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Published: 2014-03-06 07:48:11 +0000 UTC; Views: 3891; Favourites: 370; Downloads: 0
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Description
In the photo, the soldier is shooting at steel targets while moving down a line. I was lucky to get the flames from the gun powder.Β*Location Okinawa, Japan*
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Comments: 20
fredScalliet [2014-03-15 11:35:48 +0000 UTC]
Overall
Vision
Originality
Technique
Impact
Waw !
I'm not at all into photojournalism myself, so I'll try the exercise of commenting from an artist's point of view.
This image immediately caught my eye. And looking at it a little longer, I certainly find it powerful and evocative. I believe that's the most important thing, from both a journalistic and an artistic points of view.
I like that the character is so off-center. In its lower position in the frame, it is dwarfed by that concrete wall, which is a nice effect. I like the association of the gun firing and the concrete wall, because is evokes consistent oppositions : explosive, penetrating velocity of a tiny object (the bullet) vs. blocking stillness of a gigantic inert body. And also, of course, a living foreground, in focus from head to toes (to muzzle), against an entirely out-of-focus, inanimate background : This perfect focus separation between subject and background underlines the effect even more.
That, and then the clothing, the several guns, and that ominous wall, all evoke one same simple idea : force. (The viewer is then left free to like it or dislike it, depending on her personal views and sensitivity about the matter. I suppose that's a fine journalistic quality too.)
That the character is lit and (almost) seen from behind renders him impersonal, as soldiers should be. We see just enough of his lower body to suggest him moving in the same direction as the shot (yes, I know, he's probably standing his ground, but you don't necessarily see that), adding to the impact of the scene.
It appears after a while that the real subject is not the character (pushed out towards the lower left corner), but the muzzle flash (right in the center of the frame). Nice, subtle composition.
I'm left somehow unsatisfied with those flash and smoke : I understand that this is very difficult to capture, and that this is about the best you can hope to achieve with a still camera. That's why I gave you a 4.5 stars. (Heck, I can't even provide a good reason why I'm not giving you a 5 !). But I hunger for those spectacular extreme slo-mo shots of guns firing you can now see on Youtube, and their almost-CGI grandeur and perfection. Well, I suppose there's not much to do about that here...
A very nice shot, if you'll excuse the pun, leaving very little to criticize.
Now just out of curiosity, so I know what I just commented on : is he shooting blanks, or people ? What's the story behind that pic ? (I see "range" in the title... I don't know much about the subject, but doesn't that mean exercise rather than real action...?)
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Natures-Studio In reply to fredScalliet [2014-03-15 12:41:21 +0000 UTC]
Well the store about this photo is rather simple, I think. The photo was taken during a special forces training program calls SFAUC (Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat). This course is a month long, and they shoot assorted types of ammo. In this photo, the guy it shooting 5.56mm Ball (normal ammo used we use in combat). In the title, "range" is the name of a place used to shoot weapons for training. In this case, it's a place where we're shooting weapons such as the M-4 rifle and the M9 Beretta pistol. As you kinda guessed right, the person is moving in the photo while shooting at a paper target.Β
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fredScalliet In reply to Natures-Studio [2014-03-15 13:05:28 +0000 UTC]
Well, thanks for the info ! And nice shooting, you two.
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Natures-Studio In reply to Nimmoisa000 [2017-11-24 04:28:03 +0000 UTC]
it was. It's on a marine base in Okinawa.
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lizstevensart [2014-03-22 15:35:56 +0000 UTC]
This is a very powerful image. The flames coming out of the barrel are just awesome. Well done! Β
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DianaNona [2014-03-06 15:52:33 +0000 UTC]
I like it very much. The photo is very sharpen.Β Β
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