ANZAC - The Clouds of War
In honour of the Fallen and the celebration of Armistice Day.
THE SUBJECT:
A statue of an Australian soldier of WW1, an ANZAC, still stands proud 91yrs after the bloody war.
THE LOCATION:
Photographed in the township of Kendall, NSW, Australia, on a miserable, wet, cold and windy winter day.
THE MAKING OF ‘ANZAC – The Clouds of War’:
I was in town with a couple of camera club members to look at a photographic exhibition and during a lull in the proceedings I took a stroll around the area.
When I came across this fine old statue in a very weak wintry backlight against those low, heavy clouds, covered with lichen and the petina of age, I knew I just had to make as good a shot as I could.
I originally intended it as a pure silhouette but the texture and detail of the statue was too good to pass up. Exposure Lock was my best friend this day as I metered for the brightest area of cloud behind the soldier knowing that Lightroom would give a more balanced exposure later.
Fuji S9600: RAW, f/4.5 @ 1/1300sec, Auto focus, ISO80, Hand held.
Lightroom 2.2 & Photoshop CS3.
Visit the Close-up/Abstract/Still Life collection in my BubbleSite Gallery for more artful and meaningful photography.
UPDATE: 19-11-09
My weathered ANZAC has been FEATURED in the Fuji Fine Group.
Enjoy!
STILL LIFE
(Click the links!)
ANZAC – The Clouds of War
From Paris to London and Back Again
Pink Hat on a Stand in a Mirror
ANZAC - The Clouds of War belongs to the following groups:
! 100% !, "Old Things - 3 per Day", *1:1 with the News (Images Only With a Story), Australia! You're Standing In it...., Australian Contemporary Photography, Former DPF Members, Fuji Fine (3/day, Model Req'd), Kairos, Mood & Ambience - Strictly Photos, New South Wales Photography, North Coast Photographic Forum, Street Photography and Photojournalism, The Black and White Enthusiast, This Is Relevant (2 per day) and Who Needs Color For Beauty? - Black & White Art At Its Best Available for sale asGreeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters
leunig
excellent shot and a nice tribute
Philip Golan
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Kofoed
Excellent tribute, Dennis.
There’s all the melancholic feel there should be. And praise the “miserable” day, the clouds are brilliant here.
We shall remember…
GailD
Great shot Dennis.
Lest we forget.
Rosalie Dale IPA
So emotive…not forgotten, always appreciated.
Loreto Bautist...
A great reminder…a worthy tribute…lest we forget.
Baynanno1
An excellent capture, perfect for today, November 11th.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
titus
THIS IS RELEVANT
Dayonda
Congratulations for the Feature of your ANZAC photo. It’s an excellent one, the sky set it up for a perfect silhouette! And you do have the “eye”!
Andrew Makowi...
Lovely shot Dennis.
I always wonder what it is we are meant not to forget. Each generation seems to have a different thing which we are meant not to forget. Maybe we have forgotten. What do these statues represent, sacrifice, futility, heroism, stupidity, nationhood, invasion, maybe all of these at some point in the last ninety or so years.
I believe that the original thing we are meant not to forget is how bloody stupid and horrible war is and how the soldiers were used. The soldiers certainly never saw themselves as heroic. As an old soldier ( 1972 to 1975 4 Field Artillery) I think the returned soldiers would have hated these statues though I am not sure. Maybe there were a lot of diverse feelings.
On the other hand the statues were a comfort and other things for the widows and children and friends after the war. So I am not against these statues. They represent a lot of feelings and different viewpoints.
My apologies for expressing these viewpoints here. For some reason this type of statue seems to have a strong effect on me.
FireLilyAMG
Sometime in the past, you were featured in Fuji Fine. Here is a banner to show for it. Better late than never? :)
Dennis Gay 25 days ago
UPDATE: 19-11-09
My weathered ANZAC has been FEATURED in the Fuji Fine Group.
Thank you so much to the Hosts and to all who have appreciated and supported this work of remembrance.
GB
Dennis