This week over at Paula’s Black & White Sunday, her guest Sue Judd gives us a fascinating insight into the use of negative space in our compositions. Please go and see what she has to say at: Black & White Sunday: Negative Space
Meanwhile, here are some more of my shopping mall photos. As I mentioned a few posts ago when I showed another version of the second shot, to me the mall is usually a very negative space. I’m also thinking that my metaphorical interpretation of the theme might be rather stronger than my photographic rendering of Sue’s guidelines, but I thought I’d share these rather weird compositions anyway: my study of consumer alienation.
Tish Farrell 
I like your mall shots. Would never occur to me to take photos in one, but then it is rare I go to one. I loathe shopping.
Shrewsbury’s Darwin Centre is especially dire. But I stopped despairing when I realized there were some snapping opportunities. I’d never thought of it before.
You and me both on the shopping loathing
Love your metaphorical take! And your first image has plenty of negative space and a rather robotic, disturbing feel…”
Oh jolly good. I have to say it was a very strange encounter with these naked male manikins. They’d just been abandoned.
A little eerie, then…
Definitely. I’m still getting over it. Or I might have to go back to see what’s happened to them..
I’m sure!
Fantastic!
Thanks, Anna.
Love these; especially the first shot. There is something so wonderfully dystopian about it. And I love that you captured these shots in malls which I always find over-lit. The negative space metaphor fits perfectly.
🙂
What great photos and I love your metaphoric take. All in all a most enjoyable post that inspires me to think outside the box with these chsllenges.
It’s so very encouraging that we give each other ideas and impulses to try different things. And it keeps the brain cells on the move 🙂
It is one of the best aspects of blogging. I am off to do my Cardinal Guzman response before February disappears – thanks to your inspiration. 🙂
happy to see you buzzing away!
Disturbing and dystopian, but beautifully photographed. I go to malls so rarely I’m rather intrigued by them – a visit to a strange tribe. Not many on my lovely south coast, but Złoty Tarasy calls!!!
Oh now I’d probably love a mall in another country – so much to gawp at. I was utterly fascinated in Dubai – husband taking all his head-to-toe veiled wives to the v. expensive cosmetics store to buy, well, make up (?), chaps in desert robes in the supermarket with their trolleys doing the weekly shop…
I think Sue would really appreciate that you’ve used her challenge as a starting point. It is my opinion that you have a wonderful response.
That’s a very nice opinion, Charlie 🙂
I’ve always found department store dummies rather creepy. But interesting. Good pictures and terrific use of negative space.
Here’s to creepiness. Cheers!
Tish, I have to say that dystopian is the perfect word for the first two shots and I can see why it would be a bit disturbing/weird to come across these naked gents. My s-i-l works at a large store at a mall and although I’ve stopped in to see her many times when I arrive to visit, I’ve only been into the mall once in all these years until this visit. She wanted to do a bit of shopping, so we ventured in and then I had to return something, making me have to go back the. Although it’s a nice mall, so many stores are just the same as all other malls, there are lots of people (so noisy, etc.), and I realized once more that I don’t really like malls or shopping in them, unless there’s something I really need/want that can’t be found elsewhere.
janet
I think they suck out one’s energy somehow, and put you into a trance.
Those first two photos are fabulous!
Alison
Thank you, Alison.
They are creepy Tish but make excellent subjects for your camera. It seems that few of us get any pleasure from shopping.
Nice!
Great compositions, all three of them! As far as negative space is concerned, I think I like it best in the third one – it seems to have its own right (play ist own role) here.
Thank you, tms.
To my mind you have captured perfectly the isolation and loneliness of the Mall…..even beyond that, a sense of futility – Love the images and will definitely check out Sue’s words on ‘negative space’. Thank you and enjoy a lovely Monday and week ahead…janet:)
First two shots remind me of Asimov’s I Robot
Oh yes. That’s a great analogy.
Love that first one, Tish! And you’ve got patterned negative space. Which is awfully clever! 🙂
I rather liked that too, but thought it might be pushing the boundaries re. negative space 🙂
Have you noticed how dummies have become so life like over the years, to the point they are spooky.
Yes, I think that’s what bothered me most when I was taking the photos.
Very life like bottoms!!!
Indeed, now you mention it :O
I really like your pictures, they capture so well what the mall is for me too. A negative space.
Thanks, Tiny.