healing hands

I'm not sure how to proceed with this, but my idea on the theme of hands is bubbling in the pot.
Maybe it's just the wine tonight.
I've come up with a theme of 'healing hands' but not sure it's the right name for it.

Peter Gabriel's song "I have the Touch" is running through my head as I review these.

'So before a question, so before a doubt
My hand moves out and ... I have the touch

I'm only, only, wanting contact
I'm only, only, wanting contact
I'm only, only, wanting contact with you'


Attachment 92413

Attachment 92410

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Or maybe less apt, but another classic: the chorus and riff from the live "Lay your hands on Me"
Peter Gabriel - Lay Your Hands On Me - YouTube

Watch from 4:11, so powerful, the hands of the audience at 5:51

I think these would work nicely, as a montage with drop shadows Paul.

BTW I'm not up to date with whats happening here but I wish you all the best.

I love the idea, Paul. I think it's got a ton of very real potential if you give it some serious attention. But these photos all feel too sloppy and snapshotty. The last one is the only one that really works for me and even it is slightly soft. If you really want to do this - and I think you should - then I think you have to address the technical challenges and then get really serious about it. Composition is going to be critical. I think that's why the last one is working for me - it's a great composition. I like the third one too, but it's not quite there. I like how I can see the scar on your arm and Angie's hands, though. Those are very intimate details to my eye.

Please keep it up and start refining these. I think if you slow down and take your time this will be a very powerful series.

Great Idea Paul!

I love the first one!

Maybe because I'm a nurse....the image says a lot about (probably) a stranger reaching out in a "sterile" environment, two people with different challenges.....meeting at a place no one wants to be in. Just one touch makes a difference.....

I also like the last one - except for the polka-dot tablecloth and the edge of a dish/plate in the frame. I think these are distracting from the hands. Great composition - and idea.

I agree with John about the others and working on it as a project. It is certainly a great project - very creative. I'd love to see more as you go on.

I still pray for you and Angie.

Liz

Thanks, that's encouraging.
I just had a quick whip through and made sure the patient ID bands were quickly touched out.

To take it further, I need to get the courage to step away from the cellphone.
And the permission of the hospital, patients, and families.
That could take a long time.
So long that perhaps Angie might be home.
So I think it will only remain an idea, and rough work on the iPhone.

I'll be back for more compositional questions.
You'll all help me up my game here.

First of all, as I'm thinking of hands as the theme then I'm going to say arms are OK, but no faces.
That should remove a lot of permission concerns.
I'm treating the iPhone pictures as polaroids of ideas, not finished by any means.
So please, give me feedback.
Download, scribble on the pictures with red pen, and upload to show where I can improve.

One thing I'm absolutely not going to do is start posing the family, I just want to find and capture the images.
Similarly I'm going to use 'natural' light, as natural as it gets with fluorescents.

If I can get this to the official level, then I'll be using the 24-70 or maybe the TS/E 40mm.
I need input on whether the tilt/shift will work or it's just a gimmick to throw away now before I waste time with it.

I'm thinking of cropping this closer, as I'm not sure the negative space on the right works.
But this is about your opinions, I wanted to try to avoid a centred composition, and the V of the hands almost forces that.
The colour shift of the sheet as it's either doubled over, or overlays the blanket, I think it needs the explanation of the blanket next to the sheet.
So I can convince myself not to change it, too.
Attachment 92471
(mother and daughter)

I'm not sure this viewpoint works.
You can't see the reason for the curve or get the impression of depth.
Attachment 92470
(grandmother and granddaughter)

This one I like better, as there's now some shape to both their hands and the shadow gives depth.
Attachment 92469
(grandmother and granddaughter)

I think this one has it in the details.
The hair of her granddaughter and the scarf of her daughter echo each other.
The bed rails framing her, and the family reaching in over the barrier.
My problem is her daughter's hand, back left, which doesn't seem in keeping with the other angles.
Attachment 92468
(three generations)

Sadly I can't take this wider without her granddaughter's smiling face in it.
Because I think the detail of her daughter's hand stroking her on the right is good.
So I can't get the echo of the hair and scarf between the two sides.
I hadn't realised until looking closely the contrast between her granddaughter's unadornment and her daughter's ring and watch.
Or her granddaughter's hair and her daughter's scarf - the contrast between generations.
Attachment 92467
(three generations)

two contradicting feelings do come up while wacthing your photos
sadness and hope

then I've captured the emotions.
even if some are snapshots.

I have a snapshot a day almost because my memory is so poor I can't keep track of what's happened.

I'm glad we encouraged you, Paul. I think there is so much potential in this project. Two general suggestions that I think may help:

Composition is going to be critical. Make them tight. I think tighter will almost always be better for these photos.

Try black and white. I feel like color is a distraction in a lot of these. This is about texture and connection, not color. Plus, the hospital lighting is weird and bugs me. Converting them to B&W should distill and refine these photos, I think. You don't want anything getting in the way of the feelings these photos create.

Yes, shooting tighter is something I find hard, because I'm used to putting racers in context.
I'll try B&W conversions and see what I can do, just upgrading to the latest Lightroom.