Café Philos: an internet café

The only title I can find for the work on the left is "Art Nude". Yet, as you can see, this is not a classical art nude. It is more like a nude portrait. The focus is on the model -- her face and expression capture us. Her body is not so much defined as suggested.

I think Liviu Burlea's work here shows us what can be accomplished when one combines the technique and style of classical nude photography with portraiture. In this photo, the use of light and shadow -- borrowed from nude photography -- creates for me at least the feeling that I am looking at someone's spirit or soul. Moreover, everything else seems to reinforce that feeling.

For instance, the model's expression is at once open, sincere and vulnerable. She seems to be revealing her inner self to us. Almost surrendering it. Her nudity merely reinforces the effect. You cannot look at the photo, I think, without feeling that you have met a person in her own right. Perhaps you want to reach out to her, hold her, question her, even comfort her. She challenges you to interact with her. Few enough portraits actually do that. This one is masterful.

I would have put it in the sidebar for this week, but Blogger intervened (again!) to prevent that by squashing and distorting the photo. So, I am sharing it with you this way instead.