Hand with Rose
inspired by the birthday roses
an addition to my photo series of hands with objects
some others may be viewed here
February 24, 2016 in Human, Nature, Photoworks by Marja-Leena
by Marja-Leena Marja-Leena Rathje
on printworks and other passions
by Marja-Leena
This is indeed a worthy addition to your lovely series of hand photos.. well, scans?
btw: Nice manicure. My nails snap off in cold weather so now I have seven normal ones and three that are down to the quick.
Susan, they are indeed scans, yet still digital photos. I am a bit disappointed that the colour of the rose looks dull here, from the compression for web, I think.
Thanks about the manicure – one of my better days. I usually have the odd broken one if I’ve been busy in the garden or housecleaning. I’m surprised and sorry to hear that cold weather affects yours that way.
This image says a lot: the birthday rose, the wedding ring, your beautiful hand. I like it very much and it moves me.
Thanks ever so much, Beth!
Yes, the beauty of what is passing. I like that too, and I like the strange, rich color of the rose with the many delicate striations of its silks, juxtaposed with the hand and the ring.
It is a properly alchemical image, marrying the red rose with gold. “The rose upon the rood of time,” as Yeats would say.
Marly, you do find such lovely words, such as “alchemical”, “marrying the red rose with gold” and a great quote too, thank you!
I have alchemy on the brain while burnishing “The Book of the Red King.” Hoping to find the philosopher’s stone of completion by the end of the month!
Word magician, that’s what you are, Marly! Best of luck with the the burnishing.
I’m with Beth.
Colour reproduction is a knotty question with all the different methods of capturing, showing, and viewing. My husband expends a lot of energy trying to get his photographs just so to reproduce the colour he wants. My attitude is different: I mostly go with what I get if it creates an atmosphere which is its own. The perceived dullness of your rose, for instance, can say something poignant of its own, and in some ways the limited view of the rich red velvety petal at the left can have a stronger voice by being a contrast. But that’s just my view.
Thanks for your observations, Olga. Interesting that your husband deals with this too, as do many photographers and artists. I think the hand of the creator is the driver here, just as the hand of the painter, printmaker, sculptor, even filmmaker.
Yes, colour reproduction is a challenge in particular when doing large prints, such as I did with the Hands series where a fair bit of consistency was needed. There is first the issue of monitor calibration between mine and the studio’s. Skin colour is difficult. Even the black background could change. Oh, how many hours of work and the expense of proofs went into that!
Posting photos such as this for the blog are not quite so critical but I still want them to turn out well. But if this were to be a print, I might expend a lot more energy on it if required. Some subjects are not so critical as others of course.
I can imagine that getting the hands and the black right must be quite a challenge – but worth it, as they are such beautiful and moving images.
Yes, some things are worth the loving labour! We pick our battles, eh? Thanks, Olga!
The colors are perfect on my monitor. Love it.
Hattie, I’m happy to hear that, thanks!
Really love the composition of the photo. So tender.
I am pleased that you like this. Thanks for stopping by, Lilalia!
Marja-Leena, happy birthday!
It’s still very strange to think that one can have roses in the middle of winter. When we were young, we were lucky to get roses for summer festivities. The feasts started with high school graduations (ylioppilasjuhlat) last of May, but the roses wilted fast.
The photo is a beauty. Rose is a rose is a rose, said Alice B. Toklas, I think, once.
Kiitos, Ripsa! My birthday was a while ago but good wishes are always appreciated. And the good quote by Toklas.
I’m sure these roses came from somewhere in South America. Such is the transport of food and plants out of season. Not so good for our environment, is it? But my sweetie does not do this often, only for very special times.
Beautiful, and I like the colour as it is, it has a deep ‘sound’ like the low notes on a piano. I can almost feel the silky rose petals in my hand.
Natalie, I like the idea of colours having a sound. Have you heard of synaesthesia, which some people have, that is the gift of seeing colours in sounds?
I still have two of the roses on their stems, seemingly permanently withered, but not falling apart.