Photographer's Comment: Actually a funny story behind this one, told him not to shut the gate all.....click.......the way. The gate locks when shut, there is no way out except for the back doors of the businesses behind the gate. Then he had to explain why the gate got locked, no one got mad, but it was good for a few laughs afterward, even from him.

Tags: portrait silhouette city urban alley senior

Viewer Comments:

By denton2310 (2008-03-26 22:37:54 ): Has rated this image

By johnwillems (2008-03-20 22:39:59 ): Yes Katia, that's a (played)streetscène, and it goes good with the choosen title. Hella from John.

By smokeydawg (2008-03-20 22:26:08 ): Wow, thanks Wayne, your feedback is always appreciated. Thanks also for catching the irony of him (prisoner) being in the light and me (free) in the dark.

By smokeydawg (2008-03-20 22:22:25 ): Thanks Carlos, your feedback is always appreciated, glad this spoke to you.

By smokeydawg (2008-03-20 22:18:41 ): Thanks Katia!

By smokeydawg (2008-03-20 22:18:02 ): Thanks for the kind words Maureen!

By smokeydawg (2008-03-20 22:17:33 ): Thanks Frank! This alley is just a great location that I stumbled across late last year.

By smokeydawg (2008-03-20 22:16:13 ): Thanks Janith, appreciate the kind words, I really enjoy shooting in this alley, one of these days I'm going to just go there and do some real "street shooting" with no models.

By smokeydawg (2008-03-20 22:14:07 ): Thanks Elizabeth, I really love shooting in this alley.

By smokeydawg (2008-03-20 22:12:42 ): Thanks for the kind words Audrey, glad you like it. There is some subliminal meaning in this, I tend to believe we all become "prisoners" to our thoughts and thought processes in the fact that we all tend to tell ourselves we can't do this or can't do that, if we keep telling ourselves we can't we never will. So I try my hardest to stay away from negative and focus on positive things, sometimes, a lot of times easier said then done. :) Thanks again, Carl

By smokeydawg (2008-03-20 22:06:55 ): Thanks Bill, the light in this is as it was, it's an awesome old alley to shoot in, dates back to the early 1900's. To make it even cooler it is covered so you have a mix of tungsten and daylight depending on where your at in the alley.

By smokeydawg (2008-03-20 22:04:44 ): Thanks John, appreciate it!

By smokeydawg (2008-03-20 22:04:15 ): Thanks CJ, yes it's the same alley, but there are several in this vicinity that I plan on exploring. And yes we still have snow on the ground in places, was the third highest annual snowfall in history here this year. Actually suppose to get more tonight.

By smokeydawg (2008-03-20 22:02:03 ): Thanks for the kind words Linda.

By smokeydawg (2008-03-20 22:01:43 ): Thanks Warren, appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment. Ummm well bald heads do tend to reflect light, that's why I generally wear a hat when getting an image taken of me as I have the same "hair challenged" head. grin

By smokeydawg (2008-03-20 21:59:12 ): Thanks Tanja!

By audlee (2008-03-20 04:23:55 ): WOW. So nice, and honestly am captivated by the image, as well as, so many of the responses -- clearly an indicator of the success of this image. In fact I think I am haunted by Carlos' response of the prisoner as a silhouette and I can't help but wonder how subliminal this process is for you. I feel this is such a striking image. I am a prisoner too, captivated by your images.

By janith (2008-03-19 22:38:13 ): There is so much going on here---the vertical bars, the horizontal stairs, the faceless 'prisoner', the reflections and shadows on the street---yet it doesn't feel busy or confusing. Great impact! WOW quality image!

By za8et (2008-03-19 10:46:35 ): of the two i prefer this one. although this is staged it looks real- i especially like the jump from the bars to the stairs and the quality of the reflections in the foreground

By ffen4 (2008-03-18 12:31:27 ): The reflections, the lighting, the details in the background (snow and fire escape), and the graffiti all add to this great silhouette shot. Nice job. Frank

By NowYesNow (2008-03-18 04:54:29 ): Likely Story, Carl.. uh huh. You Probably said.. "Ok.. Pull it shut.. it'll open. Trust Me." I ain't buyin' the street photography thing, here, but I Do Love the Drama of it all. I like the setting, your color treatment, the Light, and most of all, (this is one time where the rule is made to be broken) the centering of your subject. If any subject deserves to be in a "static" position in a photo, a Prisoner does! Oh, and irony, here? he's trapped in the Light; it is You, free, who is in the dark. Fascinating! I cannot be sure of the bounced artificial light source, here, but the silhouette rocks in a way that transcends the norm for this assignment. I bow.

By maureenyoung52 (2008-03-18 04:53:09 ): WOW!! This is fantastic!! Love the depth and the toning!!

By karmal (2008-03-18 04:47:35 ): Coming back to this wonderful and expressive picture, I have to add: what you captured here is the very essence of a prison. Someone said before that entering a prison is a kind of a civil death. And as I learnt with my experience in prisons, inmates, deplected from many civil rights, are like silhouettes. That's why your picture tells me a lot. Carlos

By ktapio (2008-03-18 04:46:30 ): So they call it street photography thanks for teaching me to admire it too. katia

By EnterVortex (2008-03-18 04:17:55 ): Carl, the magic you do here with lighting is great. But what impresses me the most is the creativity you used to pose your model.

By johnwillems (2008-03-18 03:56:41 ): Has rated this image

By karmal (2008-03-18 02:26:58 ): Hi Carl. Like Warren, I admire street photography (and of course your work), and this one is a terrific example with a stong impact on the viewers. With the combination of shadow and light, the toning, the mood and the setting, you cooked up a realistic image of the underground, with a story of exclusion and despair. carlos

By CJGroth (2008-03-18 00:38:20 ): Hi Carl -- is this the same alley that you mentioned before? These shots are so raw, I love them. The blown-out light is classic and the bit of graffiti on the left ... and is that SNOW? A very dreamlike photo ... or should I say nightmarelike? C.J.

By LindaJames (2008-03-17 22:56:48 ): Brilliant photo. Very evocative, love the toning and the wet pavement.

By KF4sign (2008-03-17 22:54:42 ): I am a great admirer of street photography, and this is a wonderful example. In addition to the real story behind this, one of it's wonderful characteristics is that any story or emotion the viewer brings is complemented by this photo. The light is wonderful and in a nice balance between foreground and background. About the highlight on his head...Do all of us bald guys reflect light that dramatically? -Warren

By somagni (2008-03-17 22:42:22 ): The reflections off the wet ground and the shadows from the bars all contribute to a wonderful image. And it's always good when you come away with a story!

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