Artwork is from Etsy shop Diana Pappas.
Madrid is the capital of Spain, but the capital of style may very well be Barcelona, where this image was captured.
People and fashion offer some of the finest opportunities for true fine art photography. This image has both. Composition and its sibling, balance, are intuited by the artist, as seen here in fine form.
The evocative quality of an artful 'people' image such as this speaks volumes; it piques the imagination; it raises questions. Who is this man? Where is he going, or, where has he been, and why is he alone? What's the occasion for what appears to be a tuxedo? Why is such a stylish gentleman taking the Barcelona "metro" instead of a taxi or limousine?
The fedora hat is classical 1940s style (unless I am over my hatless head, it's not part of the 'Mad Men' era which the Etsy item description mentions: the 1960s witnessed narrower brims. A mere technicality!). Definitely, the hat is classical in any age, on the right man, and it's dressing up this artwork.
The hat is covering the subject's eyes.
Why cover the eyes? Because the eyes speak other volumes which you may not want to have in this story. You want the imagination to wander. You want the gentleman to be perhaps more of an allegory than an individual. You want him to be mysterious. The eyes reveal too much, sometimes.
EFAP Team Member Name: Murray Bolesta
Team Member Shop: MurrayBolesta
Hi Murray - what an insightful and interesting response to my photograph, thank you for taking the time to analyze and explore it. I so enjoyed your questions in particular as I too have wondered for 5 years now who he is, where he was going, why the tux, why the metro, etc. It all happened in a blink of an eye - I saw him, clicked the shutter once, and then he was out of my sight as my train sped up and left the station. I for one enjoy the mystery and feel so very lucky that my camera was ready and I had my eyes open for that instant. I remember it like it was yesterday. Thanks again!
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