I wake up and it was all a bad dream!

I got up,looked at this, made a cup of coffee thinking about how powerful images are and how they can recreate ‘long forgotton’ (we think) memories. I love the carousel,it’s always been one of my childhood favorites but the memory that pushes back into my mind is one of a small boy who didn’t want to be on the thing…....as tonilouise said children often view their world as far more frightening than us adults…........ anyway the outcome was not a nice one and the kid got injured. Whenever i see a carousel I almost run toward it….seriously ….love to stand there watching it swirl around …horses going everywhere and nowhere …... but that childhood image ( i was only six) always interupts…........................ a bit like the coffee i was making…. i come back to my screen and whole bunch of people have beaten me to it. I love Abe’s side on look…....... such a cool take Deb.

fantastic image, a sense of something not quite right,

fine, dramatic image. really tells a story. Joseph Campbell was praised for his genius when he shared insights into universal myths and archetypes – but his work would have been meaningless without the webspinners, the storytellers that make the audience feel the story, breathe life into the monster under the little kid’s bed and cause the hairs on the back of adult necks to stand at attention. Your takes on the fears, terrors and magic that come with the territory of childhood are a real gift for forgetful adults. I look forward to seeing the creepy clown :) something wicked this way comes…

Oh, Deborah. This is my most favourite of all of your images. It’s just wonderful. I can’t wait to see the rest of the set!!!!!

This has an awesome mood to it. Excellent!

Deborah, well done! This is a striking image with loads of impact, I love the composition, the processing is great, it gives a real sense of drama.

To me the story is incredibly sad. The little boy has finally made it to the fairground, but too late. Everyone (playmates and all) have gone, the place is deserted and he is quite alone with his feverish anticipation squashed. Not what he expected – like growing up. No fun here. What now?

Excellent Photo…Love the contrast, and the idea!!!

Love the perspective. It has a dream like quality to it. Beautiful work.

fantastic

This is just wonderful! Very dramatic.

Gorgeous illustration of childhood Deb. It conveys to me the awe and beauty of a fairground, but the darkness of this image brings back all the warnings of danger if I strayed too far from my parents in such a place. Great work!!

Amazing photo. It’s almost like a still from a movie. So beautiful.

Beautiful work Deb

Very old-style -cool.

Fab too

Great shot Deb, love the dark sky, and composition

Very dark and dreamy-I think it’s hard to get this feel to a photo, so well done!!

This is fabulous, Deborah, I love the atmosphere that you’ve produced with this!

Perfect capture, excellent light.

Deb, you’ve achieved what you set out to do here, well done.

wow, exceptional atmosphere, dreamlike!

It makes perfect sense to me Deborah! Very powerful image, love it! :D

I had a day at our show today Deborah! But i love this. Beautiful! M:>

thank you everyone for your inspiring comments – they mean a lot to me.

it might be the carousel of death…. the great vehicle of reincarnation…... whatever – it’s a very moody and impressive picture. like it very much.

Wonderful shot, as always, Deb.

Great composition and timing make this the fab shot it is for me

great image I like the dark feel to it, well done. Rich .

Fantastic

Lovely composition, must admit that i love the fairground, the creepier and tired the better

Love the mood in this one, Deb. Really great work, as usual! Fantastic composition.

I agree with shawhouse this photo really tells a story! Great photo Deb!

so dream sequence like. yet another great image Deborah.

A stunning image, wonderful !

Wow Deborah, so much atmosphere in this, great treatment, love the lighting, especially on the boys hair.

Amazing, does make you wonder at what exactly he is looking…does he see what we see?

perfect capture Deb, love it!

excellent composition! looks fantastic in b/w
very well done

Spooky, moody, wonderful!

WOW! What a powerful and compelling shot… Discovering our own thoughts – I think this shot is working as you hoped!

I don’t even know what I can say about this. It is so powererful and so stunning.

Well captured Deborah….......i love the way Abe is looking at it. Is he intrigued by the carousel, is wondering if it is open or opening. Or is Abe going to ask for some money to have a go?

this is awesome; i love the darkness in your black&whites; you should definitely publish a book!!

Feel sort of surreal and distant…. Truly amazing….

i love it :D

I like this a lot,Deborah!!!

You’re on the front page with this Deborah. That’s well deserved.

Thank you for all your comments i really appreciate them – if you fancy looking at another carousel image then check out Dave Pearson – it’s excellent!!!

Dave Pearson

Wonderfully done, works very well, great image

What a great shot! Perfect image.

Deborah, I strive to images as good as this one.
I like the desolation of the “fun” in the background and I’m asking what the figure is thinking. Is it wonder, is it fear?
I like this a lot.

something so dreamscape about this, its confrontational for me, and a little disturbing…

This is wonderfully dark. I like it a lot, it is disturbing, but in a good way.

its like a snapshot from “something wicked this way comes.” this is the tone i envision when i read ray bradbury!

Deb, sorry, somehow I missed this the other day, but millions didn’t – what an amazing response! Fantastic atmosphere and pretty darn spooky. I recently commented on a Nancy Coyle image that she “took the fun out of fun-park” and you’ve done exactly the same thing (with a totally different image of course!!). Great work, great atmospher and congrats on the home page!

Wow deborah.. this is a stunning image!! Very dreamy, so well captured.

Fabulous! You captured so many moods here.. I love the dark sky, and the fact that the subject is not facing the camera =)

Brilliant

This reminds me of some of my earlier work when I was fascinated with the concept of the dark side of amusement. There seems to always remain a ‘darkened myth’ attached to the nostalgic circuses and amusement parks. Very beautiful…very haunting. What is it about the dark side of the moon…very magnetic?

Wonderful work…really striking…is the boy sad that the theme park is leaving town? Is it being shut down? Great nostalgia, beautiful tones and framing…love it.

It kind of looks to scary to get on. LOL well done!

Beautiful. Love the darkness you created here.

Very surreal. The image could represent either joy, or sorry, depending on the viewer. You nailed your stated intent. Good work.

your pictures could launch a thousand emotions

Oh wow – this is great!

oustanding portfolio
another fave

one picture… one million thoughts….

I’m reminded of Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train which features a tense scene with carousel. I notice there are not many people around which adds to the unease. Fascinating shot.

lovely work, perfect in b&w

terrific image, well done!

very very nice…

Deborah, there’s lots about this image that blows me away. First of all , the number of people who have related to it is awesome, and that means you have managed to do that magical achievement of getting right into our deep souls with a simple image. Yeah, I’m looking through the kid’s head at the carousel, and where I would normaly see a bright, happy and colorful attraction, I see lost hope and crushed dreams. Everyone who sees the carousel as a fun amusement has gone home and the scene has turned monochrome, the weather’s turned dark, the music has stopped and the movement frozen. Something has happened to this kid to distort his perception and its roots go very deep. It’s scary because you get the feeling he will turn this disotrted perception outward later in life, possibly to the harm of others.

I don’t know why there was so much commenting 2 months ago, then only a handful in the past month or so. Maybe you’ve been less active on RB recently so fewer members have been drawn to your portfolio? I just commented on a couple from Redtempa and noticed yours so thought I’d check out your stuff. I’m glad I did because there are few artists here that have the ability to say as much as you do through their images with sheer mood. I don’t know whether it’s in your ability to pick up perfect expressions from your subjects, or your strong monochrome compositions or your post processing… whatever it is, it looks like you’ve been doing it all your life and you are a true master at it. Congrats on blowing me away!

came to look at it again
such a strong and beautiful image

This is an incredible image Deborah. This has just stayed with me since the first time I saw it but at the time hadn’t left comment. Amazing, amazing shot.

Beautiful like an obscure childhood memory

very moody and rather a retro feel to your work…strong and powerful

This looks awesome, like your others I guess ;)

I still enjoy this one alot!

brings back memories alright…very nice capture….

This has a sinister feel to it, i don’t know why, maybe the b&w does it !!!

this looks like a dream….really amazing shot

This is an outstanding photo

Yes I see what you mean. The unfinished business, what’s left unsaid, what’s hinted but not stated…what’s the thought…and where dd it come from?

Oh to be able to read the back of a (childs) head. I love the hair highlights which add greater depth, possibility and a certain significance to the turned away and looking beyond…and even furtehr beyond. Really an excellent image Deb and almost utterly timeless :))

Wonderful photo.

this is a fantastic shot Deborah, as you can already tell from all the comments! the black and white works perfectly with the composition to create a great sense of atmosphere.. well done

Another well captured shot and set in black and white. BnWs are great. They really simply the subject being captured.

I’ve always thought that carousels and circuses are profoundly disturbing. This is brilliantly captured here.

fantastic tonings and composition !

This is just simply brilliant..

cool image nice work

Extremely thought provoking piece of art. I (think) can see where you’re coming from. The darkness does make it a totally different piece.

This a very powerful image, dark and dreamlike at the same time.Fun fairs inhabit a strange world of excitement and mystery, and are part of the personal mythology of our young lives.Where do they come, where do they go?

Outstanding BnW Deborah,very thought provoking image!

What a beautiful shot! It feels like a dream- love the glow off the boy!

This is so beautiful! I love the dreamy quality to it! Gives me a warm fuzzy!

it’s like a romantic childhood memory. Thank you!

Very unique shot..i like your style of super high contrast photography-Ian-

wow, so stunning!

Brilliant…...kind of takes you back.

amazing shot.

fabulous… haunting in its kind of eerie beautiful way.

Great image! love the dreamlike quality this has.

nice

Fab work, there’s a great sense of longing in the picture, not enough money in your pocket to have a ride, just got to watch the other kids on the crousel

Awesome photo, great shot, awesome effect, loving the B&W

Superb work

Fantastic work!

hauntingly powerful image

Really fabulous!

Beautiful composition.

Strong, haunting capture. Element of mystery… almost as if innoccence had been lost.

Seen many of your shots Nancy, this is new to me.
One word – WOW! I love this photo so much.

Your very welcome Deborah , I feel like a dork though calling you Nancy (I’m VERY new to this site and thought I was surfing my friends Nancy profile.) Sorry, it’s been a long week :)

Still, just an amazing shot and happy I saw it.
Hope you have a great day. – Al

Deb, this is the most wonderful image, it speaks to me on so many levels that I could not possibly begin to express them all. You have an amazing eye, that sees far more than just the opportunities placed in front of you.

wow wow wow wow wow amzazing picture

wow wow wow wow wow amzazing picture

love it!

your work is stunning!!

...guess you don’t need another comment to tell you how gothic-good it all is, but still here’s another: you should be involved in film.

i agree you really feel like you’re looking with him. wonderul capture

This shot is excellent ! Congrats !

Another amazing image the darkness of the image is fantastic very thought provoking great work

Another amazing image the darkness of the image is fantastic very thought provoking great work

I LOVE this! Amazing shot ! :)

Thought provoking image Deborah. I empathise with your description entirely. I have always had a sinister feeling around fairgrounds esp’ at night. I put it down to being told as a child not to go there alone, stay away, strange men etc. And one image always sticks in my mind, the opening credits of a 60’s American TV series, I think was called the Twilight Zone which used the lights of a Carousel set to spooky music. Bet you think I’m mad don’t you? Well I might be rambling, but you definitely stirred a latent fear in me with this shot. Neat B&W though :)

makes complete sense to me. I love the creepy innocence of this shot. Nice job. :)

BRILLIANT, you obviousy carefully think about what you shoot ,whereas I just shoot at will LOL. very thought provoking work you have.

Really good work well done

Such a strong and powerful image! Kudos.
Congrats with your homepage too

congrats – it looks so good on the Home page !
the best here !

Well done on this making the home page Deb.

Congrats on making the home page Deb – fantastic image. Andy x

Thanks everyone – lovely suprise and thanks for letting me know :)

Excellent work! Congrats on making homepage!

this is awsome!
i dont think it would be so effective if the kid in the foreground wasn’t there.
good work!

Hey you….CONGRATS on making the home page….This has always been one of my FAVS

Wow, this is amazing. Fantastic work!

love this image/brilliant on homepage

Looking good there on the Homepage Deborah! Congrats! This is one of those all time classic images.. you’re a great story teller!

I’ve never liked fairs and circuses, even as a child. Your image speaks to my inner fears of these things. It’s a beautiful image and well composed. I’d love to see what you could do with my other fear…porcelain dolls.

This is beautiful….

amyx

Wondrous, such Magic. Congrats on Being Featured on the Home Page

Wow, this is a beautiful and powerful image to me!

such a great photo! beautiful

this is anazing

One of my favs! lovely shot! i can visualize it with a soundtrack fo Paul Cantelon
cheers from guatemala city!

This is marvellous!

i know you have heard this probaly a billion times but i have to say what a great shot, i love how the glow affect comes straight to you, well done

STUNNING! well done. instant fav and watchlist.

Awesome!

Love everything about it! Instant favorite!

While I love color to the point of making my eyes bleed… I do admire the nature of your B&W work. Very well developed. Nice to get lost within. Great job.

Just love being inspired by the way every image you put on here oozes with emotion and character!

“Vision – It reaches beyond the thing that is, into the conception of what can be. Imagination gives you the picture. Vision gives you the impulse to make the picture your own.”
Robert Collier.

Just love being inspired by the way every image you put on here oozes with emotion and character!

“Vision – It reaches beyond the thing that is, into the conception of what can be. Imagination gives you the picture. Vision gives you the impulse to make the picture your own.”
Robert Collier.

I agree with you about having Abe’s head turned, it is better. You have such a talent. I hope you do take up the Photography Degree. All the best.

this is awesome, i love your b+w work

Deborah, please please please add this image to my group ‘All the Fun of the Fair’ What with it being taken at a fair and all :-)

Regards
Andrew

This is brilliant.I know that’s a pretty deep comment and all but it’s all I can come up with.I have stared at this for 10 minutes now, I’m a bit dumbfounded.

Great news about the book, Deborah :)

wow, wow, wow and just wow. sorry my words have failed me =)

Congrats again…

The nightmare merry go round , great work Deborah P, this is fabulous I love the dark clouds looming above.
Cheers
Rock

reminds me of the story ‘Something wicked this way comes’... Great image.

Steve

Perfect deb….

brilliant!

awesome.

amazing

your work is so extraordinary, a truly talented lady.
this is so beautiful. ;-) xox

You do some absolutely gorgeous and moody B&W photography. Hats off!

This is a MAGNIFICENT picture

Beautiful capture!

Oh, this is divine with a capital ‘D’ – truly beautiful and evocative – well done, indeed :-)

Really like this, have a few childhood images of my own if you want to see!!

wonderful image!!!!!!!!!!

Awesome work! Please consider submitting this to Moody and Evocative

Brilliant! x

i think you’ve captured the fight or flight moment with the child. is it wonder, or something darker. your rendering lends itself to a darker interpretation of what is perceived to be childhood amusement. i could go on and write a thesis on this shot. powerful image. bravo.

This is soooooo wicked, Iove the underlying darkness of it, I think if you had caught the childs face this photo would not have been so mysterious. Wonderful!

enchanting, nostalgic image. love the atmosphere in this image.

wonderful lighting..great image

Beautifully evocative – well done, Deborah :))

Deborah, I love your BnW imagery. you have a very powerful gallery here.
and love the composition and your use of tones for this one. you’re doing superb post-process.

Very cool, spooky and moody! I just had a conversation with work mates about the stories our parents red to us when we were child. There was many brutal and thought provoking stories around. If you read them now it’s hard to believe that cutting witches to pieces and draining the blood into a river was something proper to read for a child haha :-D But conclusion was that so it should be..can’t give the child too unrealistic/beautiful picture about the overall cruel world.

hey deborah. its been months since i have used redbubble, and first time back i see this and just have to say i love it. well done. it caught my eye more than any other photo….

this is wonderful… love your work

interesting

I remember as a child how scary I thought those horses were on a carousel with their heightened expressions and saturated colours….....amazing as a child how everything seems larger than life and at times a little sinister….......beautiful work you do :)

love it ,

Brilliant!

Quite haunting!! I Love it! =)

Beautiful!

Wonderful, moody image – well done!

I love this image, the ambience, the composition … and the history that it is possible to imagine behind the image

great image, lovely work.

This is a wonderful image.

This is the kind of image I feel like I’ve seen before but know I never have. Those images are usually the best. Tremendous.

wonderful… once again, the capturing of emotion…or perhaps the creation of emotion

I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE your vision…..how YOU see things with the same eyes as your little subjects…just amazing!

This is beautiful Deborah!

I love images like this. While it’s nice to make eye contact with a subject, I really love trying to see the world as they see it…... give me a turned gaze anyday!
beautiful piece Deb :))

beautiful!

Your narrative added immeasurably to this fantastic (in every sense – not just the conventional one) image. My first reaction – Very ‘Feliniesque’.