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... and I heard somebody singing sweet and soulful
... and I heard somebody singing sweet and soulful
pawdrix


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Date Uploaded: Feb 10, 2008

Viewed: 1036
Comments: 18
Favorites: 2 (view)

Walking through Harlem taking pix on a Sunday morning I heard a lot of Gospel coming from the 40 little Baptist Churches I passed. As I came to the edge of Spanish Harlem, this clear (see-thru) crucifix struck me, hanging off of a tenement building with majestic clouds right behind...and yes there was Gospel in the air.

Transcendence

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AuthorThread
08/28/2009 04:57:44 PM
Quite remarkable . .

Great title and great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
04/22/2009 01:26:43 PM
"Sunday Morning Coming Down", Johnny Cash's version...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/11/2008 12:22:23 PM
Time and photography, is what this one makes me think about. It could be a scene from 50 years ago, or tomorrow, next week, next year.... The grand drama of the clouds blustering by unaffected by this city in the background make this photo stand out. All of your recent work is quite inspired, and inspiring.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/27/2008 11:12:47 PM
Two things immediately came to my attention when I saw this.
1) The position of the cross is similar to what one might see when they enter an actual church (depending on the religion of course). The cross is usually up front and center, the highlight and focal point of the worship area. So yours is the same except that the church in this photo is the mighty outdoors.

2) So while running with that train of thought, although I see that this cross is in the right position, it is actually not the most prominent feature of your photo. It's soft and blends in with the background. So what you see first is the nice light on the buildings in the background, then you see the pretty clouds, and then there's the cross. I want to see that either brighter or sharper because I'm now expecting this to be the key point of the photo. Maybe these thoughts are based on my own religious upbringing - dunno. But that's what I get from looking at this photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/24/2008 12:22:08 AM
Obviously a lot of room for metaphor here. Everything is in perfect juxtaposition and I like how the cross is a natural extension of the ironwork beside it. The clouds are perfect.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2008 10:38:52 AM
This shot has some elements that lend themselves to your comments. The first thing that seemed so powerful to me was the clouds through the cross. It gives a three-dimensional presence to a two-dimensional image and yet the feeling goes deeper because of how you've framed it. I wish the tenements and the lines didn't have a slight tilt to them but that's just an annoyance in the face of an inspiring image so who cares. The buildings at bottom help to anchor the setting for the cross. They remind viewers that people are involved in this setting; it's not all power and majesty and whatnot. The righthand side of the image, however, is perhaps the most providential element of your photo. I don't know if you just meant to anchor the image with the fire escapes but that veritable wall of metal works on several levels for me. Firstly it is a mechanism for people to escape in a bad situation, secondly it demonstrates how people have tried to rise above their means; we're always trying to grow ourselves beyond our basest points and, finally, it is out of this mangle of metal that the cross extends. I'm not meaning this in any metaphorical sense because I don't think theology is subjective but this image presents several facets of human experience that I find intriguing. Then again, maybe it's just a shot of a cross hanging from the side of a building. I like the dimensions of this, too. Thanks for sharing. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/23/2008 09:33:33 AM
First, let me say that I typically love your work. It often packs an unexpected wallop of insight into some place or some thing. This one feels rather empty for me. I like the cross, the clouds are cool, but I'm missing context. I have the top halves of a couple buildings and most of a fire escape but it doesn't feel like its enough. Its like the images you see of airplanes or hot air balloons with some clouds and treetops but no other reference to ground it in a place. And this place looks really interesting, from what I can see. I want the street. I want the life. Even if none of it is moving. My point is, compared to a lot of your work, this is only a half-truth. I want the whole truth. I'm just not getting it here.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/22/2008 09:07:54 PM
Gritty back lighted - unlit neon, Christian street church, view of the cross, an urban station of the cross.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/22/2008 08:08:34 PM
coming back to this, I think what's so powerful about it is that the cross, supposedly up in Heaven, is actually connected very strongly to the structures of earth. Not just connected to the structure, but part of the structure... emanating from the structure instead of the sky. It's like you've revealed the magic trick.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/22/2008 05:38:54 PM
All the transparency of that structure against the sky creates magic and projects the symbolism of the cross to a higher dimension. It was love at first sight with this photo. Simple, powerful and a beautiful image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/22/2008 05:28:10 PM
There are too many rules, and too much picking apart of photographs based on the abundance of perceived absolutes... this is a great photo, and has a lot to say to me about constructed symbols and their place in the way people live... very very cool.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/22/2008 09:39:07 AM
Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

The fire escape has no reason for being in the image - I scrolled over to eliminate it and the image got better.
Also, the building on the bottom left is crooked to the edge of the frame, an easy fix beacuse to the normal person buildings don't look like this, so here it's a distraction. I'm not keen on the distribution of the clouds, partly behind the cross I mean.


Probably couldn't disagree more. Maybe I could try. It's true that once you take out the balancing staircase on the right that the buildings on the bottom become too heavy so need to go too - but I don't think that helps.

A big part of what works or is close to working in this is the rhythmic repetitions of the cross shapes that are almost appearing in the spaces between the staircase and the spaces between the buildings.

Getting rid of all that crops it down to a relatively banal and boring sky/cross shot. Less subtle about the Christian symbolism I suppose, loses any heaven/ earth context and grounding.

The stairway to heaven seems quite necessary though ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/21/2008 10:40:12 PM
Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

The fire escape has no reason for being in the image - I scrolled over to eliminate it and the image got better.
Also, the building on the bottom left is crooked to the edge of the frame, an easy fix beacuse to the normal person buildings don't look like this, so here it's a distraction. I'm not keen on the distribution of the clouds, partly behind the cross I mean.


I would have to totally disagree. But I guess we can't all be as good as Prof_Fate... he would of shot this perfectly obviously though.

I think it is an interesting shot, and I think the imperfections add character and make this shot unique.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/21/2008 08:26:49 PM
The fire escape has no reason for being in the image - I scrolled over to eliminate it and the image got better.
Also, the building on the bottom left is crooked to the edge of the frame, an easy fix beacuse to the normal person buildings don't look like this, so here it's a distraction. I'm not keen on the distribution of the clouds, partly behind the cross I mean.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/21/2008 02:17:22 PM
Well I faved it so I guess I should comment on it. When I opened it just felt good. A slightly dark and drab feel to it processing wise that I thought was a good compliment to the hollow cross. Doesnt sound like an uplifting description of my reaction but it felt good to me nonetheless. Love the title.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/21/2008 02:06:18 PM
crosses are tough. their symbolical load must be either dealt with or subverted. Here you find a simply way to subvert it: by cutting it in half. great composition, with all the interesting detail along the edges.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/21/2008 01:53:14 PM
oh for a silhouette of a person on one of those balconies/ ladders. Certainly the symbolism you've used is powerful and trying to include more symbols in your work is a great way forward to more meaningful images. But symbols on their own is a bit like playing chopsticks on a piano. Great practice. Now for the performance.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
02/19/2008 02:41:36 PM
Great capture of an essence.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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