Motherland Chronicles #41 - From the Ashes

I think this photograph is very striking and immediately grabs the viewer's attention. Your use of fire in the background silhouettes the female figure in the foreground, especially since the smoke from the fire highlights the top half of her figure. The halo around the model's head created by the reflected fire light is quite beautiful. The contrast of dark and light works very well for the composition. I also think that your use of fire helps give this piece a story, especially coupled with the model's black, feathery dress and hourglass shape which reminds me of a fairytale evil queen or sorceress. I think that you made a good decision to have the model facing away from the camera because the photograph is already so visually complex that a shot of her face would probably have detracted from the piece as a whole. You have to infer her emotions from body language and setting instead of facial expression and that mystery is an asset to this piece.

The use of both water and fire gives this photograph complexity, and the reflection of the fire in the water's surface creates a bit of symmetry that balances the photograph as well. I personally love how you have mixed high fashion (such a gorgeous dress!) with the rawness of nature. I like how the hem of her dress looks like it has sand stuck in the feathers, which I think just adds to the whole story you have set up with this photograph. Beautiful!