Life
by gyaban

Comment by tanguera:
A beautiful creation, Christophe. I love everything about this - the muted colors and tones, the spectacular light,the water "surface" where we wouldn't expect it. I'm a bit puzzled about the belly at lower left, but I suppose it is a "meta" belly, giving birth to all life.

As someone who has been stung by jellyfish, I'm a bit freaked out about them being so close to her, but their color and transparency is delightful. And either congratulations are in order, or that is a very nicely 'shopped pregnancy ;)

Life
by gyaban

Comment by kiwinick:
dreamy still coming to terms with this style I quite like it, but I'm a bit of a luddite ,.

Life
by gyaban

Comment by Lydia:
I love this. I find great beauty in pregnant women.

Her left hand position... although, probably natural... in this "expert editing" sort of image... We all know it's not "real"... I want it to be perfect. I want it to cradle her child more. From below the bump... with hand held open and widely loving.

It seems that she's hesitant. And in her hand position alone, it makes me think that she's afraid of something. Then, I search more and find that her eyes agree.

I am now uncomfortable.
I want to be feeling the peace of the baby floating inside her and her mimicking the floating outside.

All that stops me is ... the hand.

Call me picky... but... if you're gonna do the "expert" part... make it perfect.

I never can. So, I didn't enter this challenge although I had something shot before I saw it was "Expert".

I want that hand to make me feel like she's LOVING the baby... not protecting him/her from something.


Then... I look at the lighting. All of the light on the body is from the top right corner going to the bottom left corner.

But... the light on the "ripples" comes from mid top to mid right.

Unless there are two light sources... the second, LESSER strength, which seems to be added later with a minimal light from just below upper right... onto the body, but it gives MORE effect. The highlights on the body are much stronger than even the other, stronger light source.

But, in "real life" there's only ONE light source in an underwater scene, right?

This leaves me confused.

Still... an 8 from me.

I do love looking at your image. It's a WONDERFUL creation! But for beauty... it makes me uneasy. I want that hand to help me. And, it doesn't. I want it low and cradling... not tense and protecting.

I only say all of this because you OBVIOUSLY aren't a newbie. You know what you're doing.

Well done is my final critique. Well done, indeed.


ETA: I've started playing a game while voting...

Wanna play along?


Describe your image (without knowing the challenge topic) in four words.

Is "Beauty" one of them?

Nope. Mine either. Here are mine:

Underwater

Pregnant

Afraid

Jellyfish

Life
by gyaban

Comment by CNovack:
This image holds a lot more interesting details, symbology, or allusions that speak to the viewer. I can see the belly in the lower left corner that this underwater Venus is hatching from. I do see her as a modern underwater version of Botticelli's Birth of Venus. Instead of her springing up from a shell on land fully grown she is emerging from the womb fully grown in a nourishing waterworld (water itself is a support source of life. Unlike Botticelli's Venus she has not yet emerged from the sea but instead has emerged from the womb - where life is nourished and grows before it emerges into a larger world. This fully grown Venus herself also holds and cradles with her hand life in her womb. The imagery upholds the saying 'life begets life' and/or shows the the continuing cycles of birth from mother to child ad infinitum. I like how the long scarf acts like an umbilical cord that 'connects' her to the mother womb showing that she will always have strong ties to her mother even when she is about to become a mother herself. The jellyfish I see as akin to the flowers Zephyros and I think an angel in Botticelli's painting - here they are delicate sea blossoms that float in the currents of the ocean. Maybe my eye is playing a trick on me but I think I see some letters in that one jellyfish by her knee. Just a natural occurrence or intentional?

Life
by gyaban

Comment by mishmao14:
OK, this is a 10 for me. Just gorgeous! I would imagine it might win a ribbon...

Life
by gyaban

Comment by P-A-U-L:
Incredible photo! And a great one for the family album:) This will win the blue - no doubt whatsoever!!

Life
by gyaban

Comment by macwilyum:
Just can't get enough of this style, Christophe. As always, I'm a big fan of yours.

Life
by gyaban

Comment by littlemav:
OMG R u guys having a baby or is this just more of your magic ?

Life
by gyaban

Comment by MEJazz:
Ha! Expert editing so was expecting to see your entry in here. The master does not disappoint :)

A Strange Quest
by gyaban

Comment by markwiley:
Such exceptional creativity and implementation. You've crafted a wonderful story from mundane objects. Thanks.