I take part of the 52Frames weekly photography challenge to keep my juices flowing, mainly when life is busier and longer projects become more difficult to happen. For this week, the theme for the challenge is complementary colours.

This past week I had more time on my hands. With my mind floating naturally, free of any pressure, it started working well. It looks like my subconscious mind spoke louder.

Out of the blue

After one or two days with my muse being receptive, an idea came to light, out of the blue. An empty room – box, a ‘girl’ and an umbrella. Was I aware of a story? No. I just went with the image in mind.

Image

To start of, a self portraiture was a need. I wasn’t in the mood to get changed to make the photo more artistic. I was wearing a grey fleece and beige trousers. If I wanted to isolate myself from the background, I’d need to change the trousers, and so I did. I chose a grey one. Wearing grey was great, as I beared in my mind that I’d have to change the colours during post processing. I grabbed an umbrella and went for it. After a few shots I headed to the computer.

After isolating myself from the background, ‘correcting’ the temperature and tint of the image to make it easier to control the hue saturation in order to change my clothes and umbrella to purple, I worked on the room – box. I basically created five rectangles and put them into perspective for a room with the aide of gradients to create darker areas where needed. As the main subject was in purple, the room became yellow.

I looked at the image and thought; ‘what’s the story? And again, out of the blue I decided to add a manuscript with a peace of silk material. Why??!!

Why these colours and elements?! What is the story?!

Looking at it and letting my conscious mind to think about the unconscious one – maybe in an act of what we call ‘self-reflection’ – all started to make sense.

My story represents transition. The fact that the main subject is in purple means doubts of the direction taken in her life. The umbrella is a symbol of protection, the need of re-affirmation. The rolled manuscript in a piece of silk material represents the closure of an important cycle that nevertheless will always be what the subject was one day, and from now on part of her story. The yellow room is representing hope – no regrets and that all will work out. Above all it reflects the inner happy core this subject has and that she won’t let it go!