Last week I caught Lee T. Moran and Miriam Moran wrestling Atlantic Leo into a dock. If wrestling–versus sacred dancing–it was, then the bout was one of slow but continous strain, where raw power overwhelms other raw power’s muscle fiber, strand by stand. Diesel versus tide, or petroleum versus gravity, each almost evenly matches one with its counter.
Not that I usually employ this blog to toot my whistles, but this picture snatches me, and holds me, claws into tender skin, in its clutches. Double click to enlarge.
It could be the diagonal composition, the myriad tones of orangish-red superimposed with stains and reflection and bowsprite-like squiggles, whose recent additions I’ve found too infrequent,
the appearance of steel against steel as soft textured black cloth against softer smooth brownish fabric, or the explicit exhibition of contact points,
the depiction of the crew, diminished by their work and yet struggling on.
but it holds me, like a scene of an infant or lover snuggling with huge matronly curves.
Fotos by Will Van Dorp.
I’m posting this very late . . . in the wee hours when judgment fails, you know, a risky time. Will I still like this in the morning? Let me know what you think.
See a focus on Laura K Moran here.
8 comments
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January 23, 2010 at 4:35 am
naveganteglenan
Hola tugster.
Don’t worry about the beauty of those pictures, early in the morning. I’ve just woke up 2 hours ago, at 8h30 a.m. Madrid time (GMT+01:00), checked up on my favourite blogs, and found fantastic your pictures of the Morans and the Atlantic Leo. Your pictures and your comments as well 🙂
January 23, 2010 at 8:46 am
bobeaston
Yep, they look good to my morning! Can almost feel the dancing reflections.
January 23, 2010 at 9:05 am
my2fish
were all the pictures taken at the same time? it’s interesting how the composition is so different in each one. were you playing with the camera settings, or was the variety of colors wreaking havoc on the white balance/metering? either way – each photo is great, and a unique way to see the same setting. very nice.
January 23, 2010 at 11:20 am
Capt. Mike
Aye, Will I know what you mean. There are certain parts on my boat when I am getting it ready for launching that remind me of certain curves of a womans body. Just a certain location when I am putting on (massaging) some fiberglass protectorant that is somehow more sensual than the rest of the hull. Of course my girlfriend knows nothing about this and may explain why sailors don’t like people touching their boats. :>
January 23, 2010 at 11:34 am
Allen Baker
Will,
Nothing wrong with tooting your whistle over an image like the top one.
Shots like that come along rarely and I would certainly be proud of it. A remarkable mix and contrast in colors my friend.
AB
January 23, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Mage B
Those are flat out incredible. You’d better think they are great because we do.
January 23, 2010 at 4:57 pm
tugster
thanks all for the reassurance: by the way, i liked them well enough when i got up this morning too. here’s part of the back story: all 4 were the same foto. #3 is as it came out of the camera, #2 resulted from some edit/adjustments using iphoto, #1 resulted from further edit/adjust of #2, and #4 was still more plus some cropping. my thought at mid-day was that i could have even further edit/adjusted the colors, etc. but i can do that the next time a foto catches me. again, thanks for the comments.
January 25, 2010 at 12:34 am
bowsprite
Will, these are gorgeous! such manly curves with manly rust & scratches, effused in a metrosexual, saturated glow…