Gimmie Shelter, a photo from Ontario, Central

Photographer's Note

Reading the paper yesterday was filling me with anxiety and sadness. I was perched by the window of the cafe as usual and all of a sudden, three generations of men appeared, finding shelter, like me, in the sunny interior--but not in reading the news.

"Oh, a storm is threat'ning
My very life today
If I don't get some shelter
Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away

War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away

Ooh, see the fire is sweepin'
Our very street today
Burns like a red coal carpet
Mad bull lost its way

War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away

Rape, murder!
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away

Rape, murder!
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away

Rape, murder!
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away

The floods is threat'ning
My very life today
Gimme, gimme shelter
Or I'm gonna fade away

War, children, it's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
It's just a shot away
I tell you love, sister, it's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away
Kiss away, kiss away"

Gimmie Shelter, by Rolling Stones

(I have uploaded the colour version in the workshop.)

andante, Paolo, starbug, eleparc has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

didcreole (962) 2006-02-06 17:33

Very strange picture... It's hard to say who is behind the windows and who is in the reflect... And where is the photographer ? Great idea, well done.

RGatward (20108) 2006-02-06 17:34

Good title, clever framing, couldn't have worked better if you'd planned it. Sepia makes it looks like some time/life docu shot from the '50s.

Niara78 (0) 2006-02-06 18:03

He's got that piercing look that makes your photo. I like the sepia. The other two men - sitting, reading, and drinking, look as if they found shelter, at least for that moment. Great shot!

KevRyan (22956) 2006-02-06 18:28

Full of that hallmark detail you bring to your reflective shots - even in the lightest areas - a masterpiece of juxtaposition of these guys at different stages of their lives - anxieties and contentments - there's a serious drama going on here but it could also be a very mundane everyday life event - the difference is you and your feelings which bring life into sharp focus - look after your self my friend - remember those wonderful words of the song " and it's one two, three, what are we fighting for ..........yipee we're all gonna die!"

The one song I ever wrote on the subject of war goes like this! (anglo-irish country)

"who used the bomb first is a hard thing to say
the war that ensued lasted less than a day
there's no one around , nothing's meant nothing's said
there's no hope for the future for the whole world is dead"

( the moment of silence is then followed by a very upbeat irish jig - or upbeat ~Irish rock jig depending on your mood)

you have to have something to keep your spirits up despite the perpetual madness of so many idjits in the world!!

take care Kev

klennon79 (0) 2006-02-06 18:28

Great scene. Good eye to have seen three men in shot. Nice B&W, frame, and lighting.

bantonbuju (51815) 2006-02-06 19:41

hji sasa - i love that careful composition here and attention to the details: the spade, the hand pointing at something;
no, lately the news are not encouraging, but the image like this can, and actually is;
very nice,
j.

don_narayan (2014) 2006-02-06 20:12

Hi Sasa. you are a master at layering. Seriously, this is a great composition, the 3 men, the shovel, the brick builing that is either behind you or behind them, but that is part of wonder to this photo, not knowing! Great work, nothing new there!

Narayan

canan (989) 2006-02-07 2:49

excellent job. sepia is a very good decision and so confusing in the same time;where is the photographer????

flydragon (0) 2006-02-07 3:45

hello Sarolta
great great ;o)
this pics with your note is a story
i prefere so far the BW version
i like your ref about music ;o)
this guy remind me also Iggy Pop
maybe when he was younger
the composition here is great
well seen Sarolta
your are Ottawa street queen ;o)
••simon••

green later

dolin (7369) 2006-02-07 4:08

Hi Sasa.
Je suis toujours impressionnй par tes compositions en reflets.
Tu arrives а faire passer une histoire а travers tes images...et ca c'est fort !
Pas йvident de trouver ce genre de scиne...mais tu as l'oeil.
En plus ton sйpia est bien fait et va parfaitement а ta photo. Je prиfйre cette evrsion, je trouve qu'ell a plus de punch.
Bien jouй
Dolin

Furachan (0) 2006-02-07 4:18

Wondrous stuff, Sasa, you have an eye that most of us can only wish for, quite frankly. This elevates "street" photography to the realm of very high art. Into my FAVs for a start...
The position of each one of these men/boys, starting with the worried, towering figure of the middle guy at the phone, forming a triangle of what...empathy, brotherhood, alienation?
I don't know if I'm making myself clear but you are pushing up the standards for street observations on TE with every click of your shutter - can't begin to tell you what your contribution has been to the community so far.
Always wise, always compassionate, and with the highest standards of graphical deployment.
Just amazing really...
Cheers,
Francis

Galeota (10352) 2006-02-07 4:37

Hello Sasa, a wonderful capture. Love the symbolism and the way the three generations seem to "melt" within eachother. Composition wise, although I like the original very much, I wonder how it would come out in a vertical orientation, cropping the 6-7cm on the left, and making the image "start" with the standing man right arm holding the phone.

ALSOM (6616) 2006-02-07 6:25

Hi Sasa,

The b/w version drives the attention to the people and the emotions from their faces and what their are doing.
I also like the the color version, the flashy green is strinking and the sofa'spatterns more visible ... Lovely reflection games as usual.
TFS, Alain -

jinju (14265) 2006-02-07 7:37

Hi Sasa,

you mix the different layets so well. Reflections and real people. Like many of your shots, its confusin at first and takes a long time to figure out but its fun to do and rewarding in the end. Whats really cool is how you find beauty and really great visuals in Ottawa, which to be frank never really appealed me as a city.

rhizomes (15343) 2006-02-07 12:41

Hi Sarolta,
Very nice B/W picture with interesting reflections !
I like the result !
Christophe

Paolo (41258) 2006-02-07 12:43

Hi Sarolta, another excellent image. you played very well with the reflection on the glass and with the difference of perspective.
excellent POV, focus and light.
Also the color one is very good.
that green diagonal line is very uncommon and beautiful.
both excellent, as the note!
thanks, ciao

naxius (16685) 2006-02-07 17:23

Hi Sarolta,
You have an unique eye and approach to photography!! This is really a good work..
I like the strong gaze that man is giving to you!
Excellent!
Bravo!
Alex

starbug (6924) 2006-02-08 9:53

hi Sasa, at first i just notices the young man talking on the phone and thought...he has a curious expression, probably looking at you, but where's thge rest? and then I saw the other two men, the three generations of men aas you called them, and then the spade separated from the rest by the post, and all the ingenuity of this shot was clear to me.excellent.
best wishes
A.

ndb1958 (9289) 2006-02-08 11:52

These reflections are of the best I've ever seen. A great picture, Sarolta. Nino

bullabulla (3488) 2006-02-08 13:45

love this picture as well with a strong note!
you are very clever about reflexion
3 generation of men together
well done sasa
Laetitia

ksoloduc (324) 2006-02-12 15:59

awesome shot, with those reflections and everything
well done!
Kasia

eleparc (24063) 2006-02-19 8:26

i missed that one and i love it! the three characters give this photo a very special and touching atmosphere IMO... and all in very separate worlds of their own...

great work sasa indeed!

dry tonight from bangkok

sarju (5324) 2006-02-23 0:55

HI Sarolta
I do admire your gallery ... but the photos that I admire the most in your gallery are the ones about reflections.
Good job here .... thanks for uploading the original version, it gives me a better idea about how your originals look like and what you are albe to achieve from them
me very impressed .... regards .... sarju