The image, like all images, must be evaluated on its own—no explanations required. Context, though, is another matter. Nothing exists without context and knowing the context in which an image was created is important and can lead to insights into an image and an artist. This is why we study the history of art. It gives context to a Vermeer for example. Or an Edward Weston. Nothing occurs in a vacuum. But that is another discussion for another day. Maybe.

Two things about this one: First, this 5 x 4 aspect ratio is a setting on my camera that masks the view and the recorded image. It harkens back to a time when this format that was much more common, indeed was the most common when 4 x 5 and 8 x 10 cameras were the instruments most photographers used. This aspect ratio, the numerical relationship of the short side to the long one, is much easier for me to use to create compelling compositions than the now ubiquitous 3 x 2 aspect ratio of a 35mm frame.

The second is the lens I used to make this image. It is a 40mm Carl Zeiss Distagon made for Hasselblad cameras. This lens was loaned to me by a friend. It is an old lens, predating I assume since it does not have a T* coating, the famous T* multi coating Zeiss pioneered many years ago. The darned thing weighs probably 5 pounds and is huge. Not exactly a backpacking lens. And it is not a very sharp lens, particularly when used wide open as I did here.

What? Not sharp?! Aren’t all good lenses sharp? The sharper the better? No, not always. A good lens has many characteristics that relate directly to the use it will be put to. I like moody lenses, for want of a better description, and for me moody has more to do with tonal rendering, smoothness of transitions, and how it looks when it is not in focus. You can’t tell from this size but the foreground is completely out of focus. Intentionally. It has a really lovely gentle or soft quality to the out of focus areas that compliment the overall soft light and color of this image. Many modern lenses can’t do this because they were designed to be as sharp as possible with very high detail contrast. They tend to be analytical and dry. And as they go out of focus they can get pretty ugly. Add to that the horrendous artifacts digital capture and processing can impart and you can have a real mess. Anyone who remembers when solid state amplifiers first started to replace tube gear, or the early days of digital audio will know what I’m talking about.

40mm Zeiss Distagon C, Mirex Tilt/Shift adapter, Nikon 800e, Lr4, Ps CS6.