Ok all you highly creative people out there. I have an image roaring around in my feeble mind but I'm stuck on the representation of the symbols to pull it off. The essence of the image is the passing down from one generation to the next( or in this case from granny to baby) the ideas and knowlege of the wise and faithful elders. The universal culture of humanity. Black background, tiny child's hand stretched out towards an old gnarly grandmotherly hand bearing........what? What sybolizes ideas and knowlege from one generation to the next? What physical "thing" represents that idea across cultural boundaries? A universal implement or object? I've used wheat stalks, rice stalks, a knife, beads, beads w/cross, cloth..... Ideas please. Feel free to shoot this idea all you want. I hope you make a Pulitzer out of it and get a Carnegie Grant for it. James

-- james (james_mickelson@hotmail.com), July 25, 2000

Answers

How about a bit of lens flair. Oh not a hexagon or anything, just some haze or something. Maybe light shining but not a shaft of light. Dean

-- Dean Lastoria (dvlastor@sfu.ca), July 26, 2000.

Hang about. Didn't a guy called Mick Langlow, or something like that, do that one already? It's hung in sixteen chapels, or somewhere.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), July 26, 2000.

how about the baby handing the granny a [computer] mouse...

-- Nigel Smith (nlandgl@eisa.net.au), July 26, 2000.

OK, how's this, a vine disecting the frame. The hands like touching it sort of... a totem of Jack and the Bean-stock meets the agrarian revolution? I don't know. Dean

-- Dean Lastoria (dvlastor@sfu.ca), July 27, 2000.

How about its been done a bizillion times before.......

-- mark lindsey (lindseygraves@msn.com), July 31, 2000.

I find it interesting that originality is the most important thing. Go to any well stocked art museum and you will see many variations on the same theme. Your theme sounds a lot like the "Madonna & Child" theme. This theme is one of the most popular throughout history.Just because it has been done before dosen't necessarily mean you can't put forth your own interpertation. With that said here's my 2 cents. Why not the old hand holding the young hand, a simple composition with low key lighting with possibly a strong sidelight/spotlight.Of the old masters Caravagio comes to mind.

-- Robert Orofino (rorofino@iopener.net), August 01, 2000.

I rest my case......

-- mark lindsey (lindseygraves@msn.com), August 01, 2000.

Maybe a key. It would have to have an antique essence, as if it's seen many doors (or obstacles) and has overcome each one. In a way, the key would represent anything learned in the older person's life. It would contain a menagerie of different emotions, painful and wonderful. Jackie

-- Jackie Smink (jackleen70@hotmail.com), August 23, 2000.

Hi.. I'm just a beginner in B & W photography but just thought i'd share my view. Maybe you don't really need to have an obvious object to hand down. It could be just the simplicity and the beauty of the the granny's hand over the child's outstretched one? You could work on how the idea of the essence of the passing down of the knowledge through maybe lighting or emotions.. Nira

-- Nira (coow@usa.net), August 24, 2000.

First, I reject the idea that because it has been done before, it should not be done again. What makes any photographic idea a photographic cliche is making a contrived, dishonest image, which the approach is seen time and time again. There is value in looking at the masters for inspration and ideas, just don't copy, mainly because you will never do it better. But there is always room for new ideas for old themes. I do have some words of caution and that is not to try to put too much into your image. Keep it simple and try to say more with less. Look at Edward Weston for this kind of inspration. When I have an idea which I want to make into a photograph I always have to fight being too literal. Make the viewer think. Don't make one image and go on to somethoing else, work on several ideas dealing with the same theme. Let the image evolve, the real answer to you question is in you. When it comes from with in you then the image will be creative and original.

-- Rick Lang (rickpho@aol.com), September 09, 2000.

How about splitting up the lighting?

Light the grandmother in high key: making every bump, mole, wrinkle, wart, facial and nose hair stand out. The background will be lit to look dark grey.

Light the granddaughter in low key: everything soft. The background will be lit to look nearly white.

Put a clear filter over the lens, and then put Vaseline over the daughter's half. Make it good and goopy, like the daughter is part of a Monet painting.

Let them just press their hands together, palm to palm.

-- Brian C. Miller (brian.c.miller@gte.net), September 15, 2000.