Gustav Klimt and the Napping Woman

Sometimes, one sees what is around him because his mind is prepared to the possibilities of what can be, or could happen. These are the times when, as a photographer I feel rewarded to anticipate and even more, to capture a story.

But there are times when I am unaware of my readiness. In those moments, when a story unfolds, either I am not ready to freeze it on film, or I am late, letting the story happen and pass.

… After a long walk around Leopold Museum in Vienna, found the room where an art critique and historian was discussing works by Gustav Klimt. It was a 20 minute film projection in a dark room with a few chairs. After seeing the masterful works of Klimt in the Leopold Museum and in Belvedere Palace, hearing analysis from an expert was most appropriate.

The room was dark, and there was only one other person there. She was on my left, and relaxed in her chair. In fact, too relaxed. Maybe it was the long walk or some other activity, but she seemed happy to be in that room to take respite.

While I was most interested in the analysis of most famous of Klimt’s work discussed in the movie, I kept looking to my left observing the other person in the room. She was picturesque in her posture – tall and thin, her black winter coat seemed perfectly in line with her extended legs. The metal legs of the modern chair gave a delightful anachronism to her posture.

And, suddenly she dropped her head back for a “cat nap”. Without thinking, without focusing, and without composing I clicked. I had a Nikkor 50mm opened at 1.4 and my F3 camera set at Aperture Priority mode. The only light in the room was from the movie screen on the right.

Then she got up and left.

Here is the result.

 And here is the cropped frame, the grain of which gives the feel of a painting:

It was one of these moments when I was unaware that my mind would be ready to see the world in black and white, and capture it without a context.

Or perhaps it was Klimt’s “Mother and Two Sleeping Children” that had influenced my perspective…

PS/ I downloaded the above Klimt painting from the Internet.

December 6, 2016

©Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2016