# The Guard - West Wing, the National Gallery Washington, DC



## The_Traveler (Mar 8, 2014)




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## JoeW (Mar 8, 2014)

Lovely composition.  The decision to go all B&W on us with this one is especially effective b/c that emphasizes lines and form.


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## tirediron (Mar 8, 2014)

Very nice Lew!


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## manaheim (Mar 8, 2014)

This is probably one of the most beautiful pictures I have seen from you.

Really really stunning.


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## oldhippy (Mar 8, 2014)

Great composition, interesting, thought prevoking.  Good job. Lew.


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## Derrel (Mar 8, 2014)

Nice timing and good 'seeing' as well.


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## PixelRabbit (Mar 8, 2014)

Beautiful work Lew, love this!


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## The_Traveler (Mar 8, 2014)

thanks, all


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## AlanO (Mar 8, 2014)

Very good.


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## runnah (Mar 8, 2014)

Nominated for potm!


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## Rick58 (Mar 8, 2014)

Very nice Lew


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## bribrius (Mar 8, 2014)

not square in frame. might be a tad unlevel. Like the dof. Lacks subject all I see is a door casing. Excellent processing for bw I wish I could pull off perfect shadowing.  Good photo. Not so sure it is more than a good photo though. Trying to figure out why others think it might be?


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## manaheim (Mar 8, 2014)

bribus... because it has a lot of implied emotion, and interestingly I don't even think the emotion I get from it is really what was felt by the scene. Because it is captured extremely well. Because it is framed really well. Because it takes advantage of every element in the frame, and every element in the frame contributes to the image. Worrying about it being a bit off-level (and I'm not saying it is) is focusing on technical elements that mean basically nothing within the context of an image this well captured.

I've been on here for twelve years. I see a lot of stuff posted here. This image stands out to me as one of the best.


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## bribrius (Mar 8, 2014)

manaheim said:


> bribus... because it has a lot of implied emotion, and interestingly I don't even think the emotion I get from it is really what was felt by the scene. Because it is captured extremely well. Because it is framed really well. Because it takes advantage of every element in the frame, and every element in the frame contributes to the image. Worrying about it being a bit off-level (and I'm not saying it is) is focusing on technical elements that mean basically nothing within the context of an image this well captured.
> 
> I've been on here for twelve years. I see a lot of stuff posted here. This image stands out to me as one of the best.


i don't see any emotion. captured well. nice photo, agreed. context of image, i don't get one. No fast movements, doesn't appear real low light. i cant imagine it was hard to take. i think he did most of it in processing. I like the photo, but he has had others i like more. i like a few other photos better than this circulating on tpf now. If i saw this hung up somewhere, i would look at it about two seconds, think okay, pictured well. not very artistic, kind of boring. its a doorway. two seconds and move on. i spend more time looking at tunas the photographer photo, well except for coming back to this one trying to figure if i was missing something....
i like it, but i like it if i saw it in a gallery about two seconds and step along. which is why im trying to figure out if there is something harder about this photo or something im not seeing.


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## The_Traveler (Mar 8, 2014)

bribrius said:


> i cant imagine it was hard to take. i



I have to admit that this made me laugh.
It was easy to lift up that bitty camera and press the shutter release but it took me ~5 years of effort to get ready.


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## bribrius (Mar 8, 2014)

The_Traveler said:


> bribrius said:
> 
> 
> > i cant imagine it was hard to take. i
> ...


five years doing what? im at a loss at what is so special about this photo. Don't get me wrong, i couldn't even being to take it better, this isn't a question of your ability. My perception anyway, i think it is good, but i don't think i would give it more than a moments look i just see a door casing.


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## manaheim (Mar 8, 2014)

bribrius... really... please stop talking.


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## bribrius (Mar 8, 2014)

manaheim said:


> bribrius... really... please stop talking.


typing.
And i really am just looking for some insight and explanation. This is a photo forum. is their a technical achievement here im not catching?


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## manaheim (Mar 8, 2014)

You've been given some. You've dismissed it. 

It's not a matter of technical achievement. It's a matter of artistry, rendered effectively through know-how.

Basically, what you're not getting here... are things that I don't think you're going to get from anything anyone here can tell you.

And give me a break on the "talking"/"typing" thing.  Really?


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## mmaria (Mar 10, 2014)

I know I'm late here but I really wanted to write something to bribrius

If you don't get it can you try to recreate it? You'll realize many things about photography while trying to capture something similar.


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## bribrius (Mar 10, 2014)

mmaria said:


> I know I'm late here but I really wanted to write something to bribrius
> 
> If you don't get it can you try to recreate it? You'll realize many things about photography while trying to capture something similar.


yes i could try.  i'd prefer not to.  I probably couldn't re-create it without a lot of trial and error and a grand in photoshop programs..  something to think about, doubt i'd go through the headache just for the sake of doing it though.. 
that would be a lot of work and money for a door casing i don't want a photo of..
But if the o.p could shed some hints on it for me, to carry over to my own bw it would be greatly appreciated.


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## The_Traveler (Mar 10, 2014)

bribrius said:


> But if the o.p could shed some hints on it for me, to carry over to my own bw it would be greatly appreciated.



There is no explainable point. It's like a very good Scotch, if you have grown to enjoy the taste of Scotch, you will love good single malts.
If you don't 'get' this kind of photo, only time and experience may help.


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## bribrius (Mar 10, 2014)

The_Traveler said:


> bribrius said:
> 
> 
> > But if the o.p could shed some hints on it for me, to carry over to my own bw it would be greatly appreciated.
> ...


double shot bourbon straight up, save the rocks i don't like mixing water with good liquor.


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## JoeW (Mar 10, 2014)

How difficult it is to take a shot isn't much of a measure of how good of a job it is in terms of composition.  I could dangle from off a cliff by a bungie cord shooting a nesting eagle as wasps feed on me.  Degree of difficulty...a gazillion+...but shot could be poorly composed, over-exposed and blurry.

We've all seen a gazillion door ways (and probably walked through them).  But just b/c we've seen 'em doesn't mean we've "seen" them as photographers and captured them effectively (especially an ornate doorway indoors with a security guard in reflecting in silhouette).  It's not that this is a rare thing that is only seen once in a lifetime.  Or that that shooter was hanging from the ceiling as wasps fed on him while he composed the shot.  A good photo starts with someone seeing the possibilities.  That any others could then look at the shot and say "oh, I've seen that before, I could have taken the shot" ignores the reality that (a) the photographer took it (and we didn't) and (b) the quality of the composition.  Framing a subject is a classic example of a powerful composition tool.  The lines in the photo work very effectively (especially as a B&W).


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## Rick Waldroup (Mar 10, 2014)

An excellent photo, Lew.  There are so many frames within frames within frames......each getting smaller as we proceed towards the main subject.   It has emotional appeal and an interesting subject that is composed just about perfectly.  Great stuff.


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## bribrius (Mar 10, 2014)

Rick Waldroup said:


> An excellent photo, Lew. There are so many frames within frames within frames......each getting smaller as we proceed towards the main subject. It has emotional appeal and an interesting subject that is composed just about perfectly. Great stuff.
> 
> bribrius, you keep mentioning that you feel as though the impact of this photo was created using multiple photoshop tools. I just do not see it. What I see is a well executed photograph that was processed normally using Lew's standard PP applications. Nothing fancy here, just good photographic skills. All you see is a door casing. Others see a door casing and also see so much more. Let me ask you, *don't you get tired of other people constantly pointing out your ignorance?[/*QUOTE]
> 
> no. Been around the block a few times, could care less.  it allows me to pick and choose what i want or need to know and the direction i choose to follow. The more they point out, the more i second guess and reflect to see if i am missing something. I do dismiss many things and regard them as b.s., but not all without reason. And before dismissing something i have to be sure im not missing something that i need to know or that i am dismissing it prematurely without giving it due consideration. which is what im doing here, seeing if im missing something i need to know. It is all about sorting through the b.s. for what is tangible.  IM generally not a very artsy type of person either. so i am still looking for this emotional appeal but it isn't reasoning at all. just a doorway. sorry. It is a well done door casing, if that is what you are looking for. My wife would probably like this photo more than i. But then again she is into drawing, painting, better at both than myself but cant seem to balance a checkbook to save her life. She would find emotion in this i bet but she probably could in a bag of cheese curls.


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## scotts2014se (Mar 10, 2014)

My parents taught me that if you cant say anything nice then dont say anything at all. That being stated, as soon as this photo appeared on my screen, I said "Oh wow" out loud and by myself. Really nice! Good Job!


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## Rick Waldroup (Mar 10, 2014)

I edited my post, taking out my offensive remarks about your ignorance.  I see that I did not do it fast enough.  I apologize for my bluntness.


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## Rick Waldroup (Mar 10, 2014)

Also, are you some type of engineer, by trade?  Just curious.


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## JacaRanda (Mar 10, 2014)

I happen to see beauty in this image along with something kind of eerie. The Shining comes to mind.


Oh....and I have already gone back for 3rd, 4th and 5th takes.   If this was printed large I am sure I would stare for quite some time.

Can't explain it, but I just would.


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## bribrius (Mar 10, 2014)

Rick Waldroup said:


> Also, are you some type of engineer, by trade? Just curious.


no worries


Rick Waldroup said:


> I edited my post, taking out my offensive remarks about your ignorance. I see that I did not do it fast enough. I apologize for my bluntness.


no. die cutter, printer, worked on machines, made parts for machines, run machines, setup machines,  carpenter and construction worker, bridge worker, forklift driver, truck driver, loan officer, landlord, supervisor, wholesale import export hardwoods and metal buildings,  lots of skilled and unskilled trades and some useless years in college economics..The biggest highpoint of my lack of career was being in the mortgage loan industry selling loans off right before the bubble popped from all those 80/20's, arm and no doc loans when we could sail people through in the low 600's on stated income. :mrgreen:
Family had a construction company and tractor trailer leasing company growing up too.. so my art emotion side could very well be lacking. no engineer. But give a blueprint pretty good chance i could build it or make it. Really just a nobody.  just another blue collar joe.

i like the photo, i just don't understand the "great" photo part or that it is amazing in some way or any emotional aspect.. i even put it on my desktop so i had to look at it for the last couple days. Honestly, i give up.  





JacaRanda said:


> I happen to see beauty in this image along with something kind of eerie. The Shining comes to mind.
> 
> 
> Oh....and I have already gone back for 3rd, 4th and 5th takes. If this was printed large I am sure I would stare for quite some time.
> ...


"the shining" . That made me laugh. okay, there could be a certain " the shining" appeal thinking back about how they filmed that movie.  LOL


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## weepete (Mar 10, 2014)

Wow, great shot Lew. 

I'll expand a bit about what I see in this photo. The first thing that strikes me is the security guard, and how he's walking out of the frame. Then I see the second focal point which is the painting. So now I can put the two elements together and give it some context, obviously someone considers it important enough to have a guard. Then I see the space around the guard and the space around the painting, which to me looks like it is framed centrally and prominantly in a room of its own, with what may be it's own personal protection. It may be very valuable or important or both. It makes me wonder who it's done by or why it deserves that amount of fuss. Then I see the position of the guard and his posture, it strikes me again that he is walking away from the painting. His head is down, almost looking at his shoes and he does not appear to be moving fast so I summarise that he is bored. Maybe he is coming towards the end of his shift, maybe half way through it. His position and posture in the frame implies he's been there long enough for the painting not to hold his main interest, maybe he's walked by it too many times it's just become another thing on the wall. Then I see the opulent well polished floor, his reflection in it and I can see he is well dressed. This is not a security guard with a hat and a torch on his belt. Then I think more about the space, no one is there looking at this painting giving asolitary feel and echoes of lonelyness and again boredom. Then I look at the surroundings, which are detailed but not so much to detract from the main focus of the room which interests me because it's clearly ment to be the painting however the main subject of this is the guard. Then I see the muted tones on the walls, notice the leading lines on the floor and then look at the doorway and see the frames within frames which bring my eye back in to notice the reflection on the floor, the guards black suit and the blacks in the painting form a nice little off centre triangle.

The I wonder wither my initial thoughts were right and return to thinking about the guard, maybe he is on his rounds, maybe this is not the only painting in the room, the smell of old wood and polish and wandering through an empty gallery myself. I wonder if there are crowds round the corner or if when his back is turned the painting might be stolen or any number of possibilities like does seeing a "great" work of art every day diminish it's appeal?

At the very least it's well framed, the tones really suit the image and it conveys the emotions of boredom, empyness, space and significance we put on stuff pretty well. 

That's what I see and what goes through my head when I look at this.


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## The_Traveler (Mar 10, 2014)

Thanks all.


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## The_Traveler (Mar 10, 2014)

when I saw this, I noticed the several concentric layers framing the still portrait and then the guard walked through, completely shattering the symmetry. and the portrait sort of looked his way.

this was a one shot deal, he never returned and then tourists filled the room


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## Warhorse (Mar 10, 2014)

Wonderful photo to look at, just outstanding.


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## CmazzJK (Mar 10, 2014)

bribrius said:


> Rick Waldroup said:
> 
> 
> > An excellent photo, Lew. There are so many frames within frames within frames......each getting smaller as we proceed towards the main subject. It has emotional appeal and an interesting subject that is composed just about perfectly. Great stuff.
> ...


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## BlackPoet (Mar 10, 2014)

Bribrius, the first thing I see _within_ this image is obviously the nice building, but also the old hunched over "guard" not seeming to have a care in the world about his job the way he's going about his job. Perhaps he's been there too long walking the same hall guarding the same painting..his life needs color, just as his captured emotion is black and white....


Just my thought on what was thought provoking to me about this image..through my little iphone screen


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## sashbar (Mar 11, 2014)

Nice photo. Not so nice neoclassical architecture of JR Pope, aka "style that is safely dead" .   
So I guess we have to blame the guy for an excessively heavy forefront here. 
But the slight darkening of the front wall helps to bring up the perspective nicely.
The guy was (kind of) a pioneer photographer btw.


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## Rick Waldroup (Mar 11, 2014)

CmazzJK said:


> bribrius said:
> 
> 
> > Rick Waldroup said:
> ...


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## Trblmkr (Mar 11, 2014)

Lew... I have never been there, and never thought about going, that is, until I saw your picture. Now I "have" to go.

Well done, you've created inspiration!!


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## CmazzJK (Mar 12, 2014)

Rick Waldroup said:


> Thanks for the golf tip.



Best advice I've ever gotten for life in general...


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## cmhbob (Mar 12, 2014)

As the saying goes: Timing is everything. Great photo.


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## terri (Mar 12, 2014)

The_Traveler said:


> when I saw this, I noticed the several concentric layers framing the still portrait and then the guard walked through, completely shattering the symmetry. and the portrait sort of looked his way.
> 
> this was a one shot deal, he never returned and then tourists filled the room



Great capture - working with what suddenly appeared in front of you and seeing that "shattered symmetry" can be what makes the shot!    It would not have the same impact without the guard walking through.   Nice work!


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## The_Traveler (Mar 12, 2014)

This seems to be a good object lesson for street photography. One must always be prepared to shoot now.


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## GDHLEWIS (Mar 12, 2014)

Not sure why but something very inviting about this shot. Love it


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